What did Jesus say about private things?
Matthew 6:5
Thank you
Keep going
Matthew 6:19-21 If we agree that this is True, thatās a great place to start.
Good night! šš¤
Thank you to the Gideons
Last edit I promise Stephen Mitchellās translation is my favorite
Just not tonight! š
The alphas seem to have hunkered down for the night. The jungle grows quiet. Furious s
Itās after midnight now. Shutting off the phoneā¦.now
Iāve been trying to decide what I want to write about. Or more accurately, what I should write about. Whenever I think about writing I get stuck trying to choose one thing.
It seems pointless. What do I want to accomplish by writing? Am I looking to convince others to what I believe to be true? Do I just want to entertain? Am I writing for myself or for others? So, I end up writing nothing.
So, tonight as I lay here in bed in my one bedroom apartment I want to write about my life so far. Iām dictating this into my phone. For several months now Iāve had a hard time getting to sleep. This has never been a problem for me before. I suspect itās because itās been a long time since my life has been stable.
I’m waiting for my divorce to be final. It’s been a year and a half since my wife filed. While it’s been almost a year since we agreed on the specifics, there’s been a paperwork snafu at the courthouse which has prolonged this ordeal. In turn this continuation of the limbo I’ve been living in has put me in a precarious financial position. I haven’t been able to plan for the future. I live month to month. So I think the stress of this uncertainty contributes to my difficulty getting a good night’s sleep.
I’m 60 years old. I spend a lot of time wondering what’s going to end up killing me. It’ll most likely be some kind of cancer. I don’t want it to be some kind of stupid accident. But then again, I don’t want a long drawn out illness either. If I’m lucky I’ve probably got about 20 years left. What will those 20 years be like?
I can already tell that I don’t think as well as I used to. I avoid complex decision making. I have the same memory problems that people that are aging are prone to. But I also have some cognitive issues when it comes to motivation to take care of basic needs.
For instance, it’s a major undertaking to just do the dishes, sweep the floors, or put away laundry. It’s just me here and I don’t really care about them. Except of course when someone wants to come over and visit and then I’m embarrassed by it.
John Cougar Mellencamp wrote in Jack and Diane, āā¦Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone.ā Thatās how Iām feeling nowadays. I can hear the objections from others, but for me, life is getting monotonous.
I believe I’ve already fulfilled my life’s purpose. Procreation. The purpose of life is to pass on your genetics to the next generation. If you fail to procreate, you failed in life. You failed the generations that led up to you. I don’t believe in life after death. I believe in death after death.
The only thing about me that has a chance of surviving my death is my DNA. In 100 years there won’t be any trace of me left. I will be like the great majority of people who have lived and died over the last 100,000 years. One of the nameless billions of individuals that have existed on this Earth.
So if I have 20 years left what do they hold for me? It looks to me now that it will be pretty bleak. Climate change is a problem that weāre only just now starting to address. We lost precious time because of the denial of politicians under the influence of corporations that would lose money if we made the necessary changes to avert the worst of it.
In the United States, one of our major political parties wants to usher in a new era of Fascism. With the changing demographics of our country, the republican party is becoming a minority party. So wherever they can, they are gaming the system in order to stay in power, and rule as a minority. The next election in 2024 will be the most consequential in our nationās history. If Donald Trump somehow gets to the White House, our democracy will come to an end. But it may be that, regardless of who wins the White House, our nation will become embroiled in a Civil War.
Iām not a prophet. I donāt have a crystal ball. So of course, my pessimistic outlook may be completely wrong. But this is what I believe and it keeps me up at night.
My anger could kill me someday. That’s what I realized today as I tried to recover from a self-inflicted near-stroke. I thought my head was going to explode. At least that’s what it felt like. This wasn’t during the anger and road rage. It was about 3 minutes after the incident. Let me give you some background.
I have struggled with anger management issues most of my adult life. When I was in my 20s and 30s I enjoyed the feeling of righteous indignation. This didn’t come from a religious grounding, it came from my own ego. When I was at my maximum anger, I felt powerful and confident. I KNEW I was justified in whatever I was mad about and in my level of hate. I was right. You were wrong. I can say whatever I want, because I’m right.
I didn’t question whether I should be yelling at people. If I was right, and I’m always right, then it’s not my problem if you can’t handle the truth. Ironically it was when I was working for the post office that I was forced to confront my anger. “Going Postal” was a catch-phrase for committing workplace violence. I was never violent. I have never punched someone in anger. Felt like it, but never have.
So it was during my first anger management peer group session that I finally started to question myself about my anger. There were people of all ages and ethnicities in our group. We talked about what we’ve done, what we’ve been through, and what the repercussions were for ourselves and the ones we love. To say it was eye opening is an understatement. It was a revelation.
Even with that revelation, I was a slow learner. I wasn’t yelling at my boss, but road rage was nearly a daily occurrence. Somebody cut me off? Ride that S.O.B.s tail. Someone driving slow in the fast lane? I’ll go around them, sometimes on the shoulder! I’ll get in front and then jam on the brakes. Why? To teach them to not drive slow in the fast lane.
Sometimes, believe it or not, people got mad at me! We would play stupid games and nearly get ourselves or those around us injured or killed. Why? Because these ignorant dumbasses need a lesson! I don’t know if it’s because I got older, but my body started reacting to these high-stress situations. When the adrenaline wore off my back would spasm. I could feel my heart beating hard in my chest. My head throbbed with pain in time with my pulse.
So for over 20 years now I’ve been wrestling with my inner demons. I’ve come to recognize the the situations that trigger a near-instant retaliation for a perceived insult or lack of fairness. If I’m centered and grounded or just in a good mood I can now let them roll off my back. So what happened today?
It started with a typical trigger. I’m slowing down to make a right turn at a stop sign. As I get to a few hundred feet from the stop sign, I see the car behind me change lanes and accelerate to get in front of me. Oh no you don’t! I sped up to try to block them, but they were able to get in front of me. Ok dumbass, you’re in front of me now. Hope you’re happy. You’re obviously in a big hurry.
So what do we do at the stop sign? Well they make their turn because nobody is coming. It’s Texas so the speed limit for this road is 70 mph. What does Miss In-A-Hurry do? Slowly, very slowly, accelerates in the lane in front of me. It’s 2 lanes each way. I go around. Now the fun begins!
As soon as I get back in front of her, she accelerates to get in front of me. As she passes I see her turn to me, yelling and flipping me off. When she’s in front, I do the point at my head and twirl my finger as the international symbol for your crazy. She must not have liked that because she hits her brakes and we play the tail-gate game. She’s a rank amateur. I’m a pro. She thinks she’s going to impede my progress by driving slow in the fast lane? That’s why there’s a shoulder, so I can pass you on the left, silly!
I wasn’t really mad. At least I didn’t feel angry. I was kind of mad, but I wasn’t seeing red and completely out of my head. I knew that I had started it. I shouldn’t have accelerated at the beginning before the stop sign. That was petty. I knew it before we got on the highway. I was definitely on her ass as we started accelerating. That’s why she was going slow. She was paying me back for trying to keep her from passing me before the stop sign.
The stupid road rage games made me miss my exit. She got off at the exit and I drove on to the next one to circle back. As I was taking the exit, I started to feel my pulse pounding in my head. I started to get a little nauseous. The pressure in my head was unrelenting. I was actually frightened I might stroke out. It took a good 15 minutes or so for the pressure to ease and my heart to stop pounding.
Wow. What an idiot! That lady wasn’t to blame. It was me. My fault. I started the games. I continued playing the games. As they say, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” My lack of self-control almost killed me today. I’m almost 60 now. Is that how I want to die? A stroke caused by my reaction to what someone else did? No.
I’m going to learn from today. I’m going to appreciate the luck I had that today wasn’t the day I died. It gives me a chance to reflect on what I’ve learned about myself over the years. I’ll accept that I’m going to screw up and learn from those screw ups. I can see that I’ve made progress in managing my anger. My goal is to never go through that again. Next time? I’ll strive to not be petty and just let the morons be morons. Wish me luck!
I saw a post recently asking the question, āIf you could ask God one question, what would it be?ā So that got me to thinkingā¦
Since most people in the US belong to some sect of Christianity, they picture their God as they believe Him to exist. They imagine asking Him about some detail about their faith theyāve struggled with in doubt. Or perhaps theyāve got a score to settle and they want to know why their loved one was taken. At least those are common threads.
My question would be something like why did you hide? I looked everywhere, inside and out. I never saw you. I called out many times. You never answered. Science has searched for you for thousands of years. Nothing. Physics hasnāt found Him. Biology hasnāt found a trace of a divine hand guiding evolution.
In fact the opposite has been found. The study of the natural world around us has lead to the scientific consensus that the Universe, Time, and Space began with The Big Bang. Life has evolved on Earth. Thoughts are bio electrical interactions among nerves in a brain. Before science, God was the most logical explanation for why we are here, how we got here, and what the difference is between living things and dead things. Now that we have science, insistence on His existence is just wishful thinking.
So if I were to find myself in the unlikely position of asking God one question it would be, āWhere the hell were you?ā
Hi. It’s been way too long. I’ve been recuperating. I’ve been obsessing. Every once in a while, I’ll check online compulsively. Hey, I’m neurodivergent in so many ways, you’d think I shoulda been committed. I wonder about how much the few people I’m close to put up with me more than they accept me. I can’t blame them. I wouldn’t hang out with me if I was someone else. But I’m stuck with me, so I’ve learned to accept that I am going to put a severe strain on any close relationship.
That’s a lot of Is. Not is. The plural of I, however that is written. I guess I really do like talking about myself more than anything. Look, more Is. This is getting ridiculous!
Here’s a good example of my biggest problem lately. It’s a form of procrastination. It’s being paralyzed into doing nothing because the choices of what I could do/ should do overwhelm me. I started writing this because I was overjoyed to see my old friend had liked something I wrote a year ago. I wanted to write directly to let them know I saw the like, but knew that would probably break the fragile thread of connection. So then I had to decide what should I write to let them know that I saw the connection and wanted to respond.
My first impulse is almost always a bad one. I don’t trust myself to do the right thing, because I’ve failed at it so many times in the past. First I was going to like something back. I read some of what they’d been writing and was in the process of clicking like, when I saw the list of others who had liked it. Yep, there was The Other. Ok, glad I didn’t do that.
So my next thought was to write something over there. But The Other would just see that and cut the thread. So here I am. Writing to hopefully maintain the connection without bringing attention and eventual breaking of said connection.
The title is a little misleading. The fog hasn’t cleared. It’s still swirling around keeping me from seeing any path forward. Just glimpses of possible future intersections of fate. I can’t keep the fog from obscuring my long term sight. It hems me in with whisps of ideas that coalesce and then disperse, never to be seen again.
My attempts at self-regulation are pathetic. As soon as I try to organize around a concept, I skip to another and lose my focus. Why haven’t I written? I can’t keep focused on an idea. I could write my memoir. I could write a sci-fi story about the collapse of our satellite infrastructure. I could write opinion pieces on politics, religion, and society. Every day ideas for these topics come and go in this decomposing brain.
It limps along trying to keep me solvent, healthy, and fed. It has to fight itself though for any gains. The constant complainer-in-chief, the self-assessing eye that never sleeps and never misses a mistake. The choir of ghosts in my head that watch what I do and mumble about what the others must think. And their gasps when I trip. It’s weird to be me. It must be even weirder to know me.
Thank you my friend. I’ve missed you. I’ll try, really I will, to write so you have something to read that you didn’t expect. You didn’t look for it. But it was there anyway. Waiting
The realization Iām seeing and hearing on the left is, stunned shock. They voted him in anyway?
Sure the ultra-MAGA are embarrassing to everyone else but themselves , but it wasnāt them who put Trump back in power. It was a two-parter.
First it was all of the āmainstreamā conservatives who heard what crimes Trump had been convicted of and accused of (now never to be adjudicated and tried for) but were ok with it. They were ok with his friendship and fawning of other autocrats.
In fact with the US Supreme Court being a āConservativeā lock for the next 30+ years, and their past decision that a president canāt be held criminally liable for āofficialā acts, he will almost certainly commit atrocities. He will push his authority bigly. He will provoke confrontation.
Heās said he will pardon the convicted and sentenced J6th Insurrectionists. Bannon, Proud Boys, and the like are gearing up and preparing. Protests. Like youāve never seen.
While Trump got a majority of the popular VOTE, he doesnāt have above 50% approval ratings. He doesnāt have the support of the majority of Americans. So there is a large group of left-leaning voters who are looking at their fellow citizens in disbelief.
First they look at their friends and family on the right and canāt believe they voted for him knowing what he is going to do. And theyāre ok with it!
Second they look at the millions of people who voted for Biden, but couldnāt muster the urgency to get up and do it again for Harris. Knowing what Trumpās going to do!
I thought Iād be mad. Maybe later. Now Iām mostly sad that my fellow Americans have gotten it so wrong. Surely theyāre somehow uninformed of what a monster he is. They couldnāt be ok with that too? Or do they really want a king?
Because thatās what theyāre going to get. Weāve made the biggest mistake (hopefully) of our lifetime. Iāll be hear to say I Told You So!
Trump loves to tell the story of The Woman and The Snake. Look him up on YouTube. He LOVES to tell that story. Why? The punchline, āYou knew I was a snake when you took me in!ā His eyes shine with delight as he gets to it. He is the snake. Heās back!
I want to tell you something I know, but after I start I just want to tell you what I hope you want to hear. Maintaining the look in your eyes when you like what Iām saying becomes more important than anything else.
I want to say whatever comes to mind as we cross the country one county at a time. I want to make you laugh and make you think. I want to hear you gasp as we crest a hill and see an unimagined vista emerge.
I want to ask you why. Why? I want to ask Why not? But those are worthless questions with meaningless answers. We can never know the āWhy?ās Not even our own. Most of us canāt even agree on the What Happened. Much less Why.
I mostly just want to say I love you. Over and over. Maybe if I say it enough, youāll hear it on the breeze or feel it in a dream.
I never expected to be able to talk to you or see you when I did, so thereās no point in worrying about the next time. Itāll happen when I donāt expect it. But it will never be soon enough.
I did something sort of spontaneous today. I drove for 7 hours to see my Alma mater play a football game.
At first I was going to drive here Friday for Saturdayās game. Since I couldnāt drag myself away from my computer last night, I left my apartment this morning with just enough time to get to the kick-off. I was going to drive straight (7 hours) to the game.
After an uneventful, long and boring drive, I got off the highway and headed towards the stadium. When I saw the logjam that was the line to get into the parking lot, I drove to the hotel instead.
Itās about 1.5 miles away. I hate having to deal with parking lot traffic, so I gave up seeing the beginning of the game and got my room squared away and walked to the game. I just followed the PA voice and crowd noises!
Iād already paid $50 online for a ticket, so there was no way I was missing this game! Iād done that already the previous year. Iād driven all the way to a stadium, but didnāt bother going into the game because of parking hassles and no ticket. This time I made sure I was going!
I get into the game, find my seat and enjoy the view. It was a windy evening. As the sun set behind the tower of high dollar luxury boxes, it illuminated the clouds with a brilliant golden red hue.
I decided to get up and see what sort of refreshments they served here. Beer! šŗ Suds. My favorite thing to quench a thirst at a game. Only (gulp) $13 a can! Itās a scam sure, but they have the advantage. What can I do? Beer please.
As I stood at the top of the grassy berm taking in the half-time show, the man next to me starts a conversation.
āIsnāt it beautiful? Look at everyone here enjoying themselves and having a good time. I didnāt appreciate this when I was young. ā
I donāt know how many strangers have come up to you and just started talking to you, but it happens to me frequently. More than Iām comfortable with, to be honest.
But sometimes you can tell they HAVE to say whatever is on their mind(s). Robert was not to be denied. He was going to buy me a beer and we were going to talk.
I could tell this was going to be a conversation worth having. Not for the substance of the discussion, but for the camaraderie. We were close enough in age, that we could talk as two men in their 60s. We could nod, high-five, toast, and look sincerely at each other while I answered the same questions repeatedly. Thatās what you do with a drunk friend at a football game.
Bob is a retired (30 year) postal worker. Heās of Navajo ancestry. He was one of the friendliest humans Iāve ever run across. He bought a round, then I bought one. We talked about everything and nothing. If youād have seen us, youād have thought we were old friends reuniting.
He talked of his 50 year high school reunion. He spoke of a lifetime of frustration trying to help people, but they didnāt seem to get better. They just stayed where they were.
I think if I had just hung around with Bob, (I declined his offer of another round) I mightāve woken up tomorrow at his ranch. Iām not that adventurous, but he seemed that generous.
Itās a good thing Bob wasnāt an attractive woman or I mightāve gotten myself into some real trouble! Am I too gullible? Maybe he was crazy and not drunk. I donāt know. He went looking for his brother and I went down to my seat. Navajo Bob, may you live a long healthy life!
I did have a great time, at least from what I remember. I watched the last of third and most of the 4th. Everyone around was enjoying the game. It wasnāt a blow-out, but my team, the visitors, definitely seemed to have it well in hand. I didnāt want to be around if it got ugly for any reason and left early.
I walked back a little paranoid, but I was not bothered by anyone. It was good to walk and clear my head a bit before arriving back at my room.
I let the universeās teachers talk to me. Itās amazing sometimes what it comes up with when I let it.
What are you doing this evening?
Itās almost 3:00am locally. I could say I was staying up to watch the Polaris Dawn liftoff. At least that would be a good excuse.
But I donāt need to justify staying up late anymore! Itās such a knee-jerk thoughtless reaction to, āWhy are you awake at 3:00 am?ā
Because I can be!
Iāll be going to sleep in a bit. I had started a response to another prompt. Never finished it. But there were some good ideas percolating and knocking around other ideas.
Later tonight is the (first and probably only) debate between Harris and Trump 2024. My green crystal magic 8-ball says:
If she tries and fails to land a haymaker, that could cost her. She doesnāt want to overplay her hand.
If he tries and fails to belittle her or if she can make him seem old and doddering, sheās got a chance.
If Trump manages to claim with a straight face, any kind of victory, heāll inflate it into a complete victory. The likes of which no one has ever seen.
āI beat her in the debate. Everyone is saying it. Youāre going to tell me I lost the election after I killed her in that debate? No way!
Way.
Good night!
Why can’t I just report how I’m feeling right now? Why do I have to take a few moments to figure it out? Are you like that? Anyway, I’ll give it a shot.
Ok, so I sat there for a few minutes. I debated internally, what do I want to type? What do I want to do? What do I want?
Let me start with a song that’s been going through my head again. Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell:
“And I need you more than want you…And I want you for all time…”
You see, I’m lonely. I’m missing my Soulmate. I only get to see or talk to her every couple of decades. The years between can be hard to bear sometimes. Like now.
If I had any faith in God or eternity, I could rest assured that we’ll see and talk to each other again someday. I could believe in Synchronicities and destiny. I could believe in love.
I’m only human. I dwell on impossible could have been and almost was. There are no do-overs or second chances in life. If you blow it during the attempt, you may get a chance to try again. But the previous attempt(s) don’t go away. They inescapably influence any future attempts.
Since I am only human, I have to distract myself from dwelling on the past failures. And the past ecstasies. I’m going back to my computer world now. It’s interesting and challenging enough to distract me from my recurring reminiscences. Once you’ve reconnected with your soulmate, no one else will suffice. So I’ll just have to wait until the next time we meet again.
Did I answer the question? Yes, I think so.
Iām getting ready for my next Road Trip! Iāve got Gypsy Rose Lei in the shop. I brought it in for a look over. I put about 3,000 miles on her driving out to California and back.
Pittmanās Garage in Abilene comes highly recommended by my brother David. He was raised here. Graduated from high school and has lived here a long time. A good and honest mechanic is a valuable resource indeed! A brother who can recommend one is priceless!
I asked them to change the oil and filters and take a look at her. I told them I was going to be putting a lot of miles on her this year and wanted to be able to trust her.
Well like any good mechanic that looks, theyāll find something. Thatās where the trust comes in. So after poking around and taking the wheels offā¦
One front strut was leaking but might as well replace them both. Theyāve got the same mileage. The previous owners probably hit a pot hole or something. Could leave it but itās old..
Replace both!
Now the bad news sir.
Rotors and brakes all around.
Less than $3000. Almost $2500. Worth it.
Looking at a 17ā Braxton Creek Bushwacker Plus travel trailer or a similar length Clipper model. You can see them on RVtrader.com. But thatās putting the cart before the horse. Or the trailer before the hitch in this case.
Sheās got no hitch!
The mechanics at Pittmanās really didnāt want anything to do with installing them. š¤·āāļø I honestly donāt know why. If you look at videos on YouTube it looks pretty easy. I just wouldnāt want to try and mess w/ lifting.
U-Haul seems to have a side hustle in hitch installations. Iād have to reserve it weeks in advance though and I donāt want to wait that long!
I guess Iām going to have to actually talk to people. Yuck! š
We had a scrub today for our scheduled launch. The launch window opens tomorrow at 0900 CST.
Iām starting to get my equipment cobbled together to be able to live stream to YouTube. Hereās my setup.
So Iām using XSplit Broadcaster. I use the built in cam on the laptop. Iām also using Xsplit software thatāll let me use the cameras on my phone and IPad so I can switch between the 3 cameras and whatever I have connected to the 4k capture box. I plan on streaming gaming, but can also use dvd players, Nintendo Switch, etc.
I have to wait 24 hrs before I can stream live or schedule a stream. My plan is to develop my chops using YouTube to spread my message, whatever that happens to be at the moment. š
To get a hamburger!
Itās getting close to 9pm. Itās a brisk 50f w/ a breeze. Iāve got my baggy Levis, Black Oakland Raiders jacket, over a bright red Fresno State sweatshirt, thatās hiding a Hufflepuff T-shirt. Iām wearing my knit beanie my mom made for me. Itās been a couple of days since I shaved. I look homeless.
So Iām standing on the edge of highway 285 smoking one of the pre-rolls Iāve purchased along the way. Iām waiting for a pause in the traffic. Itās not like Iām trying to dash across I-5. Thereāre stoplights in the distance, I just have to wait.
I like being in a state where weed is legal. Cāmon Texas & Idaho, get it together!
Anyway, Iām standing there looking at my app and looking across the highway, but it isnāt The Burger Den. Itās Dennyās! Aha! Itās a fake burger place created during the pandemic so they could sell more food through DoorDash.
I make it across eventually with no issues and enter the restaurant. Itās about a 1/3 full. Mostly along the same wall. There isnāt anyone at the check in podium. Another couple is there sitting down in the lobby.
I see a stressed out 30s something woman dart in and out of the kitchen. She says just a minute as she heads out to the dining area.
I notice the couple are sharing a phone screen, so I look down at mine to reassure myself this is actually the right place. I donāt see any signs about a Burger Den. But it looks right on my screen.
After about 10 minutes she asks if Iām here for the door dash order. āYes.ā
āWe donāt have strawberry ice cream for your shake. In fact we donāt have any ice cream!ā She said with an exasperated expression. āHow about New York Cheesecake?ā
āYes please!ā
She disappears for several minutes then comes back to tell the couple they didnāt have seasoned fries. She offered to reimburse them or they could come back the next day.
When she comes back with my food, I asked how many people they were missing because they were obviously slammed.
Sheās the assistant manager. The real manager left early and her in charge because, āThe evenings are usually light.ā Itās Friday night! She has one chef and one server. She said sheās going to close it down soon. I told her she wasnāt getting paid enough.
Itās an example of something I want to write more about. Homelessness, low paying jobs, medical costs. Our country has serious problems.
Anyway I get back to my room, turn on the tv, put the cheesecake in the fridge, and enjoy my burger and onion rings.
Itās an old Rosanne episode. Itās in the middle of the one where she has to take a lie detector test. After a few questions she realizes theyāre trying to get dirt on the gay employee! 90s plot lines! Am I right?
Then it switches to a young Galeki and a young (insert actress name here) having one of those conversations. Two young people have.
Him: I just want to spend time with you. I want to be your friend.
Her: But you want to do more than hang out.
Audience laughs as he stammers affirmatively
Her: So if I donāt then you wonāt be my friend.
Him: No! I thought about this. If you want to just be friends thatās ok!
He starts to walk away and she pulls him in for a kiss.
Cut to Rosanne watching in horror. āDan! What did you say to her?ā
āWell I tried to be there for her andā¦ā
I identified with the father trying to balance his family interactions but fails unintentionally. I identified with the boy who loves someone so much, that being a friend is sufficient. Even if thereās a longing for more.
I turned it off. There really arenāt any coincidences are there? Itās just staring right at us. But we have to accept it before we see it.
Good night!
So I get to the hotel after over seven hours of driving. The Roswell Inn. Have you any idea how many, creative ideas could be generated here? I like it. Iād like it more if I was a townie, so I could talk shit š© about the tourists.
I want to try to narrate my evening thus far. A friend of mine is feeling down. Iāll try to make this a decent story.
I check in the at the front desk. The 20 something girl, sorry young woman, politely checks me in. But sadly doesnāt check me out. You get to a point as a man where itās just too creepy to even joke flirt. I canāt do it. Iām Cringy McWeirdo. Iāll just make us both uncomfortable.
Anyway.
I drive to the building where my room is. Yep 16.
Rooms 14-17 are in a separate building with what Iām assuming are 4 more apartments on the other side. There are 4 parking places parallel with each of the 4 doors. 15 & 17 have cars. My first choice of the evening . Park in the empty spot in front of 14 or parallel park to get between 15 & 17?
Thereās a lifted truck parked in 17. Its owner couldnāt manage to keep its massive grill out of my spot, 16 which is empty. 15 has a new red Cadillac. 14 is empty. I donāt have time for anything else. I park in 14s spot. Like Forrest said to Kennedy, āI gotta go pee!ā
I had been squirming in my seat for the last 1/2 hr driving in. I thought thereād be a bathroom in the lobby. Nope. Sucks getting old sometimes.
I get back to the roomā¦
Ahhh
So Iām tired. 2 hours ago I thought I might explore the town or museum. Nope. Just bring the food here please! DoorDash! Tip your driver!
So Iām looking at the map and thereās a burger place across the road (highway). The Burger Den. Never heard of it. Maybe itās local. I could wait another hour and pay someone to bring me something more exotic, but that Wake & Bacon burger (with a fried egg) was calling to me. French fries and a shake? Iāll be right there! Ordered from DD but pick up instead of delivery. Sure I could have driven, but Iāve been driving all day! I needed the walk. Itāll be ready in 20 minutes.
I get my keycard, leave the wallet, take some cash and go out the door. Iāve locked myself out before. Awhile ago at a hotel that didnāt have a night manager. Never again!
I look closer and see there is plenty of room. Iām not going to have to parallel park. I can just slide right in. I donāt have my car keys.
I go back to the room, retrieve the keys, park the car, and start cleaning out the trash. I bring in drinks from the fridge, expensive electronics, and clothes bag w/ toiletries.
Iām holding all of this stuff and doing the pocket search for my keycard. Nope. When did I set it down? Search the car. Nope. Dang it! I put the heavy stuff in the car and walk down to the office. It looks closed! No!!!
No. It was open. Iām just always expecting the worst. The girl remembers me, thankfully, because I donāt have my ID.
So I go back to the room. Open the door. Yep, thereās my keycard! I immediately unlock the car, put the 2nd keycard in the cubby, get my stuff, lock up the room and the car, and Iām off to get my burger, which should be done by now!
All I have to do is cross this highwayā¦
Sixty years 