Parades and Circuses

My leg was so sore when I got up this morning. Remember I woke with it hurting on Sunday. If you saw the video in my album, you know I ran all over my back yard with a certain little blond. Leg did not like it at all. I got to work at 7:45 a.m. and the day began with a roar. I limped into the building but spent the whole day on the run!

My boss walked in a few minutes behind me limping! He had sprained his ankle playing basketball over the weekend. He said he was waiting to see if it would get better. I sent him off to the doctor. LOL! Had to tell him it could be broken and he needed it checked. He came back several hours later with a boot and instructions to go back to the orthopedic clinic in 11 days.

I worked non-stop on files, stopping only to take a lunch break with my friend, Carolyn at McDonald's. We go there most days to sit and talk. Then it was back to work to try and finish my mounds of work.

In the afternoon I got an email from my author/teacher/friend, Ron Roat. You remember I mentioned him last year in a few posts and there is a link to his site, Remedial Academy, somewhere in my links section. He was my writing instructor from college. We've remained friends but he moved last year to Michigan. He was in town to drop his daughter off at the university and wanted to meet for coffee after I got off work. I agreed but had my appointment with my counselor, Dan, at 5 p.m. so it would have to be at 6.

I arrived at the clinic and had the usual "how are you" relay game where I make some attempt to prove my stability. He, like everyone that knows me, thinks I am a very funny person after a few minutes deduces that I am better.

I never understand the "you're so funny" statement. People always say it about me but I never get it. Is there something wrong with me that I don't think I'm funny? Thinking about it now, I realize that my whole family is funny. I have two brothers that can have the whole room rolling in minutes and people will be doubled over holding their sides and literally sobbing with laughter. My sisters and I seem to send people into tears over really stupid stuff. I have cousins who are hysterically funny. It seems we were blessed with this uncanny ability to make people laugh. But life was just hell for most of us. We're some of the most dysfunctional people on the planet. Well, not like the Bundys and Mansons, and those other folks. But we're not right. And people think we are just these hilarious folks! {head shake here}

Anyway, during nearly an hour of rollicking fun with Dan we discussed my concerns over my hair loss and the fact that I might soon have HIS hairstyle. I told him I thought I was better because the St. John's Wort was working but I was going to have to get off of it because I thought was causing my hair to fall out. He thinks it is possibly something else and suggest when I see my doctor in a week that I talk to him about it.

I left to meet Ron at.... McDonalds. Well it is a happening place. . . for me anyway. I seem to be destined to meet men either at parades or circuses.

Ron is always a lot of fun and I've always enjoyed our meetings. Usually it is mostly about what's he's been doing and I'm the listener. Today he was a good friend and played the listener. He asked me what happened. I told him. He seemed to know that was the right thing to do. And like all of you, said it wasn't my fault. Maybe I'll believe that someday. I doubt it but won't just toss it off.

So, what did we talk about? I talked about this blogging thing and you've got to know, he's not a touchy, feely sort of person. He's really an old softy but doesn't want anyone to know. But he's not sold on blogging for the sake of blogging or of hanging out the laundry. Doesn't think I can "help" anyone by any of this. I, of course, disagree. I help me. Totally selfish.

He told me again there is no God. He does that every time we meet. I ignore him because we will never agree on this and I refuse to follow endless arguments that can't be solved with people I admire and like. You're a believer or not and that's the end of it. I lose nothing by anyone's lack of faith. I can't convince anyone who doesn't really want to believe anyway.

So, we move on to writing, his and mine - he's published- I probably won't ever be but we both like talking about it. I rave over NaNo and actually got a spark of interest from the baby blues. We talked about his daughter. I remember sitting and talking with her when she was just a little girl with freckles. Segue to my kids, his work or retirement, his trip down, my trips - past and future. My flying - He's a pilot and of course, sympathized with those really bad ones from Memphis. Whatever flew into my head pretty much flew out my mouth. And he just listened and made Roatian jokes that made me laugh.

Do you know that when I left McDonalds two hours later I was smiling on the inside as well as the outside. I felt like I was breathing again for the first time in months. I smiled all the way to Walgreen's to pick up my meds. I don't remember laughing this much in a long time. It was a good end to a busy day and I'm so thankful for a friend like Ron.

I think that's what I've been trying to say for days, or weeks maybe. Friends are what make the unbearable, bearable. It is when loads get the heaviest that friends should step in and ask to shoulder some of the weight. I supposed the depth of friendship is what gets measured during times like this. You don't really know if people care until you actually need that care. What continues to surprise me is that those who loudly say they care are often those who care the least. I don't know how to fix that but I can make sure that I'm not the problem. I can make sure when someone needs to be heard that I am the one listening.

He really is a good teacher . . and a good friend.