Bad Days and Margaritas

Some days you’d just as soon forget. Yesterday was one. Oh, I can’t say that. Any day that ends with you still standing and on the right side of the grass isn’t bad.

It’s just that yesterday wasn’t all that good.  It was the Donald Trump of bad days.

Here’s what happened.

It started the night before. We went to bed as usual, thinking “grand thoughts of the morrow.” Just before I dove off into dreamland, I heard thunder but didn’t think much about it. I was off on a trip with some high school buddies headed to Chicago to join the Mafia. Somewhere along the line, we picked up Ursula Andress and Bo Derek. That’s all I remember. Just as Bo took my hand and Boléro began to play, my roommate, best friend, and guardian of morals stirred and woke me up.

It was pitch black. No electricity. How can you make out with Bo Derek in total darkness?

I didn’t think much about it at the time. We were staying at our house in Lonoke, AR and the electricity goes off from time to time because of all the beautiful old oak trees the town is known for. No problem. I would awake and all would be well. I’m optimistic that way, or I used to be.

Anyway, my aged bones were complaining so I went to the den and switched to a recliner. All went well until the sun came up and the light awakened me while I was still calling for Bo to come back. Odd … the electricity didn’t usually stay off that long. I went back to sleep.

 

Photo courtesy
Brenda von Tungeln

An hour or so later, I gave up on Bo, and thought maybe I should take a look at things. I went to the front porch and looked. Oh my goodness. A huge oak lay against the house across the street. The owners have been working on it for nearly two years. Now a tree had crashed into it and one limb had pierced the roof.

I went outside in my pajamas. Across the intersection diagonally, a massive oak lay across the wing of a house.

Across the side street from us, a tree lay against the power line. There was nothing against ours, just some small limbs in the yard. Thought I’d best awaken El Jefa. I went in and spoke gently, “Our house is fine, but I think there has been a big storm.”

And so it began. While talking to some of the neighbors, I found that the storm had covered a large area, including around our farm. We rushed there. All was well, just a couple of limbs across the county road. My traveling companion moved them.

Then I learned it had hit Little Rock and surrounding cities. My cell phone contained a gentle inquiry from my magazine editor concerning an overdue deadline. It was finished, but I needed internet service. So off to LR we went. Things were calm at the condo. They had gotten the electricity on about 2:00 a.m. with some water damage on the first and second floors. The router was working so I sent the work in.

By this time, we needed a break. Luckily, we knew this Mexican restaurant where they serve frozen margaritas. Just the thing to help one calm down after a storm.

While we were there, the security system let us know that the electricity was back on the Lonoke house. So we rushed back there. All was well, so be early afternoon we finally made it back to the farm to do a little work.

Farewell June 20^th. I’m gonna “Scarlett O’hara” you. Today is ... guess what?

Day Off

Out earning today. Will just leave you with a simple thought.

I'm a victim of Reverse Jimmy Buffett/Ernest Hemingway Syndrome. Yes, that's the syndrome exemplified by the entrenched belief that, no matter where on the planet you are, you are the only American that the natives love.

The natives always hated me. So did the in-country folks, I believe.

I was never chosen for a sports team.

No girl ever danced with me when I asked.

Teachers didn't learn my name until the semester was over.

I was the "Marty" (Remember the movie? One of my all time hits.) of my world, except the woman who finally did pay attention was knock-down gorgeous.

Oh, I guess I had, still do, some extraordinary friends.

Well, there were some bosses that paid me well and taught me things.

I've always had good neighbors.

Some great musicians have befriended me.

Come to think about it, I've been pretty darn lucky.

Have a good day.

Monday Blues

Taking Monday off. I've scheduled an appointment for physical therapy on my knee exactly as the much publicized eclipse is to occur, another case of bad timing duing my life. In addition to arriving "in-country" only a few weeks before the so-called "Tet Offensive" kicked off, I finished my tour with the United States Navy 24 hours after the last draft-dodger got the last good job in the country. Later I retired, or sort of retired, a few days before interest rates on CDs hit 0.025 percent, or one percent less than the cost of the gas it took to go to the bank and renew.

And, of course, the sexual revolution began during my wedding reception.