This is one of those nights where I need the bench more than it needs
me. I got to the park with some food in tow, I picked up a gyro from
the new vendor around the corner from my place (in the home of who was
formerly The Wing Pitt, and before that it was Neko's Gyros, yes I can
go old school like that). I am not going to lie, today was a very long,
hard day.
Today was the Memorial Service for my uncle. Little did I realize that
Friday they did a private burial, just his wife, kids and siblings were
in attendance as well as members of the local VFW, who saw to it that he
got a proper military send off. I did not know about this ahead of
time, all I knew about was what was in the obituary about today's
service. Originally I felt bad about missing out on the burial, but when I
heard that was what the family wanted, a small private service, it
brought the guilt level down somewhat.
But there was still the matter of getting home for today's service. Ed
gave me the time off, but I knew he would do that. My mom's husband,
Mike, offered to come and pick me up. That trip though seemed somewhat
problematic for me though. One, it puts my mom in a car for two hours
and given her ability to get around and get in and out of a vehicle, that
didn't seem like a good idea. Secretly I knew if I went back with them I
would get roped into staying, which I really didn't want to do. Now
let's not kid anyone, I don't lead the healthiest of lifestyles, I smoke
regularly, I drink, I eat whatever comes across my plate (the gyro is
already gone by the way) but it isn't a good way to live for my mom, who
is still suffering the effects of her last stroke. Her memory is shot
at this point, I don't even know if she will remember today's service
tomorrow. Plus while I admit my apartment is a mess, I know if I would
have been stuck staying there I would have ended up sleeping on the
living room floor, where I would have to throw a blanket down first,
because the carpet needs ripped out or shampooed something fierce,
because of the number of pet accidents on it over the years. So I hate
staying there for any sort of extended period of time.
So last night I placed a call to my aunt Amy to see if I could ride with
her today. Mind you, that involves getting up extra early, catching a
bus downtown and then catch another bus out to Natrona Hts, which is
over an hour long bus ride. The fact I consider this a better option
should tell you all you need to know about my desire to go home.
So I woke up about 5:30 this morning, climbed in the shower and got
dressed, and made my way downtown, to catch the 1 Freeport Road. I felt
safe riding the bus, even after yesterday's bus crash simply because 1
isn't a prime number. My two bus crashes this year have involved prime
numbers (59, 67) so riding the 1 felt safer.
I get out there around 9:30, they don't plan on leaving until 11:30, so I
am fashionably early to say the least. I catch up with them and start
hearing stories about how poorly my mom is doing. While I haven't seen
my mom in a while, these stories do not surprise me, her existence
consists of sitting around the house all day, every day. She rules on
her husband foor meals, which means more often than not they are eating
out or ordering crap like pizza. Again, not the path I wold suggest for
a recovering stroke sufferer. I was asked if I would be against my mom
being put in a home if need be, just so she could get the treatment and
rehab she needs. I am not against that at all, not that I expect my
old mom back at this point, I think that is already lost to me, but if
her slide can be halted if not reversed, then I am for it. If it forces
her husband off of his ass to get a job, too bad, so sad.
The service today struck a decent balance of being serious and funny in
points. I come from a family of cut ups, so the idea that there would
be no laughs isn't likely. I already know some of the stories that will
be told when I die. There will be the time I lost my boot in the snow,
having my mom called to school because I told my kindergarten teacher
that pledging the flag was against my religion, the empty Christmas
package, yes there will be a few. But today's service I thought struck
the right balance.
There was the bonus of seeing some of my family, though obviously under
less than stellar circumstances. After the service we went up to my
uncle's house for a while, spending some time with his wife and their
kids. Then we made the trek back to Natrona Hts where we hung out for a
while (I fell asleep in the couch, not used to those 5:30 am wake up
times) and then Fred offered to give me a ride back into town. I would
have been fine taking the bus, I might even have written this entry
sooner had I done so, but nonetheless I am back in the Burgh, and
tomorrow I just keep moving. It is how I deal with everything, just by
keeping moving.
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Where we've been
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2015
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September
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- B365V2.128 - My top 100
- B365v2.127 - Two down, one to go
- B365V2.126 - Park-ing places
- B365V2.125 - Self spoilage
- B365V2.124 - Cutting promos
- B365V2.123 - My inner Ed
- B365V2.122 - Life is just a fantasy (Week #2)
- B365V2.121 - 8 days a week
- B365V2.120 - Karaoke Friday - The feels
- B365V2.119 - I always feel like somebody is watchi...
- B365V2.118 - Acquisition problems
- B365V2.117 - A walkthrough
- B365V2.116 - Life is just a fantasy (Week 1 edition)
- B365V2.115 - Karaoke Friday - Into the dark
- B365V2.114 - Vice versa
- B365V2.113 - Sunday
- B365V2.112 - The bionic penis
- B365V2.111 - Safety nets
- B365v2.110 - Muse-ical chairs
- B365V2.109 - Random thoughts and things
- B365V2.108 - Getting some shit off my chest
- B365V2.107 - Contested
- B365V2.106 - Coming soon to a blog near me (& you)
- B365V2.105 - Karoke Friday - Spotted
- B365V2.104 - Should I stay or should I go?
- B365v2.103 - Distractions
- B365V2.102 - Draftastic
- B365V2.101 - One of those blogs I didn't want to w...
- B365V2.100 - Drigged, Dragged, Drugged
- B365V2.99 - I'm thinkin, I'm drinkin
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September
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