Friendship

Dear friend that Carrie is, she sent me a URL for a company that makes coats. By the time I got home from my many errands and with two new, used coats in hand after months of searching, there she was in my inbox. Then after dinner, there she was on my phone.

I’m not the only person in the world who finds comfort in the familiar and useful things around me. What a dear friend she is to care so much. How can I tell her that I truly appreciate her thinking and caring.

Errands. I who am such a stick in the mud ran errands. Once, with disaster looming in front of me, I stepped on the brakes in a panic stop. I think that was my first ever since buying that truck in 1995. As the wildly swerving cars settled down and a small bike pedaled its way out of the mêlée, I looked up to see the large grill of a Peterbilt filling my rear view mirror. I floored it and Grumpy came through like a champ. I hit no one.

Then again, when I was almost there, I came off one off ramp and barely made it across four lanes to my exit. I would have driven like that in the old days when drunk on my ass and fried on speed. Yes, full size trucks can make square turns at flank speed.

Two local AIDS Quilt blocks and stands have been returned to the pastoral center where they live. I got money and pumped gas quite like an expert. Don’t laugh, since we never go anywhere in Grumpy anymore, we never have to add gas. I found two coats that meet my bottom line criteria. They aren’t quite as light as my favorite coat, but both have zippered pouches, are one layer of nylon, and zip up the neck. One has a bright yellow strip around the middle so will be good for working in a dark rainy yard or walking in the dark.

I even found a nice white “blouse,” something I didn’t own until today, a levi type vest, and a pair of green pants that will be worn to work. Ah style. Even larger ladies can be stylish.

Only when I got home did I remember that I forgot the cartridge for the printer. Back I went, home, lunch, print, and 2003 is in the can. Wow. I even wrote a small essay to be read in class before dinner and a walk.

Maybe I should just hide tomorrow. Today was just to much of a good thing.

From the news: A large tour bus forced a 1995 Chevy, short bed, step side pick up truck off the bay bridge this afternoon and hundreds of feet down to the ground below. My worst nightmare. I dare not think of it.