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Maddie #2

Maddy-O-Line #2

August 2005 Asheville, NC

____________________________________


Saturday was Show Day -- a long day spent selling jewelry in the not-nearly-as-hot-as-usual-but-still-hot-enough streets of the nearby town on the Right Side of the Tracks .  It was a successful day, even though it left both of us physically and mentally drained. 

The one big benefit of the show was that Bonn went ahead and rented a big SUV for us to (a) do the show in and (b) take care of The Boy's remaining belongings with.  The SUV came with Sirius Satellite Radio and after playing with it for a minute or so I found Sirius' 22 "First Wave", a station that came as close to the vintage days of WHFS as I've ever heard.  All I wanted to do for the entire weekend was sit in the car and listen to First Wave.

Instead, Sunday was Move The Rest of The Boy's Stuff Up From Wilmington Day.  Now, this did include a 2 hour drive down, wherein I did get a chance to listen and bounce around to some great tunes (without commercial interruption).

That was the positive side of things.

For the rest of the story,

The Boy's Stress Response has always been the same since he came to live with us.  He responds to stress by falling into The Sleep of the Dead.  My guess is that this trip was really stressing him out because he slept, slack-jawed in the back seat for the entire ride down.  (Despite me cranking the music for several songs)

Once we got down there we went to his apartment where we knew his roommate and his roommate's mother and father would be waiting for us.  Or so we hoped.

I had The Boy go to the door and knock while I was locking up the car.  I watched him knock.  And knock.  And knock. 

I got to the door and asked, "Where's your key?"

"I dunno," he said, groggily.  "I left it at home."

Calming Breaths, I thought.  Calming breaths.

I turned around and walked The Zombie Boy back to the car.  Driving down the road I said, "Maybe they're just at church or running an errand" but The  Boy was already slack-jawed again.

Breakfast sounded like a good component to my Wait and See plan, so I pulled into a chain Biscuit World parking lot.  Loudly, I said, "I'm getting something to eat.  Are you hungry?"

The Boy stirred and patted down his pockets.

"I think I left my insulin at home."

I started adding up the time in my head.  Two hours down, two hours back.  He'll probably sleep all the way back up.  He should be safe from going into a diabetic coma for a while, providing  he took some insulin before we left.

"Have you taken any insulin today?"

"No."

Calming Breaths

My head started up again.  Best case scenario, we're out in an hour and a half with all of his stuff, then two hours on the road.  That's three and a half hours with him helping out.  His blood sugar won't remain stable for that long.  We'll have to go home, get his insulin and his key and then drive back.

I still needed to eat before driving all the way back, so I went in to get my eggy-cheesy biscuits.  On my way out The Boy met me, saying "I found my insulin."

Another drive down the road to find a working pay phone later (where did all the pay phones go?) I called Bonn who said that the roommate's mother had called saying they were in town and at the apartment.  We drove back to the apartment and started the packing and loading process.

My back was not too happy about any of this, but I managed to survive it on AAA -- no, not the American Automobile Association but Anger, Annoyance and Adrenaline.  Four hours later, we were back on the road.

Driving back, The Boy slept.  And I noticed "First Wave" plays way too much Duran Duran.



...

Date: 2005-08-31 01:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ruralrob.livejournal.com
Oh dear. But that's a lovely kitty pic!

Date: 2005-08-31 12:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
Yeah, not the most fun Sunday I've had in a while.

At least Bonn thanked me without having to be prompted.

...

Date: 2005-08-31 02:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zhenzhi.livejournal.com
lol! i know it isn't funny, but it reminds me of my teen!

Date: 2005-08-31 01:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
I really wish I would have read this rather than lived and written it.

If nothing else, I wouldn't be suffering from such a bad back now if I hadn't lived through it!

...

Date: 2005-08-31 02:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zhenzhi.livejournal.com
they can be very frustrating at times.
school social tonight. i was taxi driver. half way there (it's 30km each way) i am told money is needed.
if he had told me earlier i would have taken my purse! we had to go back and fetch it :-/

Date: 2005-09-01 12:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
Yeah, we get that one all the time. It's usually followed by the Righteous Indignation of the Oppressed Youth who claims "it isn't MY fault!" when we get angry.

If only we had put our Advanced Adult Mindreading Skills to better use.

...

Date: 2005-08-31 02:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] drood.livejournal.com
As Rob said: Oh dear. I'm sorry.

Date: 2005-08-31 01:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
I appreciate it.

I know you're sad your cruise is over, but I'm glad you're back amongst us again.

...

Date: 2005-09-01 12:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
And I thought it was Laura who said, "Oh, Rob!"

...

Date: 2005-08-31 06:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hartleyhare.livejournal.com
Ouch. Sounds as if the calming breaths were sorely needed! Sorry it was all so difficult.

Date: 2005-08-31 01:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
The bigger ouch is my back. Sadly, it's regressed a week or more in it's recovery process as a result.

At least it's all over for now.

...

Date: 2005-08-31 08:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] new-brunette.livejournal.com
I shall have to remember AAA. Not that it's viable in the long-term, but it can make you quite productive!

Oh dear.

Date: 2005-08-31 02:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
Johnny Lyden once sang, "Anger is an energy." While I'm not advocating anger as a motivating force, (it usually isn't very positive energy, I've found) the annoyance usually is a bit more clear-headed an approach and adrenaline helps to fuel lots of things.

Now, if the reprocussions from the weekend on my back would just let up, I'd be better all-round.

...

Date: 2005-08-31 02:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zhenzhi.livejournal.com
i hope your back settles down. xoxo

Date: 2005-09-01 12:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
So do I. I'm really trying to avoid serious muscle relaxer drugs but... I might need to reconsider if it doesn't start getting better soon.

...

Date: 2005-08-31 02:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyamybug.livejournal.com
goodness. how frustrating.

Date: 2005-09-01 12:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
Frustrating is a good place to start...

...

Date: 2005-09-01 10:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] velvetslide.livejournal.com
oh dear :( and now you're listening to Leonard Cohen.
If it's any consolation, I have more grey hair, it seems to be a symptom of having a teen.

Date: 2005-09-01 10:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] velvetslide.livejournal.com
ps, that is one beautiful cat and photo!

Date: 2005-09-01 12:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
Maddie is our daughter, Seren's cat. She reminds us a lot of our Maggie at times. Unlike The Ghose of Loki, Maddie doesn't seem to mind being photographed that much.

...

Date: 2005-09-01 12:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fivecats.livejournal.com
Cohen's "Ten New Songs" is one my favorite Cohen albums (okay, CDs).

And I've told Bonn that I've earned every single one of my gray hairs. :-)

...

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