Special Weekends, Prom and Jesse

Elaine and I have an unsaid promise that while I am off furthering my construction career, she would spend at least one weekend a month together in Denver. This past weekend was this month’s weekend.

Before we start chatting about my weekend, I need to say Elaine could be the least violent person I’ve ever met. Oh, there was that one time 40 years ago when I said something Elaine didn’t like and she threw a Supperware lid at me. She was going to throw another lid, but stopped before she threw it. I told you she was not violent. I couldn’t take a chance on her turning violent again, though, I called the Supperware folks and made sure Elaine could not attend anymore parties.

For those of you that are wondering why I did not throw the lid back at her. Officially, I have not lost my ability to attend parties, but now that I think about it, I haven’t been invited to a party in a while.

Back to the weekend. At dinner, Elaine and I were having a great time.

Elaine: You look really tired. Me: I haven’t slept well this week. Elaine: Maybe we should get you some Shy-Quil. It will help you sleep. Don’t get where you take it every night. Me: That’s a good idea. There is a huge Shams Club down the road. It’s so big I want to show it to you, we can get Shy-Quil there.

(I know, Elaine and I know how to have fun on special weekends.)

Our shopping trip to Sham’s Club was successful. We were able to get the sleep-aid I needed and then walk around the huge store-it exhausted me. Hey, it was 8:15 AT NIGHT and I mentioned I haven’t been sleeping! We went back to the motel, watched television and drifted off to sleep.

The sleep- aid worked extremely well. I was having dreams about my dreams. Around 2:00 AM, a pain in my back interrupted my dreams. Not just pain but PAIN. Not like internal pain, external pain, as if a mule had kicked me. I yelled out some (construction language). I rolled over and looked at Elaine. Elaine was sleeping soundly.

The next morning, Elaine and I exchanged morning greetings.

Elaine: Did I kick you last night? Me: That was you! Elaine: I was listening to a book on tape, while I was sleeping. I think I was dreaming I was in Afghanistan and I had to fight a guy in the Taliban. I kneed him in the (construction language). Me: Well, thank God it wasn’t the (construction language). Next time, throw Supperware at him.

Last night was the high school prom. I knew this day would come. It might surprise you, but I’m not a prom kind of guy. Reluctantly, I knew I need would need to participate, but hopefully, my participation would be small.

Nope, didn’t work that way. I thought I would need to pay for a dress. After that, I would look at Girl Twin in the dress. I thought I would pay for shoes. Shoes that are not seen, because the hemline of the dress hides the shoes. (You didn’t think I knew words like hemline, did you?)

I thought I would worry about Girl Twin’s safety with a boy I have never met. (Elaine had met him and liked him.) I thought that was the extent of prom. Nope, it didn’t work that way.

I had to attend a photo taking session with eight sets of other parents. Ok, I met some nice people. Some of them told me how nice Girl Twin is/was. I tried to tell them real story, but they want to believe what they want to believe.

Some of the parents talked politics. They weren’t shy and didn’t wait more than fifteen seconds to bring politics up. “Hi, I’m Brian’s mother. What do you think about the President?” (Not kidding, but not verbatim.) Elaine started talking to everyone. I took photos.

I have mentioned the motel I stay in has several memberships in a health club for guests of the motel. I stop at the health club every night I am at the motel.

The health club is really a tennis/swim club with a few weights and some cardio machines. It is not unusual to see Teslas, Shelby Mustangs, Mercedes convertibles, you get the drift.

No one in the club has ever talked to me. Not one word. Friday, at the water fountain, Jesse talked to me.

Jesse is the 74 year-old janitor. Jesse came to the United States in 1954. He has a son in Massachusetts. His son is coming to see him in two weeks. Jesse was a construction worker specializing in concrete before he retired. The twenty minutes I spent with Jesse was the best time I’ve had at the club.

Ok, Ivy will scold me if I don’t say anything about yarn. My job is to dye yarn, your job is to buy yarn.

Our crazy lives!

Monner