More on Chapter two

I hear a rustle behind me as my wife plops down in front of the television set.  She sighs in satisfaction as she sips the coffee I made, “Greg, what exactly do we have to do today?”  This is a loaded question for she already knows it’s a special day.

I quickly respond with excitement, “We are to be at the capitol building across from the Library of Congress at 10:30.  We are going to meet a whole bunch of important people!”  I’m very excited for the vice president’s daughter is to give an award to a few writers.  For the last six months I worked long hours to make this happen.  This was going to be my first time my work blurred with a public function.


April slowly ebbs the last of sleep as she lovingly comments, “You deserve this today!  Who knows, maybe you will get a promotion or something!”  She looks at the television set and quietly murmurs, “I’m going to check my e-mail.  How long until we have to leave?  After the thingy we are doing for you we have to be at the airport at 2 P.M. to pick up Sam.”  She left the living room and I turn on CNN.  In the back of my mind I get an impression of déjà-vu but I quickly write it off as anxiety.  I hear her tell me from the other room, “Greg, make sure you take your blood pressure today.  With events like today you don’t want to find yourself getting a stroke.”

I quickly get up and walk to the bathroom to finish getting dressed.  While listening to my wife’s’ advice I spy that I only have one week of medication left.  I dryly comment, “Can you remind me to get my medications refilled at the end of the week?  I’m running low.  I also have to get some pain killers for my back” I take a blood pressure pill and wait patiently.  I have high blood pressure and have to take pain medications for my spine.  I have degenerative disk disease which makes moving around a little harder then it ought to be.  We still have 30 minutes before we have to go.  A most interesting segment comes on CNN that is airing about earthquakes in the Pacific and Japan when all of a sudden I hear a gasp and crash.  For the second time today I felt déjà-vu.

My wife storms in the living room, her expression has completely changed and she is half a broken coffee mug in her left hand.  Coffee is dripping down her shirt, it is apparent that she dropped the mug.  My wife has a glass face and it’s really easy to follow her emotions at times.

April looks me in the eyes and with much anger declares, “Sam sent me an e-mail!  He’s staying in Michigan for an extra week to be with his boyfriend and did not get on the plane!”  She starts to cry. 

I respond, “Dammit, why is he doing this?”  I instantly fear that this is going to affect the day and in a bad way.  Instead of saying the right thing I blurt out, “What about the airplane ticket?”  I instantly regret this as April cries harder.

After a minute she gathers herself, “I don’t care about the money, anyways he said that his boyfriend's dad will cover it.  I guess they have a concert they want to go to in Wisconsin.” I am quickly reminded how much I love my wife as she pulls herself together.  April prides herself in being stoic, a Finnish trait of being strong and rolling with the punches.  My wife often jokes that I am a whiny German who miss communicates all the time.

April looks at the coffee spill and gives a curse, “I dropped my mug and have to clean it up.  It looks like we won’t have to go to the airport today.  I will be ready in 15 minutes; can we eat breakfast at Burger King?”  She gets up and kisses me on the forehead as she continues to finish getting ready to leave.  What a way to start the day!