• When the lights go out

    This evening we had a steady stream of electricity into the house. This is only remarkable due to the weather, and the fact that my parents and some friends did not. We got a call asking us if our power was out. It wasn’t. Naturally, Cheryl became concerned that our power might go out sometime in the next 24 hours. A light bulb went on in that part of Cheryl’s brain responsible for anxiety. She worriedly pointed out, “I don’t think Beth has any clean white socks left.” Eleven o’clock rolls around and it’s an hour past my normal bedtime, when the drier alarm goes off. “John, can you help me unload the dryer?” I reply, “do we really have to do laundry right now, I was just thinking off retiring for the night.” “Yes, I need to get the towels out of the dryer so I can put the whites in the dryer. We need to dry them tonight in case we don’t have power tomorrow.”

    Of course, everyone knows that when a hurricane comes through you always want to make sure you have plenty of batteries, canned foods, bottled water, and clean white socks.

  • The receptionist

    The doctor wanted to see us again in two months. As we were leaving, the receptionist offered us the date of October 29th. Her two-tone hairstyle and youthful detachment lent an “I won’t be working here much longer” air to her demeanor. I asked if she had something on November 5th. She dutifully advised me that two months would be October 29th. I said I wanted November 5th. The receptionist asked me if I really wanted to go longer. I said, “a week longer? As a matter of fact, yes.” Sometimes I feel like I have to explain myself, but this was not one of those times.

    I left with an appointment for 11:30 on November 5th.

  • Wood is a four letter word

    Nineteen years ago I was a freshman in high school. That year, Labor Day weekend was a bit of a disappointment, courtesy of Hurricane Elena. Labor Day weekend is upon us this year and it appears it may be a washout again, courtesy of Frances. I hope all of the folks on the east coast are ready. No offense, but I hope us west coast folks don’t ultimately have to be.