SURPRISE

We make many jokes about the loss of our memory as we age. Of course the real truth is that after 70 years of stuffing your brain with the important, the useless and everything in between our brains are on over load and we are in great need of a system upgrade. It isn’t that we don’t remember, it’s just that we are on system overload and simply do not have a fast enough retrieval system to get to some of the stuff when we need it.

A few days ago I was walking out the front door of The Home when Chas said, “There’s a guy here to see you.” When I looked down the sidewalk this bearded angry looking gentleman with a dead stare focused on me is coming my way. My computer kicked into slow mode. I thought, what have I done now? What bill have I not paid that they have sent a collector? Am I in trouble, why? Really, I’ve been good. Nothing connected. I was blank. I knew it must be there somewhere, but where. I wasn’t expecting anyone. Several people have been here to see me since I’ve moved to this part of the country. But none have surprised me. Don’t get me wrong. I love surprises. But when he said he was Carl, I could not believe my ears. Carl and Darlene. My past catching up!

Dear friends from our days of adoption in Midwestern Canada. We got to know them mostly because both our children were adopted. They helped guide us through the process. But we connected on way more levels than children. They are the kind of people you can just pick up with from where you left off. No awkward moments. Yes, reminiscences of the past, but not living in the past. I love it.

They are a little kooky at times. Who decides they want to go to a country fair and than go on line for a search of where there is one at the time they want to go. Strange. They found one near my place. So on their way back to the great white north, they stopped to see little old me. We toured The Home to acquaint them with the space they read about on my blog. Then we had a wonderful dinner together and drove out to see my daughter and grandkids. After all, our kids spend a few years growing up together. The shock to me was that the last time my daughter had seen them was at their oldest daughters wedding. It doesn’t seem that long ago, but their first grandchild is 15. Time flies even when you are not having fun. Couldn’t believe it was that long. It hadn’t been that long for me. But I had dropped into hole for a while and seemed to withdraw from all of life not seeing any people from my past. Actually I was hardly seeing any people from my present either. I must go north sometime.

However, life is great and each day is a joy and I was thrilled to see my old friends. No one need call ahead, just come. I love surprises. Just remember, I live in a bachelor pad that may or may not be clean and one of us will have to sleep on the floor. I might even introduce you to some of my characters.