title

As a prerequisite to having long put off surgery I have to get my blood pressure down. It's been high for years and I was reasonably on track with the medicine until Ruth went off to school and I had to take on her part of the debt/bills which resulted in my discontinuing the medicine on March 7th. The long suffering one never noticed until April when I finally mentioned one of the financial cuts I had made to handle the temporary detour of my cash flow. She knew I wasn't buying DVD sets lately and less comics but since we still had cable TV and cell phone service she had been content.

Next January a major loan is finally paid off which will free up $201 and life will at last start to get better as I redirect that windfall and start knocking out the other debts.

My supervisor Josh was furious when he found out I was off the blood pressure medicine as both Tami and Brandy periodically check up on me and I (rarely) lie to them--God is listening after all. In fact my last lie to Tami was approving her new hair color (I like same old same old) made worse by the remark it's her original color. Actually succeeded in not blushing or displaying the give away grin that implies there's more on my mind then I'm saying. Brandy has hawk eyes and catches me most of the time. For someone NOT my daughter she knows me better then real daughter Sandy.

Had to wait for a payday for the medicine. Ruth gets a weekly check but with cut hours I have to think it thru before grabbing any of it and it's usually for fuel. The days of free comics have dwindled away the past year or so. Used to be she'ld buy the monthly Suicide Squad or Thunderbolts and years prior Jonah Hex. Sigh. Batmans for Christmas and birthdays.

Now last Tuesday I call the Fairborn Medical Clinic to schedule an appointment for Thursday any time after 9:30 am. I hadn't been since last November when my doctor moved back to Darke County. I pay a $20 co-pay per visit and rarely have to do more. To my annoyance I'm informed that I must call THE DAY of the requested appointment for scheduling. Flexability anyone? Strategic planning? Experiments in overbooking gone wrong? Worse I have to wake up at 8 am--an unheard of time for me on a work day no less to do this simple procedure that surely could have been pencilled in Tuesday when I'm wide awake and friendly. Thursday the bear will be
growling.

Make that Friday--the bear could not move his carcass out of the bed Thursday for this simple chore while in pursuit of the day the beauty sleep finally works its magic.

Friday--7:59 am-watching the second hand tick off on the watchface.

8 am hits and I wait 10 seconds for courtesy and dial.

And get the after hours doctor on call number.

This goes on for about two more minutes. I actually start to write down the number thinking it's like auto repair places--drop the car at 8 am all you want--the mechanic still shows up at 9--when the regular clerks finally turn the phones over.

My request is made and I'm asked to appear at 10:45 am for an 11 am appointment --ok? I agree. The clerk is rather formal--would have rather had the computer do the scheduling --there would have been more warmth. Unfortunately I was probably mumbling because she asks me again. I wake up a notch and reply I said OK as I look around for my chip--which shoulder to wear it on today--left or right? Decisions decisions. My attitude has already gone AWOL.

My first mistake was NOT going back to bed. My second was seeing what the long suffering one was up to and if there was time for benefits (or at least plant some seed to nurture until tonight). One minute later I assure her I also think about candy bars and comic books and kitty cats, go read the paper and think about the glory early days of marriage when love was ever lasting and warm and gentle. Sigh. Should have brushed my teeth first.

Anyhoo--having distracted her just a bit I keep an eye on the clock for her. She's playing catchup on homework which the ego and drama queen assure the louty one is the 'real' reason for being placed on a dusty shelf when I make mistake number 3. I remind her she's cutting it close on getting to school.

Thus sealing my fate.

She cuts it very close and I hand her watch to her as she's leaving. Had I been in bed where the bear hibernates and the bedbugs feast all would have been well. But I was by my dresser in the room blocking her (unintentionally) dresser access. I had reached for the watch which was on the middle dresser we both share. Thus all unbeknownst to me and forgotten by her was a very essential item needed for any motorist resting in her dresser.

Her wallet.

Containing her gas money.

Which SHOULD have been used Thursday by her to fill her tank. From our place to Dayton where the school is is 11 miles and her fuel gauge was already on E for empty when she left.

But what did I know? I had a day at the doctor's to think about hoping they wouldn't want a blood sample. I've lost faith in Lori--she's hurt me the last two times and I used to swear by her talent for no pain in the gain of a sample. Another idol fallen.

We clean up and attend to the teeth. During that operation unbeknownst to me a phone call is frantically being made to my cell phone by the more suffering one. By the grace of God she made it to the school, but then knew she would NOT make it much farther and had discovered her wayward wallet missing. She never uses a purse. I'm not answering. She leaves a message not knowing when, if ever, I'll notice. I have an agreement with my cell phone. It leaves me alone and I won't practice my hammer skills on it that I think about doing almost every day. I'm a phone person on my terms not its terms. It will get tossed if the telemarketers start calling in as I killed the home phone in 2006 after getting woke up way too many times.

I arrive at the doctors still half awake but grouchy about having to get up early for this call and resentful of the attitude of the clerk so I start with my patented smarmy approach. I should know better by now. I always get a rude awakening. I ask the ladies if they had their morning coffee yet? And are they cheery chirpful NOW? The receptionist doesn't back down a bit. Nothing to make up for on her end and gives me a smile that does not light up my life. For that I visit Rachel and Angie at Cashland. Bad news Rachel knows I flirt with Angie and is not amused. She thought she was my favorite. I assure she is when I'm with her and I'm shallow -- traitor Angie--she was probably bragging Mtpspur was bestowing his charms on her. Sigh. Silly old man. Rachel then shows me her engagement ring. Part of me would love to attend that wedding but ours is a twice a month meeting in the purchase of money orders and not a 'real' friendship. I do know the difference. Anyhoo I realize I'm tired and shouldn't be taking it out on the clerks who after all are trying to help me.

I start to fill out the forms. Usually I take a seat but I'm tired now, so I stay at the counter backpedaling my mood to get back in the good graces of the money takers when a block needs Ruth's cp number. I think I know it but I reversed the numbers once to someone's annoyance so I check and discover Ruth has called.

Today--about 20 minutes ago. My doctor's a 10 minute drive if I make the traffic lights. Had to have called while in the shower.

The drama queen squeals with glee. Got him now.

Route 35 has several places where I expect to be hit in traffic.

Downtown Dayton has a growing problem with petty crime and muggings.

Darn voice mail--kick in.

It's her with a franctic plea for her wallet and needs fuel.

I reluctantly tell the receptionist I have to leave--NOW--sorry. I head for the door when conscience strikes. I return and offer to pay for the broken appointment but they let the hook slip for which I thank them. I have enough time to get to her school and bring some gas between classes and the medicine will have to wait until Monday.

I stop back to the house--forget her wallet--grab the gas jug used for the lawnmower of doom whose next opportunity for a kill is next week and head to Dayton.

Now I had hoped visiting her school once would be the proverbial enough so had paid little attention to the intersections. By now I'm in grump mode--I had been guarding the medicine/doctor money since Thursday and now had to be tempted all weekend with it. I leave it in a M&M can Sandy bought me for Christmas once where I keep spare change so I don't embezzle it.

I call AAA Dispatch main phone number and get my beloved Brandy who gives me the intersection of the school. I started off telling her I had to leave the doctor's and she immediately went on the offensive. She thought I had stomped off (which has happened but it's been a few years and I've grown up a tiny bit since then). Then I told her Ruth had left the gas go one day too long and had all day Thursday to do it too--had $300 on her since I had already given birthday money to her.

I arrive at the school about ten minutes before the next class and wander the hallway--it's one long circular hallway on the seventh floor where at least two ladies call me sweetie as I pass by them excusing myself when the gas jug touches one of them. Ruth appears and all is well. She seems thrilled I actually dropped everything for her but then says I could have come later. I remind her I didn't know when the next class let out and that AAA could have helped but she hadn't wanted to bother them (mostly because of the ETA might have made her late to work.)

My place is five minutes down the road where I stop off singing the original Mighty Mouse theme song to the dispatch ladies before I go looking for an early lunch.

I start to plan marriage benefits for that night.