title

At heart I'm a simple man. I like to stay planted, at ease, undisturbed by the worlds events. As I once told my partner Bob, former police dispatcher, if they (the police) leave me alone I'll leave them alone. Live and let live.

Yet.

Life happens anyway. And events swirl around you. And change is inevitable.

We'll try to stick to chronology here.

Wednesday afternoon Ruth is off running errands when I hear the dogs barking and I get up thinking that first-born Jim, second wife Loretta and grand-daughter Mari Grace have arrived. They are due today. Have not seem them for almost a year.

It's my newest crazy lady--let's give her a name--it's Joyce. I keep reminding God that I not dependable with ladies as much as the Lit-netters think and why me?! What does she want now?

She thanks me again for helping her with Mr. Stalker last week. She tries to grab my hand but I avoid the contact with visions of Melissa reluctantly and yet oddly pleasantly rushing into the brain cells. (Ah the power of the old nature. No respite in this life.) I sit down in the porch chair. She sits next to me again (as close as she can--I smell the alcohol on her breath--it's more then last week).

Basically she wants a cleaning job with us. I assure her I have no money. She assures me she's aware of it. My wardrobe alone should be a tip off. Then why ask for a job that's not being advertised in respectable newspapers and venues? But I'm determined to stay calm and polite. She's done me no major harm in the long run just causing flashbacks which I reflect is the Holy Spirit keeping me humbled as that great chip on my shoulder keeps healing. She describes that we could supervise her and never have her alone in the rooms as she cleans. The sad truth is that we could use some help cleaning the kitchen and bathroom and other areas but my antenna is up and vibrating.

Joyce mentions her son visiting from Florida and I mention Jim coming up charmed by the coincidence yet wondering how much I can trust what she says but console myself with --she's not staying around. I have no plans to be her buddy. She mentions a recent birthday and I have her now. I had checked her police record and she had done 30 days in 1999 for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and had noted her birthday. Age has NOT been kind to her. She's younger then Ruth. She did give me the correct date. I did not ask the age. She had told me her real name by the by but she goes by Joyce and has it thus named on her cell phone along with the unseen hubby named Paul. She shows me a mark on her leg where her grand-son had bumped her and now I really want loose of her. She's getting way too friendly--bad enough I was hugged last week and she lingered 3 seconds past civility and I was counting. Shallow dog. Will he ever grow up? She's just a harmless aging moocher when all is said and done. Drama Queen sit down!

She finally realizes no job and no attempt on my part to examine the war wound so she gets up and tries for her $1.20 request. I remind her she keeps defaulting on my $3. This would not be such a big deal except SHE called it a loan not me so I'm practicing character testing techniques. I pretend to get annoyed when my refusal is fussed over and it works. She says she'll be back Friday with the money. I revise my thinking of her. I think it will be Saturday. With no money but more stories.

Next: Pt 2 --The Mormons, The DVDs and the Singing Grand-father