Uplifting!
Frankly, I was way more than a little surprised! Not so much that Dennis had surprised me with an unannounced ‘Ninja’ drop-by visit, but that it had come the day after Christmas… not only that, but he had brought Sheila with him. It had come at a particularly low point for this struggler. They also brought with them some food: Fruit Cake, ham, fish, shrimp, veggies, pralines, and other stuff. Sheila put it all away in the fridge and cupboards, we had a terrific visit, and then they were off… back to Louisiana. Oh, Sheila, of course, did do a wee bit of shopping while here in Montgomery, also…
No surprise here as most all women come standard equipment right from the hopper with the ‘shopper gene’, so then it logically follows that Sheila would possess such a trait as well… and she does. What many may not know, however, is that she apparently has a much more hyperactive gene than most. Yep, she is at all times a threat to veer off towards any ol’ flea market, garage sale, Wally World, or… I seriously doubt there is even a single ‘Dollar General’ or ‘Family Dollar’ anywhere in the southeastern US, that she has not browsed through at least once! She is a power-shopper for sure! I’m mighty glad this excursion was no exception…
It gave Troutdude and the ol’ bug killer time for some serious unrestricted biker talk, general discussion about world affairs (that took all of about five minutes tops, however), mutual reflection upon shared memories, thoughts expressed about upcoming adventures to be shared, and updates on other stuff of interest… lasted a couple of hours, actually. Throughout the chat, heck the entire visit really, I kept noticing how unusually good this entire exercise was making me feel!
We all find ourselves both making and receiving visitations during down times for or by someone we know, and it becomes obvious to most there is indeed a definite connection between such visits and positive spiritual uplifts for the focus of the event. For this relatively inexperienced in life traveler through time and space, however, this particular visit just seemed so out of the ordinary!
Perhaps it was because the need was so great… far greater than I had realized… that it had made such a profound impact. Whatever it was, though, while I watched them make preparations for departure as darkness was overtaking us, I was feeling far better about everything than I had in a couple of months! Heck, I was even ready to go tackle those treatment hurdles again… and with a smile on my face, too!
I’d awakened that morning with an unusually strong hunger pang in my gut… It took virtually no time at all to decide to visit Cracker Barrel a few miles up the road for some grub… Although that normally is an automatic breakfast event for this occasional patron, this time I couldn’t shake the image of country-fried steak, green beans, corn, and cornbread muffins. By noon I’d been seated, placed my order (which included three to-go orders of bacon), and begun final preparatory salivation… I think of that as dietary foreplay…
It soon proved to have been a truly excellent choice, and I was quite content to return to the room for a nap afterward… Unfortunately, however, chores needing attention remained. I dropped by a grocery store for some essential items… stool softener recommended by my urologist, bread and sandwich meat, mixed fruit, candy bars, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I’d also intended to pick up another coconut pie, as the one here-to-fore on hand was no longer to be found… but I forgot… I sometimes use a note for such shopping trips, but this time I’d forgotten to make one… Then it was rapidly approaching time for that nap! I was headed for the barn, when… as I was making a turn in traffic onto the bypass… my phone rang…
Troutdude was asking where I was and what I was doing… I told him… Next thing I knew I was wrapping up the relocation of stuff from the backseat of the car to the kitchen in the efficiency/room currently serving as home, when a couple of familiar faces appeared right in front of me in the parking lot! Yep, they had come to see the struggler, but I hadn’t been home… What a great feeling to just be face-to-face with a pair of the finest folks I know!!!
All the usual big-dogging, chatter, gossip, musings, smiles and outright laughter followed in great abundance… In short order it was just about as long as Sheila could contain herself, so off she went for some therapeutic medicinal shopping, leaving Dennis and me to continue with the big-boy talk, only now sans spousal restriction… Ever notice how the composition and tone of conversation among married men varies depending upon the proximity of their boss? Easy for me to recognize that, naturally, as I’m a recovering long-term husband myself…
Late afternoon, Waterbug found her way back… and she was bearing a couple more gifts! I’d mentioned early on that I’d forgotten to bring a cap from home, and there have been a few cold snaps where one would surely have come in handy! I’d lamented the sad fact Cracker Barrel didn’t carry those after all, so I hadn’t picked one up as I'd figured to. Well, she had a ball cap and ‘watch cap’ she’d found someplace and picked them both up for me… The ‘gift’ that just keeps on giving!
Caps given by Sheila…
nearest station to me now Bacon from Cracker Barrel…
I’d retreated back to the refuge from the brisk temps by the time my dear friends had pulled out of the lot on their way homeward… I was simply stunned by the magnitude of the good feelings resulting from this surprise appearance! I hope that good result can be translated into improved results with the remaining treatment goings on… We’ll see… Even if it turns out to be just a temporary reprieve from the melancholies, I’m still incredibly happy it happened, and that two so very worthwhile people made the effort to brighten the season for… whatever I am…
I decided to write about that experience, and I further decided to post the last piece I’d already written but wasn’t going to post before posting this piece… I thought that last one might help to set the stage for the depth of melancholy being confronted when I first spotted my visitors… Funny, I was just attempting to find some spiritual maintenance when I’d written the last piece. The responses to the previous post moved me in ways I couldn’t have known before, however. Thank you all for your unwavering support, prayers, advice, encouragement, and compliments… Just as with this amazing visit, all of that, too, is most helpful, means a great deal to me, and is appreciated beyond my ability to express!!! Thanks, my very good friends!
DDT
