Stories - FD Thornton

As of this writing I haven’t decided which image I’m going to post with this story. The one in vivid color and that some may consider gross or thr black and white that’s and a little less in your face. What it is, is what I call a blood blister. They come up on my arms and hands when I bump into something. Or sometimes they just appear out of nowhere, which is the case with this one. I’ve been told they’re a sad side effect of the blood thinning medications I take. Why they only seen to appear on my arms and hands is anyone’s guess. Sometimes they come in go in a matter of days. Sometimes they “bubble up” and bleed out and last for weeks. This particular one is a really deep red, which usually means it’s going to bleed. The embarrassing thing about blood blisters are their to need to bleed out at the most inconvenient times. That’s why my every present diaper bag comes in handy with my first aid supplies. Lawd knows why I’m even bringing this subject up. I’m sure by now

The afternoon heat drove the conversations as well as the handheld fans. There’s nothing usual in the south about being covered in a layer of sweat. Watching the old folks wipe their faces with a handkerchief. There was never much room for pretentiousness when you’re down by the water. Heat and sweat are the great equalizers whenever you try that.  Sitting in the old painted metal chairs, you found little shade under the white oaks. But there’s a slight breeze blowing off the water that smooth’s out the edges. This was our weekend getaway but getaway from what we hardly knew. From ’76 right up to recently, this was my refuge, my Shangri-La. The ghost of those Friday and Saturday afternoons still haunt me and still stir my soul.  Today I don’t have any place to go. I’m too tired and set in my ways to sit outside very long. The sweat sticks to my back and drains the energy from my soul. So I sit by myself in this hot ass room, with two box fans and the NASCAR race filling the

Well it’s me again like a damn fool sitting in the 2:30 in the afternoon shade. It’s currently 86° with a feel like temperature of 106°. Me and my bride just got back from her doctor’s appointment in Dublin. And pretty much like any other doctors appointment, she’s got to have test done before they can give her a solid diagnosis. The test is scheduled for two weeks down the road. So by the time the doctor gets the results, they’ve already forgotten what they wanted you to have the test for in the first place. It's the same old routine I’ve grown quite accustomed too for myself. But in the case of my bride, it means I have to go through the same routine of gathering all the information and then making informed decisions for her. But don’t worry this ain’t nothing new. It’s just that my bones are a bit more brittle and my mind a bit cloudier. So we persevere me, my bride, and the relentless gnats that are biting me. But sitting outside feeling the breeze and smelling th