Stories - FD Thornton

I ain’t got but an hour or so to be outside this morning. Today is Grandparents Day at the elementary school our grandchildren attend. So we be having lunch with our granddaughter and checking out her classroom. Then I have an appointment at the medical supply store to pick up my new CPAP machine and accessories. After answering about a dozen texts since I stepped outside. I’m beginning to wonder why I come out here at all. But after a good rain last night and a steady breeze now I really don’t mind.  The town’s running at it’s usually pace…slow. There’s plenty of golf carts parked at the dollar store and the post office trading on the latest gossip. There’s a lawnmower running full throttle down the street, and the EMC guys are running in and out of the warehouse looking for parts. I for one have just two stops today. Two noisy appointments to crowd up my usual uncluttered schedule. Other than that there’s nothing inspirational going on here, just the sound of an empty...

It’s later in the afternoon so I decided to take advantage of the lighter humidity and come back outside. There’s a lite breeze blowing so while the gnats are still out, at least they’re having to put in some extra effort to lite on me. You can still smell where the grass got cut this morning, but sadly the faint scent of BBQ from the restaurant down the street is gone.  The poor old sycamore tree leaves look a bit sad. Hanging like they’re on their last leg from the limbs. There’s no point in bringing up the fig bush/tree, it’s all but shed most of its leaves. It’s hard to believe that just a few months ago both plants were vibrant and green, with a bountiful crop of figs. But the birds have mostly abandon their nest in the fig branches. With the kids grown and the shade and food supply dried up, I can’t say I blame them.  But I’m the human here, I’m adaptable with opposable thumbs. I can’t move on as easily as the birds. My so-called cognitive reasoning insist I ...

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...