It's Monday, vacations over

5/1/06 Monday
It’s a busy day already. I went to the dealership to get a set of keys and have the rattle in Fred’s Buick looked at. Then I came home. On the way I stopped and washed his car and then waxed half of it when I got home. Fred was just coming out when I was walking in so I took him to look at his new car. He poked around asking what each button was and how to adjust the seats.

Fred remembered that we needed to transfer his insurance over so I drove him to State Farm. Despite the Buick being three years newer the insurance dropped by fifty dollars. Newer car, better car, costs less, works for me. After that I drove to Tom’s Marathon where Fred could talk to his friends. I waited in the car and set the radio stations on the radio.

Getting back Fred said he didn’t get a good look at the engine yet. “You want to look under the hood Fred?” I asked him knowing the answer already. I popped the hood and stepped back for Fred to look. As he peered intently at one point and then another, pushing his head down close to see, I explained what he was looking at. I told him how much pep the V-6 has considering how big the car is. Then Fred asks “Where’s the battery?”. Good question I think as I look all over and can’t fine it. Now I have to get the manual out and see cause there is no battery I can find under the hood.
It’s behind the back seat. That’s different.

I called Allen. He had called this morning which was a surprise in itself. He was animated as he accuses “You didn’t come over. I thought you were going to call”. This doesn’t work well with me. My first comment was on him being up this early. “I never went to bed” was his explanation. “You’re awful chipper for not having gone to sleep” was my reply and Allen knew I was referring to his “medicine”. I’m going to have another little talk. Allen has some money for the moment and money brings problems.

Just after I called Allen to let him know I was coming over Fred calls. “You got anything planned?” he asks despite my just telling him minutes before I was going to visit a friend. “What do you need Fred?” I answered with a question. He wanted to go to Firestone and challenge them on doing a crap job on his Caddy. I tried to tell him it could wait and Fred tried to not hear me. Finally I said no. Got to go now.
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Allen is still Allen. Nothing has changed much with him other than he didn’t seem to depressed. He still complained about his stomach and getting sick but I don’t expect that to change. There is no doubt he has plenty of his medication with him. I never really did sit down and talk to him about it like I planned. He knows and was kinda covering for himself as his conversation meandered around. Allen is so very alone but I can’t help him much there. He brought up the Henry Ford museum saying “Have you ever heard of it? What kind of stuff do you think is there?”. He next told me what was there without catching a breath. “Do you think you would like to go? We could make it a day” he suggested. I didn’t really have an answer for him. The idea of keeping up with Allen as he explained everything I saw is not appealing. I would love to go with Cherie but Allen is not something I’d look forward to.

I had told Allen that I would be leaving at 4:30 to go home so there would be no surprise. When 4:30 rolled up I said “I got to go”. Allen asks me “Do you think you could come back over after you eat dinner?”. Come on!!! It’s a twenty minute drive each way, gas is a million bucks a gallon, and once I get home with my wife I’m not budging. I hesitated for only a second as I analyzed this and looking up I gave Allen a simple but firm “No” as I shook my head.

It is 8:00 PM now. We warmed up some leftovers for dinner. I have a headache and am tired from visiting Allen. Tomorrow ought to be a dandy. Fred wants to march over to Firestone right away. Then I take Wayne to see the doctor at MUO.