Hot, Hot

8/1/06 Tuesday
Working on the truck. It is not going well. The heat index is 106 and I am soaked. Even my socks feel like I have been wading through puddles. Have to run and get some more tools. Used to have everything a man could want but lost it all so am slowly rebuilding one tool at a time.

It is 5:00. I am drained by struggling to make the lock on the passenger side of the truck work. Been outside since 10:00 this morning with the exception of running to the store to buy tools and the carryout for Garerade that I quickly killed. Had to take the door handle off three times till I finally got it to work.

The first time I thought I had it, closed and opened the door with success. So with confidence I closed it and locked it from the outside with the key. It wouldn’t unlock so I went inside from the drivers side to unlock it. That didn’t work. Now the door won’t open no matter what I did. It was probably 120 degrees inside the truck and I couldn’t roll down the passenger side window cause it would prevent me from getting to the lock mechanism.

Now I am not at all happy and the cell phone rang. It was Cherie. She quickly perceived it was not a good time to talk so let me go. I ran in to grab some water and air conditioning. After a brief rest I went back to tackle the truck again. Finally got it done. My back is killing me now and I have a headache on its way. I bought a trailer hitch when I picked up the tools. It is the wrong size so will take it back.

Just yawned and it affected the nerve that paralyzes my vocal cords and neck. Hate when that happens. I am tired. Need to E mail the lady we are buying the trailer from to see what kind of light hook up they have so I can get the truck wired for it.

Cherie just came home.
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I slowed down pretty badly. I got done working on the truck about ten minutes before five. That’s when my brain function began to deteriorate. Wasn’t too bad, only down to a 4 on the Bob scale. Cherie made an observation that has merit. She said “You were angry and frustrated all day. Whenever that happens you have a slow down”. I don’t notice things like that or if I do I forget. My inability to put time stamps on events makes it hard to put together. I do know that getting angry usually clears my mind. I suppose it is the increase in adrenalin or something.

I have a headache also to go with the slow down. Took aspirin and Tramadol to fight it but had limited success. Tomorrow I need to wash the towels that Cherie had asked me to do yesterday, or maybe Sunday, not real sure.

I finally got the spare tire mounted under the truck. The jack I went to Lapoint Auto Parts to buy was fifty bucks so I decided not to get it. That was for a used jack at the junkyard. I went to North Town Auto Parts to see if he had one. The owner is someone I knew and did business with when I had Corporate Liquidation. The systems furniture with all the cubicle panels he had bought from me and I had installed it personally.

I had dropped in to see Ronie when I had first gotten back to Toledo. This was when I would get on a bus and ride, looking for anything familiar. Going past his place I dimly remembered something. Nothing clear just a knowledge I had been there before and knew the owner. I went in and Ronie recognized me right away. He had asked me where I had been and I explained the coma and memory loss.

This was when I was homeless and I looked pretty rough. Part of that was to look scary or something as a means of protection. I figured that if I looked crazy the street people and drug heads would leave me alone. That worked well but I am sure it was a shock on Ronie. (That’s how he spells his name) The last time he had seen me prior to this was three or so years before and I was a businessman in good standing, drove a Lincoln Mark 8, and was pretty much in charge of my world.

Now I am doing much better. Life has dramatically changed for me since I was featured on TV as Toledo’s John Doe. The reduction of stress allowed my brain to get back in balance and getting back with Cherie was a miracle on many fronts. Ronie asked me how I was doing. I told him I was much better. He asked what I was doing now. When I said I was helping others he said “No, are you working?”. I explained I was on disability and he said “Is that enough?” with disbelief in his voice. He asked if I was back in business and I had to explain that I no longer had what it takes to run a company. “I get lost in the grocery store” I said. Ronie asked if I remembered his name. I didn’t so he told me. He had his guy go to see if he could find what I needed. He came back with what turned out to be the wrong part. I didn’t know that but Ronie doesn’t take returns so that is ten bucks down the drain.

When I went to Walmart to get tools part of what I looked for was something I could use to ratchet the mechanism that pulls the spare tire up and holds it in place under the truck. I was successful only because I found a strange type of socket that conforms itself to any odd ball shape. Worked great.

Tomorrow I will try to write the letter for Cherie’s family that will be sent to the president of the city council as well as one for the press. This is important because I said I would do it and try hard to do what I say. Still a little slow now. Running a 5 on the Bob scale so a little better than earlier. At least I can write. I still am curious who it is in Big Spring that reads this blog. They came on three times today looking for a post but I didn’t post till after 5:00.
I am pretty tired right now. It is 11:10. I think I’ll dig up some of the pictures I scanned from old ID’s I had while homeless. Scary looking stuff. Understand I was frail, easily confused, and stuck in a world populated with the mentally ill, drug addicts, violence, and people desperate enough that they stole my dirty underwear one night. Fear is not something I am used to but survival instincts spurred me to adopt this look. Besides that when you have serious brain damage it skews your view of the world. Good night.