'Bout to head up to Shreveport to see some old friends I knew in Austin who I haven't seen in person in 15 years. (If you don't hear from me after this weekend, the criminal element definitely got me, just raise a glass and post a hair-metal video for me, not too much to ask.....last time I was in Shreveport, that place seemed rough).
Kind of at the last minute, I added on another stop to the trip to see a dear friend who doesn't live too far from there. If you ever drop in on the music thread in B12-land, I've frequently mentioned a guitar player I grew up with and was best friends with for years growing up. That MFer had it all, the chops, the look, and was a killer singer to boot. I backed him up and watched him rock the faces off of crowds all over the South. Still can't believe sometimes that he fell in love, abandoned everything he was doing to get a bank job, get married and stay home and raise kids. These days he's the VP and chief business loan officer for a small credit union.
A couple of years ago his wife, a real sweetheart, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Hit them out of nowhere, she had no prior symptoms. And has never been a smoker. Just one of those things. It's been a tough couple of years for them. She can't work anymore, sudden trips to the hospital ruin a lot of their plans, there's so many things she can't do or just isn't up for doing. I'm sure it also gets to them that their daughter is about to graduate and go across state to college, several hours away. And to worry about their boy who is just entering high school, possibly losing his mother. It's just a whole bunch of dynamics that suck and is sad.
He called me yesterday to say they would have to cancel the plans for the day we were planning on getting together, because she's back in the hospital. Treading carefully, trying not to push, I let him know that I didn't care about hanging out at their house, I wasn't looking to be entertained, I don't care if we go out to eat or not.....I just want to see them, and if she's up for it, I'd be happy to go to the hospital and hang out there for a while, as much as she feels like tolerating company. He said that'd be great, so that's what we're gonna do.
If that all sounds like it doesn't go on the Happy thread, well, I get it. But, it makes me happy to get to see them. I speak to him on the phone a few times a year, and we text a fair bit, but I only ever see him, seems like every couple of years or so. So, I'm happy to get to spend a little time with them, and I'm hoping that I can bring some good vibes and brighten up her day a little bit. And his.
