Coming Up a Cloud…

“It’s coming up a cloud,” my grandmother would always say when it was thundering like it was when I was awakened from my sleep this afternoon.  I brushed my teeth after eating a late Asian lunch of chicken in peanut sauce.  I walked back into the den to turn on The Weather Channel to see Charlie backing down my driveway in dad’s truck.  In the bed was my riding lawn mower that had been in the repair shop for a few weeks.  I walked outside to greet Charlie and help him get the mower off the back and under my house.

“It cost a fortune to get it fixed,” Charlie said after hugging me. “It needed new tires and a new battery and I got the blade sharpened.  I also had the engine tuned up and the fuel filter was clogged causing it not to crank.  I got your father to pay for it.  He wrote a check out of your account.”

I hopped on the mower after we got it off the truck and turned the key.  I was so excited to have it back and running.  The engine reluctantly roared to life after struggling for several moments.  I turned if off and told Charlie that I would be able to cut my own grass for a change.   I thanked him for his help in cutting my grass the week before last – bragging on what an awesome job he had done.  Dad has been bragging about it as well.

It began to pour rain as Charlie ran around dad’s truck to roll up the windows.  I cranked the mower and drove it into my basement.  Charlie came inside to see Maggie.  Maggie was just about beside herself to see him always knowing when he arrives. 

“You know your father and them are going to D.C. for the 4th,” Charlie said as Maggie sat in his lap regaling in the attention Charlie was lavishing  upon her.  “I will be bringing your medications and I will bring your diet Cokes as well.  Don’t tell your father, but I will bring you a twelve pack every night.”

“I have no self control. It’s my fatal flaw,” I told him. “I will drink them all in hours. Just bring me six every night.  I can handle six without it getting my anxiety in a stir.”

“You sure?” Charlie asked.

“Yeah,” I replied. “I appreciate the thought, though.”

“I will bring you something to eat every night as well,” Charlie said as he got up to leave pushing Maggie out of his lap onto the couch.  The thought of that number 19 special at Arby’s was enticing.  

Charlie drove off and I will cut my grass and Joyce’s tomorrow if the rain holds off.  Joyce’s yard looks like a jungle – her aged sister just not able to keep up two houses.  Dad has been telling Charlie to cut it for them for weeks.  He usually does.  I just couldn’t cut my grass with a push mower.  Every time I would have a severe anxiety attack. Any increase in heart rate sends me reeling. 

Mrs. Florene called a moment ago and asked if I was still coming for supper.  She said we would eat at eight. She said she was busy in the kitchen already cooking.  We are having cubed steak, biscuits, steamed broccoli and rice.  One of my favorite meals as Florene already knows.  I am headed over now to wash and vacuum the Caprice and get on George’s computer for awhile before supper.  I also want to watch Bones while I am over there.  I can’t miss an episode.