Charlie? Meet Tracy! Tracy? Meet Charlie…

I was sound asleep when there was a loud knock on the door abruptly awakening me. It was a very rainy evening and the rain had lulled me to sleep earlier in the afternoon. I was so drowsy I could barely stay awake. Maggie was going bonkers so I knew who it was. It was dad and Charlie with my two pepperoni pizzas on this our Sunday night feedings.

“Andrew! How are you?” Charlie asked loudly as he stepped through my front door.

“Good to see you, Charlie,” I replied, giving him a hug.

Charlie went directly to gather all my trash and to give Maggie fresh food and water. He was all business tonight.

Then there was another loud knock on the door. “Who could that be?” I wondered. It was Tracy. She had a big duffel bag packed hanging from her shoulder signifying she was sleeping over. This was a surprise to me, but a very nice surprise. I welcomed her inside and told her things were busy at the moment.

“Hey Tracy,” my father said giving her a hug. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Mr. John,” she replied shyly.

Charlie came walking out of the kitchen with trash bags in hand. During my slumber, I had forgotten to take out all the trash.

“You must be Tracy,” Charlie said putting down the trash bags to give her a hug.

“Tracy? This is my good friend and my father’s best friend, Charlie,” I told her.

“Nice to meet you, sir!” Tracy said.

“I’ve heard such good things about you,” Charlie told her. “You treat Andrew right!”

“You will hear more out of Charlie for sure,” I said with a laugh. “Wait till her finds out where you live and he will start feeding you!”

Charlie said, “Oh, hush!” and laughed.

Maggie was just beside herself during all of this. Tracy? Charlie? Papa? It was almost too much to bear and she happily went around greeting everybody and sniffing fingers checking ID’s.

Papa and Charlie soon left. They ran across the yard in the rain to Charlie’s car and drove off. Horsefly was awaiting his chicken tenders.

“Let’s get your car in the driveway and off the street,” I told Tracy as she handed me her keys. “Someone drunk will hit it in the night if we don’t.”

I braved the rain and pulled Tracy’s car in behind mine.

“You’re going to have to help me eat all this pizza,” I told her stepping inside and she said she was famished.

The pizza was piping hot as if just out of the oven making it doubly good and the cheese all gooey and stringy..

Tracy is now in the shower. We are going to watch Interstellar once she cleans up some and then go to bed. We both have early starts in the morning. Tomorrow is going to be a long day for Tracy. She has to work a full day and I think she has two classes tomorrow night.

Maggie! I’m Home!

Maggie was barking fervently as I walked across the yard from the car tonight. “Where have you been?” she seemed to urgently say as I stepped through the front door. I plopped down on the couch with a loud sigh as Maggie thoroughly sniffed me finding out where I have been. It’s a smell she is becoming accustomed to.

“I’ve got a lady friend, Maggie,” I told her as I turned on the television and took the shoes off my tired dogs.

I gave Maggie a big hug and then I told her I loved her as I scratched her back. That seemed to have settled her down some.

I had driven down to Tracy’s apartment tonight. Tracy was studying for a chemistry exam which was tomorrow evening and I watched The Outlaw King on Netflix at her home which I had been itching to see. It was okay. A little slow in places. I actually didn’t watch the ending as I gave up on it and got up to leave – ready to head home. Poor Tracy. I know I had to have been distracting, but she said she was really glad I was there.

“Drive safe, doll,” she told me. “Call me when you get home.”

We gave each other another tantalizing peck on the lips, a long embrace, and I disappeared into the night like a tomcat on the prowl.

One thing I am noticing about Tracy is that she tends to be a loner despite her bubbly personality. She is just not being overrun with girlfriends. I am not exactly running over with friends myself these days except for my blog friends and (gasp!) Tuleana and Richard.

Outlaw King Synopsis…

A true David vs. Goliath story of how the 14th century Scottish 'Outlaw King' Robert the Bruce used cunning and bravery to defeat the much larger and better equipped occupying English army.

Contact… Sept 17 Tablet Scribblings…

I love this quote from the movie Contact based on a novel by the sorely missed Carl Sagan.

“You're an interesting species. An interesting mix. You're capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you're not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we've found that makes the emptiness bearable, is each other.”

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society | Official Trailer [HD...

Pizza On Slow Time…

I could’ve killed Charlie and my father last night. They didn’t get here with supper until after 9 PM. I think that’s the latest they have ever been.

“We ran into an old friend at Little Caesar’s and had a long chat,” my father told me. “Remember Stacey?”

Stacey worked with my father in the pharmacy for years.

Dad was itching to get home and watch Auburn football highlights on YouTube so they didn’t stay long.

“Y’all give Maggie some lovin’ because she has been sitting in that window for two hours waiting on Y'all,” I told Charlie and my father.

Well, this thrilled my bored little dog’s soul. Maggie even got to “talking” to them. I laughed and we all laughed. I was thrilled to see Maggie so happy.

“I have a film on Netflix I want you to watch,” my father told me before leaving. “It is called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. We will watch it tomorrow night. You’re gonna love it!”

In 1946 a London-based writer begins exchanging letters with residents on the island of Guernsey, which was German-occupied during WWII. Feeling compelled to visit the island, she starts to get a picture of what it was like during the occupation.

My attention then turned to eating my supper. My two large pizzas were delicious again this week. I savored every bite. I have plenty left to eat throughout the day. I will be grazing pizza like cows graze grass.

Got ‘cha!

I told my father I fixed the television this morning. I was explaining to him on how I did it.

“How did you know to use the remote to reset it?” he asked

“I searched for how to reset it on the internet,” I replied.

“Do you want it back?” I then asked. “We could put it in mom’s room.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” my father replied looking smug in his pajamas.

He then said “Got ‘cha” really loudly and laughed and laughed.

“I know you had your heart set on getting that television. It is yours to keep,” he told me.

I told my father thank you and gave him a man hug as he was sitting down.

Goin’ to the Movies?

Solo A Star Wars Story was certainly met with many mixed reviews. My favorite film critic gave it 2 out of 4 stars and I trust him. His reviews are spot on. I didn’t waste my time on a movie ticket.

“Just another run-of-the-mill heist movie,” he said. “Move along.”

I have trouble concentrating and sitting through movies. There are so many movies I want to see like The Planet of the Apes series, Rogue One a Star Wars Story, The Arrival, The Martian, and Interstellar. See the science fiction trend I have going?

Green Doodie...

"I bet you never have green doodie," Jermaine told me catching me in Kroger's produce section. "It means you have a lack of potassium in your diet. Bananas are full of potassium."

"That's nice to know, Jermaine," I replied blithely as I grabbed the biggest bunch of slightly green bananas I could find.

Jermaine popped a purple grape into his mouth and said he was going to go see if there were any quick sale specials in the bakery. I got off easy tonight and continued with my shopping with razor sharp focus. I wanted to be finished by the time my father arrived. I quickly finished and was waiting for him up front when he walked in the door.

I didn't do so well tonight grocery shopping price wise. I managed to spend $86 dollars. I didn't mean to and had the grandest aspirations to keep it around $60 dollars again this week. I blame it on the gourmet chicken salad I am so enamored with at the moment and the multitudes of breakfast food I buy every week. My father didn't say anything though and seemed in a chipper and upbeat mood afterwards. I headed to my car in the freezing cold to load up and head home. There was a very brisk northerly wind and the cold just made me frigid and miserable. It was cutting through me like a knife.

"I am going to go get my Honda gassed up," my father told me as we parted ways in the parking lot. "Love you and be careful driving home."

Earlier in the evening, Old Fuss and Feathers and Charlie brought me a great supper.

"It is about time for me to give you another haircut," Charlie noted at my longish locks.

I had slices of barbecued pork roast, sweet potato souffle, some of that wonderful macaroni casserole, and some chicken and dressing. Maggie sat as if frozen in time as she intently watched me eat my meal. I didn't think she would eat the pork with tangy and spicy barbeque sauce all over it, but she scarfed it down despite my worries.

Star Wars Overly Met My Expectations...

Earlier in the day I called my father and told him I was driving down to Auburn to catch the afternoon matinee of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

"Don't go wild at the concession stand," he told me. "Your account doesn't have much money in it."

I forget about it being the end of the month. He said he was going to run to the bank and deposit $100.

The movie was great in my opinion. I saw the original Star Wars in theaters in 1977 so this was a treat to see old familiar faces and the new faces as well. I was disappointed when Luke didn't get into a light saber brawl with Ben Solo at the end. I wanted to see the petulant and arrogant Ben get an ass-kickin' by a master Jedi.

What Not to See at the Movies...

"What movie is Horsefly watching today?" I asked Charlie a few moments ago.

"He is seeing some movie about ninja Legos," Charlie replied.

I chuckled. Horsefly can pick the most terrible movies to watch. I can remember years ago when I took Horsefly to the movies. We watched an MTV production called Hustle and Flow about the rap industry. I walked out of the theater realizing I just wasted two hours of my life.

"My favorite movie and film critic called the Lego movie a two-hour toy commercial," I then told Charlie.

Charlie laughed as he handed me my medications.

"Now count your pills," he said to make sure they were all there. "I don't think Horsefly really watches the movies. He just enjoys the interesting noises and the ambiance."

Charlie brought a gallon of fresh brewed sweet tea that I will just relish today. Charlie also brought me a fried catfish plate from Merl's diner which I practically inhaled after Charlie left. Maggie put on quite a show of "song and dance" to get her one catfish fillet.

"You're getting fish tomorrow at lunch as well," Charlie told me before he left. "How does a Captain D's jumbo fish platter sound?"

I told Charlie that it sounded delicious. Charlie just spoils me rotten.

Shots in the Dark...

Just Call Me Chuck...

I called my father this afternoon just as he was about to lie down for a nap. He is really resting this weekend as my mother would call taking long naps. He actually answered the phone with me calling which startled me.

"What are you doing, Chuck?" he asked.

"I just woke up and panicked thinking I had missed yesterday's eclipse," I told him.

"The eclipse is in August and we are going to do our darndest to go see it," my father then said. "We're taking a road trip. We are also going by Falling Creek."

"That movie Dunkirk got stellar reviews," I told my father. "Christopher Nolan directed it."

Are you familiar with the incident called Dunkirk? The Germans had forced the British Army all the way back to the English Channel with nowhere to turn. The whole British nation mobilized to get them home before they were killed or captured by the Germans. Even the smallest rowboat was used to bring the troops home across the English Channel.

"We'll watch it when it comes out on Netflix," my father told me.

Dad was sounding awful sleepy so I decided I better let him go. I asked him the question that makes him not want to answer the phone when I call. I am just a pest it seems.

"Can we take my medications in an hour or two after you've had your nap?" I asked.

"Sure, Chuck. I'll call you when I wake up," my father surprisingly replied. "You can get your Cokes as well."

Is it so awful to ask? Is it that terrible? I know I shouldn't take them so early, but it sure does make my afternoon more pleasant. All dad has to do is walk out to his car to get my medications and bring them inside. The hardest part is making up my plastic sack of six colas for the day.

Fare Thee Well to a Departed Papa...

Dad was pooped tonight during the medication ritual. He swung by Little Ceasar's on the way home to get him and me two of those $5 dollar hot and ready pizzas for which I was overjoyed.

"I thought you might like that," he said to me with a warm grin as he sat on the couch counting my pills.

We are making plans to see that new movie Dunkirk on July the 21st. Dad said he couldn't pick out a better cohort as I am well versed on what happened at Dunkirk. A movie such as this would have bored my mother to tears.

"We'll eat at Jim Bob's Chicken Fingers (a real treat) and then head over to the Cineplex," he told me.

Even Charlie who rarely eats pizza lauded this Little Caesar's deal the other night.

"And they don't skimp on the ingredients," he said.

That Darn Charlie...What Would We Do Without Him?

I was half asleep at my computer desk when the phone rang loudly a moment ago. I am still sleeping all day and don't get up until about 8 PM. That's got to change I'm afraid. It is seriously depressing me in the late and early hours of the night. It is also thundering very loudly outside which I do so very enjoy the sound of.

"Do you want something to eat?" Charlie asked me in a very pleasant sounding mood and voice.

"Yes Charlie please," I replied. "Is that okay? I haven't had anything to eat all day. I am out of food."

It helped that I slept all day so I didn't feel hungry. I certainly feel hungry tonight, though.

"I'll be there in just a short bit," Charlie told me.

I wrung my hands in anticipation of his arrival. I could already taste that burger or fish plate that he would bring me.

********************************

Charlie finally arrived at almost 10 PM to Maggie's elation. She had sat in the window for about an hour when I had mentioned Charlie 's name. There was much bouncing off and on the couch by Maggie. My life could be summed up very succinctly as hurry up and wait. Just like the Army.

"I am running late!" he told me. "I've still got to get Horsefly to the bowling alley."

He had just gotten back from Auburn and Horsefly's Saturday Matinee. Horsefly watched the new Transformers "The Last Knight" movie Charlie said.

What my favorite film critic has to say about the movie...  An orgy of incoherence, a sensory assault that suffocates the viewer in a cavalcade of special effects incontinence.

Horsefly also had to eat his chicken tenders meal at KFC in Auburn.

Charlie brought me two big Cokes without ice and two Big Macs and two french fries. We just do not do things small around here as far as Charlie is concerned.

"Now, let's take your crazy meds as you call them and I am going to get your trash to the road," Charlie told me.

Charlie reminded me that breakfast is being served in the morning and that Janice, Charlie's wife, is making barbecue sandwiches and Charlies is bringing me a couple for lunch.

You Sent Me Flying...

http://starwars.wikia.com/

Thankfully, our little fit of rain and stormy weather had passed as I walked to my car to head to the pharmacy this morning. An hour before that, I was sitting in my recliner as nature put on a grand show of torrential rain, vivid lightning, and rumbling, house shaking thunder. Maggie slept through it all curled up in her favorite spot on the couch.

The wind was blowing so fiercely this morning that it blew off my Auburn cap and sent it flying across the pharmacy parking lot.  It came to rest against the wall of the ACE hardware store next door. I ran and grabbed it up before another gust began. I then announced to the pharmacy staff that I was having a bad hair day.

"You're right on time," my father said with a kind tone to his voice and a smile. "Go get your shot and then you will have the rest of the day to do what you want."

I want to catch up some on my sleep and the Magster is going to be my partner in crime. She loves climbing in the bed with me midday.

Gluteus Maximus...

My brain needed a tuneup so I headed to Kamath Medical.

"I thought Rogue One was a great movie," Rebecca, my nurse, told me as we sat in an examining room. "It had more of a Stars Wars feel than episode VII."

I also wanted to hear about her two precious daughter's Christmas. Rebecca said they had an awesome Christmas. They are both into Star Wars and Legos.

A Completely Unexpected Visitor...

http://gritsandgrids.com/

I was asleep in my recliner while Maggie slept soundly on the couch. I had fallen asleep sitting up and it gave me a terrible crick in my neck with my head leaning forward and my chin on my chest. This must have been around noon or lunchtime. I had a terrible bout of insomnia last night and a bleary-eyed me was trying to catch up on my sleep.

Suddenly, there was a very loud and startling knock  on the door. Maggie immediately started to viciously bark until she realized who our visitor was.

"Maggie Lou!" Charlie said on the other side of my closed front door as I scrambled to let Charlie in the house.

Talk about a rude awakening with Maggie's rowdy antics. Then the Magster was super elated. It was Charlie bearing gifts of two Arby's roast beef sandwiches and my medications. Charlie had caught me completely off guard.

"Do you like Arby's?" Charlie asked me as he walking inside.

"It is my favorite fast food restaurant," I replied to Charlie. "You ought to know that. Dad says it is too expensive and that is why I don't get it every Sunday night."

Charlie chuckled at my last statement.

We took my numerous medications then Charlie was soon on his way to take Horsefly to Auburn and the movie theater. He does this every Saturday.

"I will be back around 9:30 PM with some supper," Charlie said graciously surprising me once again. "You ought to go with us."

I could never eat all that Charlie brought me. He bought two ex-large roast beef sandwiches and an order of curly fries. I respectfully bowed out of going to the movies.

Life With the Big Screen...

"Why don't you ride with Horsefly and I to go see a movie?" Charlie asked me this afternoon. "You need to get out of this house!"

Charlie went about the medication ritual making sure each pill had been ingested. We then fed and watered the Magster who eagerly approved of such endeavors.

"I don't know if I can sit still for two hours straight," I replied to our Charlie with a chuckle.

"What is Horsefly seeing this week?" I then asked.

"A movie called Sully with Tom Hanks," Charlie replied.

I explained to Charlie who Captain Sully was and about the plane crash on the Potomac.

"Clint Eastwood even directed the film."

Charlie set my wonderful smelling jumbo fish platter on my entertainment center. He then pulled out a dozen or so malt vinegar packages as well. Moments later, he was headed out the front door not without a big hug, though.

Well, Here Goes Nothing...

http://www.someecards.com/

I think "Well, here goes nothing!" was said by Han Solo in one of the Star Wars films. RIP Han Solo -- one of my favorite Star Wars characters.

It was 7am this morning as I sat on the edge of my bed after a shower and I was dressing. Shaving would come next which is a big pet peeve of my father's. "Show some pride in yourself," he will often tell me.

"Could I do this?" I asked myself. I was feeling very shaky and wobbly on my feet this morning. It am in a khaki shorts and t-shirt mood -- no dressing up today. I call my dress casual and not the homeless guy look as my father will say.

Oh, Maggie! Where art thou? Maggie was on the computer room bed licking the pillow I slept on all night. What compels her to do this, I do not know. She does it all the time.

Coveting Thy Cokes...

https://imeanseriously.wordpress.com

"Sorry I am in such of a rude hurry," Charlie said almost dropping my medications in the process. That would have been a disaster. "I am going to have to come someday to just visit and see you and Maggie for a change."

My father always says Charlie gets flustered and snatchy on occasions such as this. He never fails to always get too much on his plate.

"He has a biting tongue when he gets like that," my father will also tell me. "Tread around him carefully and don't take anything personally."

My father knows how sensitive I can be to such emotional and social encounters.

"Horsefly is in the car ready to go see a movie in Auburn. The one he wants to see starts at 5pm," Charlie further told me. "We also have to eat our nightly chicken strips dinner from the KFC across the road from the shopping mall."

The Present Has Just Become the Past...

Charlie had his hands full of wonderful surprises for me this afternoon as he walked across my lawn. I wish my father would be so altruistic.

"I got you an extra large Coke with no ice and a double quarter pounder with cheese and fries," Charlie told me. "Here is a cold diet Coke to take your medications with."

Charlie about dropped the diet Coke as well -- almost juggling it to keep it from hitting the floor.

I was extremely glad to get that ex-large Coke. You see? I have six Cokes waiting for me at my parent's house, but I have been procrastinating something terrible all day and have been drinking ice water. It will only take me 10 minutes to get them,, but my brain has decided that trip would take too many minutes and too much exertion.

Cha-Cha-Cha-Charlie!

We're doing the upbeat and happy Charlie inspired tango tonight, We've also just had another successful rendition of the medication ritual -- down ye olde gullet it went with special attention paid to thwart any dropped pills. Charlie and I dropped a 1mg Klonopin last night and we never did find it. Maggie has fresh food and water as well which she promptly inhaled. Maggie was starving it seems.

Charlie has duly left the premises. Now, we are going to hunker down in our computer room, play some pleasant tunes, and have some well deserved computer time.

On the Edge of Reason...

"You should have one more night of me and then your father will take back over on Sunday," a very serious sounding Charlie told me.

Charlie was not in a joking mood tonight and was strictly business. Charlie must've been tired as he never stops and sometimes it can tell on him like tonight.

"Tomorrow, for your medications, do you want me to bring them before I take Horsefly to the movies or after?"

I told Charlie that before would be nice and that I would appreciate it very much.

"Horsefly is going to see Hell or High Water," Charlie told me.

"It's getting great reviews," I bantered back. "I have always liked Jeff Bridges as an actor."

The Stage is Set...

http://www.cookingclassy.com/

Charlie came whizzing by in whirlwind fashion with my medications this afternoon. He was on the way to take Horsefly to see WarCraft at the Cinema down in Auburn.

"Charlie?" I asked as he handed me my pills and a regular Coca-Cola. "Can we take my medications when you bring breakfast in the morning?"

Charlie laughed and said, "Hell no! You don't need to take them that early. You would be wanting more at 10pm tomorrow night."

Charlie was pretty right in his assessment of the situation. I can be so impetuous.

Charlie was gone about as fast as he arrived. I think Horsefly got whiplash as Charlie flew off from the curve so fast. I then called my mother to let her know eating Chinese is on schedule. We are going at 5pm to beat the dinner crowd.

"Can I get an extra to-go General Tso's chicken for later?" I asked my mother very cautiously.

"You want both?" she asked warily.

"Yes, please," I told her. "I have nothing to eat at this house."

Translated that means I really like General Tso's chicken and I want some later tonight.

Frivolities...

I bought the new Star Wars film on Blu-ray when I was at Kroger last week. I just sat through another viewing of the film on my home theater. I was thoroughly pleased and entertained. My only real complaints were that Kylo Ren was such a wimpy villain (more like a petulant child) and also that the director used too many recycled plot ideas from the earlier movies. I know he did this to cater to the Star Wars diehards. I enjoyed the film none the less, though, despite these misgivings. Due to impatience and attention deficit, it is not like me to sit through a whole film like that.

Probably One of the Most Endearing Relationships in Modern Cinematic History...

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