Tire Slick…

So, I got outside and washed my car in between thunderstorms yesterday afternoon. To finish the job, I needed what we call tire slick around here. It makes the tires all wet, black, and shiny looking – very popular with the African Americans that live here. I like the look very much as well. I also needed some engine degreaser as I was going to clean mom’s engine. I’d have chrome or alloy rims on that car if I could afford it. I called my father to let him know I was going to charge some tire slick and engine degreaser to my debit card at AutoZone.

“Come over and get some cash from me instead,” my father told me. “Be sure to bring me back the change and a receipt.”

Things like this are always complicated such as the simple purchase of some silicone gel for my tires. It’s a three ring circus. I have to make extra trips for all of this to come to fruition.

Well, I head to AutoZone and make my purchase. It begins to rain steadily and I cursed the heavens. I hurried back to my father’s house dodging puddles that would dirty my car.

Papa was drinking wine when I arrived and was very, very chatty.

“Come sit out on the porch with me and drink a few Cokes,” he told me.

Dad has a wonderful screened in porch on the side of the house. It is just full of house plants this time of the year and very green, welcoming and inviting. We sat out there and talked for about an hour. Dad was wanting to know how my mental illness effects me these days. We rarely talk about it. Dad says I am secretive about it. I don’t want to have to go back to the mental hospital.

“I get the doldrums sometimes,” I told him. “A deep, dark depression envelopes me.”

“I also can’t take a lot going on or any undue excitement,” I added. “It gets my nerves bad.”

I stood up to leave and dad begged me to stay longer.

“I need a cigarette and my cigarettes are at home,” I told him.

He walked me to the back door and bid me farewell. I hurried home to partake in a smoke. I was really jonesing by this time.