Parks and.................

I have this friend who reads a lot of those self help books. You know, the "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" kind of thing. To me, if you don't sweat the small stuff they turn into big stuff and then it may be too late. It's better to get them when they're small enough to manage. Of course, there are the one's that are out of your control.

I've heard from the dermatologist and the biopsy on the sample he took from my face is 98% OK, but that 2% could be a carcinoma. That was always a possibility due to the imuno-suppressants I take, but I didn't think it likely. So now, I have to go back next week and have it scraped and cauterized. You see, this is a small thing that I had to sweat, or it might've turn into something bigger.

I needed to do something to take my mind off of it. I took a ride to Merrill Park. I parked in the first lot I came to, and lowered the windows, just wanting to breathe in the warm morning air and eat a breakfast bar. That's when I saw the park worker on his little mini-truck.

I got out, and followed behind as he rode along, cleaning up the area. I had the Flasher out by my side but it didn't look like I was going to get a chance. Then , off to the side amongst the trees, I saw the old man. He was dressed in layers of heavy clothing, and I remembered seeing him pedaling his bike up the hill as I entered the park.

I turned away from the park worker, and angled toward the old man. He was isolated, probably on purpose. And there was no one else within sight. I moved to the right, and circled back around towards him.

I came up behind him.

He never turned around. He was focused on whatever he was doing. I approached as quietly as I could, looking around constantly to make sure there was no one else about.

Point, press, Flash.

He sagged over the table as I passed by on my way back to my car.

I thought about the other parks I'd staged Events in over the last year or so and decided to visit the ones near by. I was in Avenel, and decided to head to Roosevelt Park in Edison.

Being out early on a weekday has an advantage. Most of the other park visitors are older people, and they are usually focused on their walking, jogging, or whatever. I parked and walked around. There were a few possibilities, but the geographics didn't work. Until I saw this guy walking towards me

We were on the far side of the lake and I had just passed a copse of trees, but he was heading towards them. I stopped, pretending to stretch and catch my breath, and he walked past me. He was wearing headphones, so he'd never hear me coming up behind him.

I turned and followed, checking around me constantly. There were walkers on the other side of the lake, but no one near by. I narrowed the gap as we approached the trees.

Point, press, Flash.

I moved on, back to the parking lot and got into my car.

Two down, one to go. Alvin Williams Memorial Park in Sewaren.

It took about 20 minutes to get there, so it was close to 10 AM by the time I parked. There were people wandering the paths, jogging, dog-walking, whatever. Still, it was early enough to provide some opportunities. I got out and headed towards the path along side the bay. I decided to sit on one of the benches and see if anyone would pass by, rather then wander around. It didn't take long. I saw him coming from the left.

He was moving along at a good clip,and I fell in behind him, waiting for my chance. Again, I got lucky. The section by the refinery was coming up and it tends to be overgrown, partly - I think - to keep the ugly building hidden. I closed in.

Point, press, Flash.

I finished the circuit and got back in my car.

There's no place like a park for a little recreation.

Side Effects...............

Because of the transplant, I take a whole bunch of pills. Most of them in the morning, and the rest around supper time. The prescription ones, obviously, deal with my heart. They control blood pressure, cholesterol, and rejection. By and large, I have no problem with any of them, except Cellcept.

Cellcept is an anti-rejection medicine. And it has an unpleasant side effect on my digestive system from time to time. The first time it happened, I was hospitalized for a week, and they wound up lowering the dose. It's one of those lesser-of-two-evils situations, since the anti-rejection benefit outweighs the personal discomfort.

But these anti-rejection meds have to also be viewed as immuno-suppressants. Basically, they suppress my immune system so it's natural reaction to attack anything invasive - like my new heart - doesn't kick in. One of the things my cardiologist's office has told me to do is to see a Dermatologist because I am now more susceptible to skin cancers. In fact, 70% of transplant recipients gets some form of skin cancer within 20 years of the operation.

I'd been putting it off, but I finally made an appointment and saw a Dermatologist this past Monday. I wasn't expecting anything other then a quick exam and maybe a recommendation for a moisturizer. What I got was a needle in the face, a slice taken out, and a laser cauterization. Apparently, the doctor didn't like something and decided to take a sample and send it out to be tested. Not having heard anything by yesterday, I called and found out it takes 1 to 2 weeks to get the results back.

 Now, I was frustrated. Not that I was particularly worried about it. I knew the chances, and I knew that whatever it was can be taken care of. I just didn't think it should take that long to test something that small.

And it dawned on me that there'd been not contact from Doyle, or the Delaware subject, Gordon, even though I'd staged that Event a couple of weeks ago.

Like I said, frustrated.

This morning, I went for a drive. I wasn't going anywhere in particular, but I wanted to do something to relieve the frustration. It was overcast, and raining on and off, so there weren't a lot of people out. But I did come up behind a mailman taking some stuff out of the back of his van.

I was tempted, but the problem here was that the area was wide open, and I was pretty sure he'd see me if I were to pull over and since he'd be going up to the front of people's houses, I didn't want to take any chances.

I drove on. But I was definitely itching.

I headed up Route 27, but changed my mind and pulled into the WalMart shopping area to turn back. Driving around the back, there was this guy looking at something in his engine. I slowed down.

The Flasher was in my hand, and I lowered the driver's side window. I checked all my mirrors. There was no one else around. I came up along side him.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove past. In my side view mirror, I could see him slumped into the engine, propped there like he was still standing.

I drove back to Metuchen. The sky started to clear. I was feeling better.

I decided to stop at the library, so I turned onto School Street and parked. That's when I noticed this old man walking on the other side of the street. I got out and crossed over. I wound up following behind him.

He walked just passed the library, and turned right, between the library and the next door dentist's office. There's a small pathway there. It's not used very often.

I followed him in, looking around all the time. No one. Nothing. And he never turned around.

Point, press, Flash.

I turned around quickly, retracing my steps, and went into the library. I spent about 20 minutes inside. When I came out, there was no activity. Everything was normal. I got into my car and drove home.

I was feeling good.

There are side effects to all sorts of things.