Ordinary Time..................

Today is Sunday. I've mentioned before that I go to church on Sundays. Well, as often as I can. I find the rituals comforting... familiar. By following along, I can forget about what's really on my mind, at least for that short amount of time. Of course, it all comes back when I walk out through the doors but, sometimes, I get a new perspective on things. Not today.

Doyle was waiting by my car.

"Denny, how's it going?" He stuck out his hand and I shook it.
"Hey, Doyle. What brings you here today? Something new with Gordon?"
"Well, yeah, but that's not the whole reason. He's been staging Events almost every other day for about the last week and a half or so. Pretty much since you stopped, actually. But I'm really here to check up on you."
"Come on, Doyle..you're tracking me all the time. You know what's going on."
"We know where you've been and who you've seen. We even know what the doctors have said and what they've prescribed. What we don't know is how you're doing. you know, mentally. How're you handling all this?"
I looked at him for a bit, then down on the Carpal Tunnel Splint on my left wrist.

"It's still bothering me, but not as bad as before. I've got a prescription for steroids to reduce the inflammation, but I haven't taken any yet. I got some anti-biotics for a throat problem at the same time so the doc said to hold off on the steroids. I went back Thursday, and since it's better we'll hold off for 2 more weeks. One week, wearing the splint all day, the second with it on only in the afternoon. After that, I'll call her with my status and we'll go from there."

It was his turn to pause, nodding his head as he thought about it.

"I have to ask..is it bothering you enough to prevent you from staging any Events? I mean..the idea was for you to draw Gordon out but, like I said, once you stopped he started. It's like he wants you to be the active one....I don't know...I'm just askin'..you know?" He seemed uncomfortable.
"I know. I mean, I know what you're saying.......I tried. A couple of times. I can't control the Flasher with my left hand because of the splint.  From the car, I've been able to isolate potential Events on my right - the passenger side, you know - and can handle the Flasher with my right, but I'm having trouble controlling the car with my left. I'm just not sure, under the circumstances, that I'd be successful. And because of the splint, I feel that I'm more conspicuous on foot. So..I don't know what to tell you, Doyle. I'll try during the week, but I don't know that I'll get anywhere until I can take this off."

We both took some time to think about things. He nodded first, then grinned.

"OK. Don't worry about it, Denny. We'll wait for you to be comfortable with things again."
"Thanks, Doyle. 'I'll be back.'" I did my best Governator, and grinned back.
He laughed.
"Say, how did you make out with the other doctors?"
"well, I'm not happy with the dermatologist. He doesn't explain himself, just cuts things out and sends them for tests. I had to pester him for an answer. I don't think I'll be going back. The urologist was a nice guy..older. I had the prostate exam, which I wasn't looking forward to, and he said things were OK so we're gonna wait a couple of weeks and retake the PSA test. We'll see after that."
"You know, sometimes, I get so involved in what's going on..in the operation itself...that I forget that you're really just a civilian in all this."
"It;s OK, Doyle. Maybe I didn't know what I was getting into at first, and maybe it's spiralled way out of proportion to what it was supposed to be, but I'm in now. For better or worse."

It was my turn to grin first. He grinned back.

"OK, Denny. You take care of yourself....I mean that. I'll be in touch."

We shook hands, and he left.

I got in my car and drove off. I had breakfast again at Denny's and thought about what to do going forward. Maybe I'll signal Gordon and try to talk to him about what he's doing.

I bought some stuff to eat during the week, picked up the papers, and headed back home.

Nothing had really changed and yet I felt better about things. I felt that things were back to normal, at least as normal as they've been recently.

Back to ordinary time.