A Day in May...............

Doyle left a message yesterday.

Well, I think it was yesterday. I found a voicemail on the drop phone he gave me months ago. I hadn't heard it come in, so I needed to retrieve it.  Of course, not knowing that this was an option with this  phone, I fumbled around with it until I got to the place where I needed to enter a password. Now, I didn't set this up, but it had to have something that tied Doyle and I together. I typed in G O R D O N.

I found out that Doyle would be back in New Jersey sometime after the first of June.

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About a week ago, I went to see my cardiologist for my semi-annual visit. It had been a hot day and, unfortunately, I wasn't feeling all that good. Turned out my blood pressure was low but, after several tries, they got a reading that they were okay with. That was only the first thing. They weren't happy with my LDL cholesterol level either. We agreed to some changes with my meds, and that I'd come back on the following Friday so they could check my blood pressure again.
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I was out early this morning.

The weather has been changing and there was a lot of fog. I had an appointment for a bone density test at 10, and I wanted to get a few things done first.

 I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I have a friend who leaves me her daily paper (if she's read it) out front, so I headed to Avenel. On the way there, I came up behind this guy.

I lowered my window and looked around. We were the only ones out.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove up the next 2 blocks, turned right, stopped, picked up the paper, and drove on. I still had plenty of time so I decided to head towards ShopRite.

Up ahead was this guy.

I crept up slowly, lowering the passenger side window. I kept looking around. No one else...

Point, press, Flash.

I stopped at the store and bought some frozen dinners that were on sale (checking the labels for saturated fats and cholesterol percentages). I stopped at my place, put the dinners in the freezer, and headed for Metuchen where my test was scheduled.

It was straight down Main Street to Woodbridge Avenue. A right turn onto Amboy Avenue took me towards Metuchen. After I'd passed Route 1, I turned off into the side streets. I took a few turns, then noticed that this guy was heading in my direction. I didn't think twice

 

.

Point, press, Flash.

I kept going. After about 2 blocks, I turned back towards Amboy Avenue. Ten minutes later, I was in the parking lot of the testing facility.

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Long story short. I've had the bone density test. I decided to call my cardiologist's office and give them my blood pressure numbers for the last 4 days. They called back about an hour later that the doctor was OK with the numbers and I wouldn't have to go down on Friday. That's good.

It's supposed to get hot over the next few days, maybe as high as 90.

I don't like it when it gets too hot. 90 is too hot for a day in May.
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A Different Place and Time...........

I haven't heard from Doyle in a while. That's really not unusual, but I'm betting he and his crew have been impacted by what's happened up in Boston. I'm pretty sure there have been ramifications to it. When you drop a big stone like that into a lake it tends to create a lot of ripples. No word from Gordon either. I don't know what to make of that.

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It rained the last 2 days. Local flooding kind of rain. Even by me it was so bad that you couldn't step off a curb without getting your feet wet. I was tempted to get into my car through the passenger side but then I'd have to climb over the arm rests. I just walked down the block until I found the narrowest band of water and jumped. I just cleared it. I drove around for a while but there really wasn't anyone out and about. I made a stop or two but was home way before noon both days.

Today, however,............

Today was beautiful.

The sun was up, and I was out bright and early. For the first time this year, I didn't take a jacket with me - just my Yankee cap, jeans, and a T-shirt with the logo "Restore the Shore". I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast and took a large Iced Tea with me. I headed up into Iselin.

My windows were down and the breeze was warm. About 10 minutes into my drive, I saw this man up ahead.

It was only about 8:30 and a quick look around showed me that we were alone.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove along New Dover Road towards Colonia.

A few minutes later I noticed this guy trimming the edges along the sidewalk close to the curb.

There was no one else around - no cars along this stretch of road - but it didn't feel right so I drove on. No sense overdoing things, after all.

A little further along the road I passed by St. Helena's church. It was almost 9 and the parking lot was jammed. As I was thinking that it must be a funeral, the piper started playing  "The Minstrel Boy" - one of those sad songs that we Irish tend to rally around. Not a bad way to go out.

I turned off on Grove Street, heading towards a branch of the Edison Library. There were more trees along here and the breeze turned a bit cooler. Still quiet, though. Then I saw this early morning walker.

 I looked around as I got closer. No one else but us.

Point, press, Flash.

I stopped at the library but didn't find anything that interested me. I decided to head for their main branch on Plainfield Avenue. It's about 15 minutes away, just off Route 27.

I actually came out of there with a couple of books that sounded interesting. I took a back way towards Route 27, heading towards Metuchen. As I came up towards the main road, there was another walker out for exercise.

We were in the back of a small strip mall that hadn't opened yet. There was no one in this lot.

Point, press, Flash.

I turned right and headed towards the Metuchen library. Actually, I stopped at WalMart along the way. Mother's Day is this weekend, and I usually pick up a little something for a few people I will see that day.

I stopped at the library but didn't get anything. On my way back, I stopped at the light on Middlesex Turnpike. There was this guy sitting on one of the benches.

I was tempted - again. There was no one around. But this was right outside the Municipal Building where the Police Department is. I didn't see any reason to tempt fate.

I drove home.

Today had been so different from the last two days. Sunnier. Warmer.

It was almost like a different place and time.