Factors involved .........

When I got up this morning it was cold. The indoor/outdoor thermometer in my living room said it was 19 out there. I used to believe that, but now I know that there are other factors involved. Let me explain.

When I was a kid it was simple - it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter and my parents told me what to wear. When I got older - say by my teenage years - I learned how the temperature was measured by a thermometer. At that point, to me, it was hot if it was over 90 (and really bad if it was over 95), and it was cold if it was under 36 (and really cold if it was under 30).

Now, that I'm older I've noticed that the TV Meteorologists have added a few new elements. In the summer, in addition to the temperature, they've added the THI - the Temperature Humidity Index. That means that although the temperature may be 90, the humidity might make it feel like 100. In the winter they've added the WCF - the Wind Chill Factor. Which means that although it's only 35, it feels like 25. These are just some other factors involved..

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I've mentioned before that I have a Saturday routine, and I started out early this morning. I had agreed to dog-sit for some friends for the next two days. I waited until they left then drove over there and dropped off my stuff so I could get back to what I liked.

I stopped at Shoprite first. It was the last day of a Progresso sale and I wanted to pick up some French Onion Soup.

I stopped at Wawa's for gas.

I've been watching the price drop steadily for weeks now. I'm not sure why it's happening and I don't know how long it will last. I'm sure there are various economic factors involved.

I picked up the paper and had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts.

I hadn't seen anyone walking around outside but I figured that the cold had kept people inside.

I headed to the Menlo Park Mall to sit back, finish my coffee, read the paper, and do the crossword puzzles. They still haven't finished setting up the area I prefer to sit in, so I took my second favorite spot. It's near the central fountain on the main floor, next to a cell-phone charger. There are 2 arm chairs there and I like to sit on the right side so I can put my coffee up on the stand.

I opened my paper and checked out my Quick-pick Mega Millions ticket first. No luck.

I scanned the news, checked out the funnies, finished the first crossword puzzle (the Star Ledger, my local paper, has two) and started on the second when - out of the corner of my eye - I noticed someone take the chair on the other side of the charger.

"Hello Denny! Happy New Year! Please don't react to me in any way. Just continue with your puzzle."

Gordon.

"Hey .... ah ... Gordon ....I'm not sure what you want me to do here."
"Just keep on doing your puzzle and I'll pretend to check out some stuff on my phone."
"OK. ... So ... how've you been? I haven't heard from you in a while."
"I've been busy, of course. Things didn't quite work out last year so I'm trying to come up with an alternate plan."

 I thought about that for a bit and then it hit me.

"That's right. You told me that everything would be over by the end of the year. So ... what happened?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him flinch a little.
"He was supposed to be at a New Year's Eve party at the Woodbridge Hilton. It was being thrown by the Republican Party of Middlesex County. He didn't show up .... said something came up ... some terrorist activity or some other crap." His voice was starting to rise and he stopped to get himself under control. "I was all set, too."

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I didn't. I waited for him.

"You know, Denny, you can make all kinds of plans but, sometimes, there are other factors involved."
"Yeah. I guess so. What're you gonna do now? And who are you talking about?"
"I'm gonna have to rearrange some things, is all. I'll get him. You can bet on it."

Just then his phone went off.
"Hah. I gotta get this. I've been waiting for it."
As he checked his phone, I took a quick photo but, because of the angle, I didn't get his face.

He stood up abruptly.
"I gotta go but I'll be in touch. Glad to see you're doing good. See ya around, Denny."
He left before I could reply.

I sat there for a while trying to figure out what he was talking about but I couldn't come up with any answers. I got up to go back to the house.

I wasn't going to let it bother me.
 There were too many factors involved.