TheBanyanTree: Unusual Saturday

[Gloria]

Our day started as normally as it usually does.  The air was warm and
sticky and promises of thunderstorms were given in the morning weather
report.  All at once our street became busy with cars stopping, the
slamming of doors, and thence people walking toward the house next
door.  Our 91 year old next door neighbor passed on earlier this year
and the gigantic yard sale was beginning.  I'd already been over there
a couple of times over the last few weeks.  I'd already purchased odds
and ends that I really don't need.  Well, except for the glass
greenhouse and the barely used exercise bike.  Ha!  Of course I needed
those things!  This morning,  I sat inside and peered out
occasionally.

Hubby Al came in after I'd dressed and was making my way to the door.
He has such a unique way with words.  "Well, another neighbor is no
longer with us."
Huh?
He nodded his head.
Frank? (He was on our neighbor on the other side of us)
Al nodded again.
What?  How?
A few days ago.
Ugh.
We found him this morning.
We?
Yeah, his friend came up and told the yard sale folks that Frank
hasn't answered his phone the last couple of days.  (Apparently they
didn't think to have a conversation beyond that.) Then he went across
the street and told the people there.  They told him to come and get
me since I'd been on the fire dept. so long and since I'm on the
Sheriff's Posse.  I said... well let's go up there... and we did.  His
friend didn't want to go in the house, but Frank didn't answer the
door when I knocked.  The door wasn't locked, so I went in.  There he
was.  Lying on the kitchen floor.  He's been there awhile.  His friend
couldn't quit shaking.
I'm standing there with my mouth dropped open trying to keep up with
the words and be sensitive to Al's feelings at the same time.
Then what?
I called 911.  The ambulance just got there and the police are on their way.
Awwww...poor Frank.   Darn it, I knew he wasn't doing well the last
time I saw him.  Not only that, he hasn't been outside much this
summer and oh my, come to think of it, I haven't seen his dog outside
in a few days.  Not that not seeing his dog is a huge clue.  He
could've put him out while I was away at work.  My mind reels with
thoughts like that at times like these.

Outside I go.  Traffic jammed up on each side of us.  People
everywhere.  It's usually such a quiet one-block street.  I wondered
about Frank's dog.  Where was she?  Another neighbor, recently
separated from her husband, just happened to stop by.  Still looking
for their 4 yo's kitten after a few weeks of not finding him.  She had
Frank's dog and was calming her.  I came home to get her a leash.
That helped things a bit.  The kitten has been found, but the grown
man won't give it back!  Says the kitten adopted him.  I think there
must be a law against stealing someone's pet.  I encourage her to call
the police.  Just then an ambulance attendant comes over to ask us
questions about Frank.  Where is his family?  When's the last time you
saw him, etc.?  We obliged and gave bits and pieces of Frank's routine
and other things that somehow spilled out of our mouths and onto the
paper in the form of notes.

I went to the yard sale and chatted with the folks there.  The
promised thunderstorms began to appear.  Within 15 minutes our street
became normal again, aside from the river flowing down the hill.
Torrential rains, lights flickering, thunder and lighting in
continuous rolls.

Life goes on with thoughts about my husband always seeming to find
himself in situations that would be handled by me in a totally
different manner.  I'd call the police and let them go check things
out.  Not Al.  Nope, no way.  He's a take charge kind of guy when it
comes to taking care of people.  Gotta love him.

Glo