Tomorrow is trash day. I hauled the stuff to the curb. This is one of those "I wish a man was close by" moments. Oh well, to today's entry: Back in 1996, it was Dad's job to put the trash out by the curb. He would do it too, except during these late year moments, his health began to shift. It was a month before the amputation of his left leg, just below his knee. Diabetes. Dad wasn't feeling the best either, yet still had that forever cigar in his mouth. Plus his pride and joy---nope, not me--but the dog, Mr. Bojangles, was near by. Whenever I came home, that hound and I walked a million miles around town. Yep, even at Christmas time. The picture is from that Christmas.
Took a looksee in my 1996 diary. Just to see what else happened then. Just had to smile, because I thought I was SO in love! Indeedy. In fact, it was a classmate, I had a big ol crush on during junior high and some high school. Let's call him, Chi-town. He didn't have a clue until I told him at our 20th reunion. Which by the way, had a been a few months earlier, in July of 1996. OK--I gotta smile again.
My diary says, Chi-town had spent time with friends and family this December 22, evening and I'd watched the Cowboys lose to the Redskins, alas they were all ready in the playoffs and hadn't played the starters. I digress. Then Chi-town called me when all his company had left. Did I want to get some hot chocolate and go for a ride, he asked? Our rides usually consisted of going out to one end of our hometown, park the car at the Motel 8, and talk while we watched cars zip past on the highway. WOW-we both lived in big cities, and this is what we did. Anyway, I refused Chi-town's offer just because we had a date for the next day. This date which included a trip to to Des Moines, during a blizzard, with the windchill to single digits and a trip to an indoor ice rink. Chi-town tried to teach me how to ice skate. After some 6 yr old kid kept passing me, I gave up my dream of being Olympic gold medalist, Kristi Yamaguchi. Hmm. We took in dinner, movie and drove back home. The blizzard had eased, yet cold. Bitter cold. Kinda like my family and chums experience right now.
But ya know, it didn't matter back then. I was with Chi-town. He's the only man I ever looked at bridal magazines for. Told you, I thought was SO in love. And I was home. Right where I wanted to be.
Well, whatta ya know! Turns out I have a picture of me and Chi-town ,from the top of the Sears Tower, between pages of this 1996 diary. We look jovial. Gotta smile again. And I know you're wondering: what happened?
Well, that's another post.
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