Making It Up As I Go Along #468

The Pick Up
Through the trees along straightaways
Come where west meets north
A quick turn and turn again
A new westward straightaway.

On the edge of the city but feeling like countryside
Pass parking lots for walking trails
Pass farm houses, brick and tree laced
Turtle crossings and horses in place of city scapes.

Along one straightaway an unwinnable race
Me driving the road
Over my shoulder, passed
The jet descending over farmer fields
Shooting by and disappearing behind the trees.

Aboard are hundreds
Peering out towards the earth
Surveying the land
Spotting my car, and wondering where I go.

Arriving at the finish ten minutes behind the plane
I park and venture in.
Standing in a hanger sized room
Stories high, televisioned and water falled.
Others have gathered here with me.

And escalators bring the race winners
Slowly descending as on the plane
Surveying the crowd as they did the land
And spotting me as my car
My parents coming down.

This landing comes with hugs
Kisses and gentle squeezes of shoulders
We wander to the carousel
Awaiting their pieces of home
Packed tight in wheeling bags.

Back along the countryside
Now three where once there was one.
Another plane dropping over farmer fields
Reminds me to share my earlier race

Quiet chatting as we skirt the city
Comments of the difference in seasons
Changes in the land from where they left
To where they now are.

Noticing a sign for fresh berries
For local vegetables
Mom calls from the back seat
And we pull off at the stand.

Soon after back to my parking lot.
Baggage pulled from the back
Farmer delights carefully carried from the seat
We walk to my door.

Together once again
Another few weeks of family time
And as we reach the steps
Mom nudges at dad
Pointing longingly at the flowers


WEDNESDAY…
--- First day back to work isn’t a good day. I slept about 2.5 hours last night… see moronic signs plastered in the office because there is a complete void of leadership in the place. At least the “No Loitering” sign didn’t go up at the help desk… a fine way to keep work away from the place people are supposed to go to discuss issues.
--- Blessed with a new round of political adds on TV. Over to the provincial politics and, a real original idea… the guy in power is trying to pass “sneaky” taxes and I’ll lower taxes. Oh please shut up.
--- And the Canucks are too beaten and battered… and Thomas is quite good… and there goes the Stanley Cup to the classless Bruins… perfect, just perfect.

THURSDAY…
--- I sleep better but wake with the memory of disappointment. The worst I’ve felt about watching a hockey game since Calgary beat Montreal in 1989. And the Vancouver riots… oh boy. Time for everyone to over analyze and over react. It was stupid and nothing to be proud of but really… the news talks to a guy in Detroit and he says people in Detroit are embarrassed for us. Really? Some guy in Detroit looks at this and feels embarrassment? Canada is now a threat to American tourists… a city of millions is told to feel shame for the work of hundreds. Get a grip people. And I’m sick of the Canuck hate by hockey fans. Saying how glad they are that Vancouver lost because they hate how they play. This is how messed up hockey fans are… taking dives is to be despised… the fact that two members of the Bruins were responsible for two hockey players having broken vertebrae this season is forgotten when it comes to who deserves good fortune. The Bruins were classless thugs no more deserving of victory from a moral standpoint than anyone else.
--- Happy that I don’t get dumped on at work as a Canuck fan. I was concerned some would do it… but maybe my years of not doing such to others has paid off… there is hope in friends!
--- Leave work early. Go with Janice for a late lunch and patio time. A nice afternoon and it helps cheer up after the hockey foolishness.

FRIDAY…
--- Night shift. Goes pretty normally with just Keith and I.

SATURDAY…
--- Up for a little TV before physio. Afternoon nap right after physio and then up and ready for night shift.

SUNDAY…
--- Father’s Day. I call dad before bed in the morning and then sleep until about 11:30. Some baseball and golf on TV and a few movies and such in the evening… a relaxing first day off.

MONDAY…
--- Laundry and a walk. Do three laps of the pond. Should have brought the camera as the local heron flew low across the water in front of me… it’s reflection as clear as it was.

TUESDAY…
--- Some idiot put out recycling today… about 60 hours before it is supposed to be out. Living in a neighbourhood of hicks.
--- Physio… my shoulder is actually feeling a little more rickety today… oh my.
--- Three laps of the pond again today… a nice walk.