Past

Still living in Lanham, I had a friend that lived up on the hill called Ronald. When ever we hung out at school the kids would call us Ronald McDonald. His first name and my last. I don’t think it bothered Ronald that much, but it did me. I believe that was the first time kids made fun of my name and I let it effect me. I don’t know for sure, but not to long after that me and Ronald stopped hanging out. Could have been his move or mine, I’m not sure.

Present

Today was payday, that means I go to Maries and get my favorite breakfast: cream chip beef gravy over biskets, home fries smotherd with gravy, two eggs over medium and bacon. This is the breakfast I was raised on, except for it was sausage gravy. After that I payed all my monthly bills, filled up with gas, bought four cases of water and bought half of the months groceries. Before I went to Starbucks, I went home and unloaded the water and groceries. It wasn’t real hot today, but toten all that out of the van and onto the boat took a lot out of me. Sometimes moving things from land to the boat can be diffacult, depends on how the water is acting. The COPD almost got the best of me today, due to all the action. I’ll pay for it tomorrow.

Plans

An eighty six year old friend of mine (Matt) is writing an autobiography and sometimes I help with the computer end of his writing. I’ll help him tomorrow for a couple of hours. I met Matt a couple of years ago at our Creative Writing course at the local college. We’ve become pretty good friends since then.

Past

After the school was built, me and my sister were riding our bikes on one of the new streets next to where we use to catch frogs. Debbie fell off her bike and cut a big gash in her leg. I wanted to help, but I had no idea of what to do. I was so afraid for my little sister, me being the big brother I was supposed to take care of her. If I yelled for mom or dad they wouldn’t hear me. I don’t think she could have walked home, so for what seemed like ages I knelt next to her stunned. It was probably less than a minute when a man came out of one of the new houses picked her up in his arms and carried her home. I left my bike there got Debbie’s and showed him where we lived. I don’t remember ever seeing him again, but he is one of the people that will come to mind sometimes, when I think of my sister. Not every day, every week or even every year, but sometimes I think of him. That’s the kind of person I want to grow up to be.

 Present

I am officially retired and disabled now. I get one dollar for disability, that’s enough to keep all my disability benefits. Thank you Lord God, because there is no way I would be able to go to the doctors without it. Now I get paid on the third instead of the first, so when my monthly phone bill came due yesterday I didn’t have the money to renew. My internet, phone and of course texting is all rolled up in that one little computer. I’m going to try and go till the fifth this month without paying the bill in hopes that it won’t come due again till a full thirty days later. I hope they don’t say, that next month’s bill will come due at the beginning of the month. I’m sitting at Starbucks with my phone and computer on their WiFi writing this.

 Plans

I hope to make a go of this blog, since I get the bare minimum the government can give someone for retirement. Hoping that maybe somewhere down the road this can make me some money.

Past

Me, my brother George and along our neighbors Steve and Paul, went frog hunting. We didn’t gig for them or eat them, we would lay down next to the creek and sneak up on them with our hands in the water and catch them. Afterwards we would always let them go, it was just something to do. This one particular day I caught 34 frogs. Way too many for my jar, so I had to empty it back into the creek several times. I won that day.

    I guess we were around eight or so and this was before the was school built. When the school came the trees left. Shortly after that more and more trees were leaving, then the houses started coming. Street after street, it seemed like they never stopped coming.

Present

    The heat wasn’t as bad today as it has been, but last night it was very humid and I felt it in my lungs. My COPD acted up, because I tried to help a friend smoke some ribs. My problem was, when I tried to move faster than I should with my condition. I’m paying for it today. If I overly exert myself today, I will definitely pay for it tomorrow.

Plans

    I want to start walking, but it’s much easier to want to do something, than to actually do it.