Apprehension Falls

Probably because I was home I slept like a baby last night ... hard and deep.

It could have been the coolness of the evening. Though in general terms I hate the freekin cold, I do have a tendency to sleep better in it. Though let me be perfectly honest ... I will gladly give up such sleeps for hot weather.

Course it was the best of weekends ... well, until I got home and the phone was ringing off the hook with work related issues weren't supposed to start until today. Kristen was sitting here wanting time with her Dad but the calls were important and in these times and days ... keeping or finding work takes more priority than it used to.

Eventually, after an hour-and-a-half of her watching me talk on the phone, Kristen and I got half-an-hour of quality Daddy/Daughter time. Then she had to leave.

So I rode up to Marlin Monroe's and finally hooked back up my friends. We're all sitting there for the Sunday afternoon ritual ... drinking, eating, laughing ... just friends who love one another being friends when my I-phone buzzes. Old habits die hard and I whip it out in a flash and check the message.

It's from Cheryl who is sitting across the table from me.

"You look tired and spent. What's up?" she texted.

I look up at her. She's looking at me.

A lot of people don't like technology. But I think it's great! There were ten of us sitting there, all having a collective conversation, while two of us had a private one. Friends who love each other looking after each other by ... whatever means necessary.

It's been weeks since we've all been together. My friends and I have been scattered to and fro upon the face of the earth. After a summer full of celebration we are all entering a Fall of apprehension. With the coming cold you can't help but wonder if the economy will ever thaw ... or just freeze more ... perhaps leaving us out in the cold.

That's what Kristen wanted to talk about. She works as a bartender/waitress six days a week, is in school full time and her land lord just seriously raised the rent. AND ... winter's coming on ... Tips are gonna drop, school's gonna get harder and the rents already been raised.

"How am I going to do his Daddy?"

Daddy's don't have answers for everything.

And that's why I had to take those damn phone calls because the work I am doing is on behalf of the people who are already outside ... many of whom were working good jobs not too long ago. So as I give them my best explanations, I stare at my daughter finding serious motivation.

By the time Cheryl texts me, I really am tired and worn. Crashes come so quickly. People who love me and know me can see.

Then my I-phone buzzes again. It's a little girl who wants to know if I want to join her family for dinner.

"Of course I do," I say into the phone.

I say goodbyes and hop in my car with the top down and make my way from one end of the island to the other.

"Hey Mike!" Chris says I sip coffee at the Breakfast Club this morning. "I waved at you like crazy yesterday but you were zoned somewhere else. Next time I'll save the wave."

I stare at him.

I think everyone's a little zoned these days. We all got through the summer. Cold winds are now blowing. Apprehension falls around us.

"It's gonna work out," I say to my daughter.

She looks at me with moist eyes.

"I know," she answers.

Salt water fills my eyes.