"You look terrible," Cheryl said as she crashed into the living room and plopped herself down between Sarah and me.
I felt terrible. After a great New Year's Eve night where we played in the band surrounded by the best of friends, someone planted a bomb inside of my head and blew my sinuses up.
While they talked, I took a hot shower and tried to breath.
"You look better," she said when I came out. "Let's go."
So we made our way to Marlin Monroe's for the Sunday afternoon Oyster Roast. The place was packed but Johnny O, Judy O, Julie-Just-Julia and Ronnie had saved us a table.
"Thanks for the introduction," Johnny O said as he waved at me with one finger.
I was to have introduced him in Bar Church that morning but cosmic events got in the way. My beautiful daughter Kristen kicked the door in yelling, "Why is there no parking on this damn island? Why is the Breakfast Club closed? Why are so many people trying to get into the sunrise? AND ... I've got boyfriend issues!!"
She sits on the side of the bed and lets it out.
We have breakfast.
Then that's about all I can accomplish so I fall asleep on the sofa, only to have Samuel Adams who plays damn good live music on the island, break into the house to wake me up. Monique is with him and tells me something about parking tickets. I have no idea what Sam was telling me but he was happy about whatever it was.
They leave and I fall back asleep until Cheryl breaks in.
Dedra broke in at some point. I was asleep so I don't know.
It's hard not to have a good time at Marlin's and we did, feasting on oysters, grouper, and a burger. I ask Johnny O if he'll give me away at the wedding which will either take place on a boat, in a back yard with tents, on the beach or ... in Vegas. Everyone seemed very opinionated about it.
Then it was back home to the sofa and I never mounted another rally but fitfully slept. The bomb planted inside of my head turned out to be a mind field and explosions occurred all night.
But I want to tell you something. This New Year's Day is so incredibly different from those in the past. I'm taken care of and fretted over. Love showers on me like soft summer rain. Laughter erupts often. Long thoughtful conversations take place as the future is planed. The Jesus magnets on the refrigerator hold new pictures in place that capture moments of happiness and joy. Little girls dance on it.
Even though I'm sick at the start of the New Year, I wouldn't trade it. Too many good things have happened last year that are the foundation of all of the better things that are happening this year.
"What we need," someone said at Marlin's, "is a party."
"On a cruise ship," someone else said.
"Let's go to St. Augustine," was next.
"Or Vegas."
I smile and hold a hand under the table struck by the wonderfulness of it all. Like everyone else there are things to get through, unpleasantness to contend with, work issues, disapproving people, Board Chairs who choose to remain anonymous ... and exploding sinuses!
It's glorious though ... simply glorious.
