the 26th week

a pic from Miami Whitewater

Monday. DeJuan and I opened, and I spent the afternoon playing Dead Island and hanging out with Blake and Traci, Isaac and Ams. Blake made burgers and I made a 4-cheese alfredo pasta with mushrooms and broccoli. We headed over to the Loth House. John and Brandy were married last week, congratulations all around amidst the hell of John’s dad’s winnowing time in Hospice. Isaac headed off to Europe, a 3-week stint. His mom’s doing better and the chemo seems to be working, praise God.

Tuesday. I had the day off, so I slept in until 8 AM and went to The Anchor to do some writing, and then I jetted across Interstate 74 to Miami Whitewater National Park. I smoked a cigar in the woods, walked around the lake, spent some time in much-needed prayer. I spent the afternoon playing Dead Island and spent the evening at the Loth House. Amos, John, Brandy and I played lots of Mario-Kart, and then John got a distressing call and he and Brandy headed up north to Dayton.

Wednesday. Jim passed away last night. Amos told me at work. The knowledge, it felt like a stone in my chest. I fucking HATE death. When I work Food Prep, Tibbles and I share the back room and we have “Tibbles Talks”: we talk a lot about what’s going on in our lives, spiritual things, and monarchial history (she’s an Anglophile). I beat Dead Island back home and Ams came over and we picked up Chinese from Double Dragon II down the road. We accidentally ordered an extra entrée of Lo Mein. At least it was cheap. I went by Amos’ and we played some Mario-Kart. John and Brandy were in Dayton with John’s family.

Thursday. Torrential rains fell for most of the day. And on the one day I put out the patio without checking my weather app. Ams came over after work for SVU and burnt chicken noodle soup. Small Group was cancelled, the Tomeo’s committed to a family event.

Friday. I threw out my back this morning, an old high school injury re:visited. Tibbles covered my shift, so I drugged up and picked up Chipotle for lunch and ran into Khristian and Kyle there. I went to The Anchor to see Jobst for a bit, and we drank coffee and caught up on each other’s lives. He’s planning on getting out of Cincinnati. I want to, too, but where would I go? My top choice was Wisconsin, but I’ve scrapped that one.

Saturday. Amos, Ams and I grabbed Dushmesh buffet for lunch before jetting north to Far Hills Avenue for Jim’s funeral, stopping along the way at Boston Stoker for coffee. 57 years old and taken away. A moving ceremony. He was an imperfect man known for the joy of Christ in his life, and he was an anchor for his family up to the point he took his last breath. He passed away during the song Paradise by Coldplay. After the ceremony we went to John’s uncle’s for beers and treats. We headed back to the Loth House, and not long after John and Brandy arrived. We sat in the quiet not saying much of anything, and John warmed our hearts telling us that he’d rather have no one else by his side on a night such as tonight. Ams and I headed back to my apartment. On the way she wanted me to stop with her at UDF to help her change her oil. I pulled up long after she arrived, saw her standing beside her car. She waved Hi, I thought she waved Bye (thinking she’d done changed her oil all on her own), and then I left. She hadn’t changed her oil, just watched me drive away thinking, Wtf, Anth?

Sunday. Busy morning: I made a trip to The Anchor, stopped by work downtown to do the food order, enjoyed Chipotle on the Square, and then headed up to New Carlisle to celebrate Mother’s and Father’s Day with Dad’s side of the family. We grilled hamburgers and had homemade ice cream with candy toppings for desert. All the kids were there: Cate and Gracie (belonging to Joel & Megan) and Matthew & Shelby’s newborn Shay. Addison’s getting married next month and has landed a salaried job. “When are you going to get married?” my family asks. “When are you going to get a REAL job?” they ask, pointing out how I haven’t “measured up” (as if I’m too dumb not to notice). I laugh, shrug it off, pretend it doesn’t bother me. They all expected so much: I’d become a minister, have a family. They were all so optimistic. Hell, so was I. But people are dying all around me, lives are falling apart, and now all those dreams seem as futile and empty as ever.