Come in out of the rain

“Hi, are you dining alone this evening or are we waiting for someone else to join us?” 

“Oh no, I'm waiting for someone, but in the meantime, would you mind please? Bringing me a diet cola?” 

“Sure, I'll be right back with that.” 

“Hey, have you been here long? Did I make you wait??” 

“No, I just got here. I just actually ordered something to drink.” 

 “Did you? Did you order a mixed drink?” 

“Now I just got. Diet soda. I'm trying to watch my weight.”  

“OK, I'm gonna go to the restroom. I'll be right back. If you see her, can you order me a Peach iced tea?” 

“Sure.” 

“Hi,” 

“Thanks. Yeh, can you bring her Peach Iced tea? And 2 menus?” 

“Great. Oops sorry, almost knocked your phone off the table.” 

“No problem, I caught it! I’m just waiting on a text.” 

“Sorry I took so long there was so much traffic and I've been running around so much today that I didn't even have time for myself. I must look a mess.” 

“Oh, I see, OK. Anyway, I was hoping that you had some. News, anything interesting to tell me? “ 

“No, nothing I could think of. Why what's going on with you? Have you heard from anybody in the family??”  

“Yeah, I actually, spoke to Ellen. And she was so cute. She was inviting me out to California. And told me to bring the family and we had a really nice chat. She said she was definitely going to try to make it to the reunion.” 

“Oh my gosh, Ellen, are you kidding me? Oh, you don't want to visit her!” 

“Why? Why would you say that?” 

“Oh yeah, she called me last month. And she was saying how her daughter just got out of rehab and is using again. She’s staying with  Ellen who thinks that she actually might have contracted hepatitis from her daughter because of the drug use. The last time her daughter passed out Ellen was performing cpr until the ambulance arrived. Her daughter actually had hepatitis, so now Ellen just went in to be tested so I wouldn't go to see her, especially because of the daughter. Everything in your suitcase will disappear.” 

“Oh my, she didn't mention anything about that. Well, I also talked to Lisa and she was saying that she was really hoping to come back for a visit and she could help me plan the family reunion. And since her kids are grown and out of the house, she really didn't have much to worry about. And she also said that she's recently retired.” 

“Oh my gosh. Well, let me tell you about Lisa. The last I heard about her was when I talked to her sister, Deborah. Deborah said Lisa just got out of the hospital having major surgery. She became homeless while she was in the hospital and rehab for her hip replacement. Her landlord threw all over stuff in the street and rented her apartment to someone else. Lisa doesn't have any money to find another place to live. So she's actually living in her truck. It is this old jalopy and Deborah has to send her money all the time? So I would be careful having her over because you don't know she'd ever leave since she has no home.” 

“What are you kidding me??” 

“No, I'm not. Could just never be too careful.” 

“Oh well I called Dean to see if they would think about coming out with all the kids if they had a year to plan.” 

“He won’t...doesn’t matter what he said. His wife won’t let him come back again.” 

“Why would you say that?” 

“The last time I spoke to her, she really liked me a lot. She would confide in me. And she told me how she ended up having an affair with some guy she went to high school with 30 years ago. She was getting ready to leave Dean. She was going to start a new life. She stayed with him when the guy who came back to town for a high school reunion. At the end of his trip, he was just like, ‘Nah, I don't think so.’ He went back to his wife Ann. Dean’s wife came crawling back to him. I asked Dean why he would stay with a woman like that. And he didn't feel comfortable talking to me anymore. So he's staying with her and I don't know what his deal is, but he's a mess. His brother's a mess too. His whole family is a mess he’s ashamed of...” 

“Why, wait, what's wrong with Timothy?” 

“Oh my gosh, Tim is a hot mess. So according to Dean's wife. They stopped by on their way to Costco, 'cause Tim lives near Costco now. No answer and the door. He’s a heavy drinker in his 70’s ...alone. The door was unlocked. They went in and then they kind of got scared and started looking around for him. They found him upstairs, dressing up like a woman. And just said, ‘sorry so sorry the door was unlocked. We just wanted to see if you wanted anything from Costco” Tim couldn't say anything. He had nothing to say. So they just kind of backed out and left. A lot of the reasons why he's been distancing from them. I thought to myself it's gotta be his drinking. Dean’s wife drinks like a fish and she's a hot mess. What a sloppy mess she turns into when she's been drinking. She was a sloppy slurring mess when she told me all this...” 

“Really. I didn't know any of this.” 

 “Oh yeah. Dean doesn’t want me speaking toher. Anyway, who else is on your list?” 

“Well, I was looking at inviting Eileen. I mean, I figured she would go and she should love to see everybody, especially now that she's older and it's harder to travel around. You know, maybe plan to spend weekends with different cousins and visit with families so. Shed get a chance to reconnect with family. I wanted to give her a call and talk to her.” 

“Oh my gosh, I have to tell you something so funny about her.” 

“Oh, really, what?” 

“Oh well, you know how she's having all this work done in that old Victorian house that she has been repairing. All these broken things in the house.” 

“No, I didn't know that.” 

“Oh yeah, they put up some crown molding and then they had the steps replaced 'cause they were rotting out. It turns out that the guy that's working there has been very helpful and they’ve gotten friendly with him. I saw him when I was over there for a barbecue. I was talking to him and saying that, you know, I know he goes above and beyond for her and tries to really help her out and he said, ‘well, yeah, you know she's really interesting. Very independent. She reminds me a lot of my mom and I enjoy helping her and I thought that was really nice’, but the last time I talked to her she was telling me that like she actually likes him and I was just hoping that she's not embarrassing herself because he's married and much younger than she is. He is young enough to be her son.  His wife was at the BBQ and she's like younger than him. Very beautiful, very interesting and I even told him how attractive his wife was. He totally agreed with me and told me how lucky he was to have her and so that right there is just like Oh my gosh, I just didn't even know what to say. Like I said, I really hope she's not embarrassing herself. “ 

“Oh, OK.” 

“Hi ladies, I was wondering if you were ready to order. Oh yeah, I'm definitely going to have the chicken salad, and could I have another Diet Cola? This time, could you put more ice in it?” 

“Sure.” 

“I'll have the garlic parmesan wings. And a side salad. And a side of potato salad.” 

“OK then, coming right up.” 

“Great” 

“Oh my. So, what else?” 

“Nothing. I've been so busy I don't have time for anything.” 

“So how are your kids?” 

“Oh great, everything's fine.” 

“What are they up to? 

“Nothing really, same thing.” 

“Really? “ 

“Yep.” 

“Oh, do you want to get together next weekend and go to this? It’s a seminar on how to arrange flowers. I think that's really cute.” 

“No, I can’t. I promised Rhonda I would spend some time with her. She’s not doing well since Aunty Millie died.” 

“Oh my gosh Rhonda, I totally forgot to call her about the reunion.”  

“Oh yeah, she's having a lot of trouble since her mom died. Just coping is hard for her. I think she started drinking.” 

“I know her mother was so perfect. Out of all the aunts, she was always so well put together. Beautiful... well dressed. And they always made such a beautiful couple. The whole family was like a model family.” 

“Oh, I don't know about that. Last time I talked to Rhonda she was crying about how when she used to come home from school should find her mother drinking whiskey in the closet. And crying.” 

“What are you talking about? I can't believe this. “ 

“Yeah, don't you remember what she died from? “ 

“Yeah, but I thought this was not alcohol related “ 

“Oh hell, if it wasn't!” 

“What are you even saying? Are you kidding me?” 

“They all kept it hidden and now they're all suffering because they have all of this stuff they've been holding on to for so many years. Everybody thinks her mother and her family were so great, but it's starting to crack and break. “ 

“What's starting to crack and break?” 

“The facade that they had to keep up that they were like the perfect family.” 

“Oh my gosh.” 

“There's no such thing as the perfect family.”  

“This is crazy. How am I gonna get this reunion off the floor with all this going on?” 

“I know. I don't know why you would even bother. Last time when I planned a reunion, most people didn't even bother coming. First off, nobody had the money. Secondly, nobody gives a damn about the family anymore. It's not like it used to be. I know my kids would love to go, but every time I talk to other people in the family, it's like their kids are such a mess. They are just not doing well and they're struggling. they have all these problems and so I don't know. I think some of them are a little bit embarrassed of their kids.” 

“Really, I never thought that.” 

“Ohh,..yeah people are competitive and some are upset. Some cousins have doctors and others have kids living off their spouses, the system, struggling with drugs and weight issues. When they see other people's kids are doing really well? I mean, look at my kids, you know, they have their own homes and great jobs. Every time, we see the ones down in Florida they are more messed than the last time.. They all got these kids that are just kind of rambling about waiting tables and not in school and no real direction and not saving money and still living at home.”  

“Oh, I'm really not in contact with everybody. I mean, I'm just starting to get off the ground to launch this family reunion. And that's why I was hoping to meet today and get a few people's contact numbers. from you. Family is family” 

“You know. I really don't have anybody's number.”  

“What about like Deborah and those people? What about her brothers? And like other people like Dean’s wife, his sisters and stuff? I could really use their contact information.”  

“Oh yeah, I really should ask them before sharing. I don't know if they want me to share their information.”  

“OK, well what about Franklin and Steve? I could use their numbers, give them a call. It would be nice to catch up with them.”  

“Oh yeah, their wives are never going to let them go.” 

“What?” Why not? 

“Oh my gosh, don't you see on Facebook? How, like, their wives are always going away for weekends leaving them at home with the kids? They are not even working. The two of them, their wives are working. Their wives call the shots and there's no way that there was going to let those men go. I mean, if it was their own family maybe, but not for our family. Besides, they have grown kids living at home.” 

“OK. Ladies, here's your food. Enjoy!” 

“Oh, thanks could I have another napkin please?” 

“Sure, I'll be right back with that. Oh sorry,  

I hit your phone.“ 

“No, no it's OK. I'm sorry I'm just waiting on a text.” 

“Anyway, I don't really know, like again, how anything is going to work out right now. I have a lot going on this week. I told you I would help you, but I don't even know if I'm going to be able to in the end.  I don't know if you still have this idea in your head that you think would be a good idea to have a family reunion, but if you do, I'll try to help you but not promises. I will try to get my kids to help, you know. They're good. They'll do anything I ask. They are such good kids. But as far as other people going??? I don't really know, you know. Like I said, a couple of them financially wouldn't be able to do it. Others might want to do it but can't because of their work schedule or their wives won’t let them. Some of them, their kids, are sad. I don't think they really want to share what's going on in their lives because there's so much trauma and disappointment going on. Most of us have it together, but there are a few of us that aren't doing that well. I don't know if they want everyone to know how much they're struggling. You know their problems with addiction, homelessness and stuff like that. “ 

“Wow, I mean if that's true, if they're going through all that, I would think that maybe people who are in a better position wouldn't mind reaching out and helping. Because they are part of the family.  

“Oh yeah, no, I don't think that's going to happen. I mean then the next thing they're going to want more and more and you won't have anything left for yourself. I don't think that's really a good idea, especially with like Ellen and her daughter who's like on drugs or like. Lisa, I mean that could be a slippery slope right there. If anyone should help her, let it be, Deborah, Deborah saying that she's already helped her so much and it's not really going anywhere. “ 

“OK, oh, how's your chicken salad?” 

“How's your food?” 

“It's OK, it's not bad. I mean I was hungry, I just wolfed it down.” 

“I know what you mean. I was running around too. I didn't have time to get anything to eat this morning.” 

“Yeah, I can't really stay long. I have to go. I have to pick up the car from the mechanic I'm driving in the truck right now. I hate to drive that, it just doesn't handle nicely.” 

“I get it, I have to pick up some photos that I had printed out.” 

“OK ladies, is there anything else I can get?” 

“Could you get bring us the check?“ 

“Yeah, sure, coming right up.” 

“Listen, I got this! Last time you picked up the check. Oh great thanks, I appreciate that.” 

“Listen, do you mind if I run now?” 

“You go right ahead” 

“OK? Bye see you later.” 

 “Bye bye see you.” 

“Oh thanks. Did your lunch partner leave already or she's coming back?”  

“No, she left already.”  

“Oh OK, because it looks like she left her umbrella in the front of the restaurant. It's the only one there. I noticed it because it's really cool. It's one of the ones that opens like upside down out?!?”  

“If that's true, she'll be back for it, I'm sure. “ 

“OK. Still waiting on that text?” 

“Oh, thank you for reminding me! Hello. Did you hear that? Haha, did you get it? OK, great so. Did you check to see if everything was recorded? It was! Great. So , start with Lisa. Call her voicemail. And leave a recording of that conversation on her voicemail. Then call Deborah Tim, Dean and all the rest of them and let them know what she's saying. Thanks, totally appreciate it. See you at the reunion. No, she just left. She went out in the rain and forgot her umbrella.”