Came 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 you 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,” 

“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, no harm done! I’m just waiting on a text.” 

“Sorry I took so long there was a lot of 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 invited me out to California and told me to bring the family. 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. Ellen thinks that she actually might have contracted hepatitis because of her daughter's drug use. The last time her daughter passed out, the ambulance was called. She ended up in the hospital!!! 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. Ellen can barely cope.” 

“Oh my, she didn't mention anything about that. Well, I also talked to Lisa. She was saying that she was really hoping to come back for a visit. She wants to help me plan the family reunion. She can help set up everything. Since her kids are out of the house, she really didn't have much to worry about. 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 rehab for her hip replacement. Her landlord threw all her stuff in the street and rented her apartment to someone else. She doesn't have any money to find another place to live. So she's actually living in her truck. It is this old jalopy. 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. I need a sip of tea.” 

“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?” 

“Because the last time I spoke to her, she really liked me a lot. She confides in me. She's a big drinker, that one. She told me she ended up having an affair with some guy from high school. She was getting ready to leave Dean. They could start a new life. She stayed with this guy when he came back for a high school reunion. At the end of his trip, he was just like, Nah, I don't think so. And he went back to his wife. She went crawling back to Dean. Then I asked Dean why he would stay with a drunk mess like that. He didn't feel comfortable talking to me anymore. So he's staying with that sloppy skank. 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 man, Tim is a hot mess. So according to Dean's wife. They stopped by on their way to Costco, 'cause Tim lives near Costco. The door was unlocked. They went in and tv was on. They got scared and started looking around. 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 her drinking. Dean’s wife drinks like a fish. What a sloppy mess she turns into when she's been drinking.” 

“Really. I didn't know any of this.” 

 “Oh yeah. Anyway, who else is on your list?” 

“Well, I was looking at inviting Eileen. I mean, I figured she would go to the reunion. she should love to see everybody, especially now that She's older and it's harder to travel around. You know, to stay weekends with different cousins and visit with families. 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. need repaired” 

“No, I didn't know that.” 

“Oh yeah, they put up some crown molding. 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. They’ve gotten friendly. She wants to carry on with him."

"What!"

 "I saw him when I was over there for a barbecue. I was talking to him and saying that, I know he goes above and beyond for her and tries to really help her out. He said, 'well, she's really interesting. Very independent. She reminds me a lot of my mom and I just enjoy helping her.' 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 not only is he way younger but he's married. He is young enough to be her son.  His wife was at the BBQ and she's even younger than him! Very beautiful, Very interesting. I even told him his wife was attractive. He totally agreed with me and said 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 Auntie 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. Beautifully well dressed. They always made like such a beautiful couple. The whole family was like a model family.” 

“Oh I don't know bout that. Last time I talked to Rhonda she was crying about how she used to come home from school she would find Auntie 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. 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 that is 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 really 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 and you know. Look at the ones down in Florida. 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.” 

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

“What about like Deborah and those people? What about their 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 are you talking about?” 

“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 really 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 them 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, 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 workout 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. So I don't know if you still want to do it. 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 no promises. I will try to get my kids to help, you know. They're really 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. And you know, most of us have it together, but there are a few of us that aren't doing that well, and 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 people who are in a better position wouldn't mind reaching out and helping. 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.” 

“No, I know what you mean. I was running around too. I didn't have time to get anything to eat this morning.” 

“Yeah, and I 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 and I hate to drive that, it just doesn't handle nicely. My friend is taking a cab there to meet me and drive the truck in the rain” 

“I get it, I have to pick up some photos that I had printed out and I'm trying to scan them in. For this PowerPoint presentation I'm working on, I know what you mean.” 

“OK ladies, is there anything else I can get? You know we're good for now 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 oh did your guest 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 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! Did you check to see if everything was recorded? It was! Great. 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.”