| I volunteered at Equality North Carolina this morning from 10:00 until noon.
This was my third 2-hour volunteer stint, each time working on a postcard campaign in anticipation of the School Violence Protection Act coming before the legislature for a vote soon. I’ve participated in the process from beginning to end now: 1) Entering the names of the people who have filled out petition postcards into the database, 2) Matching each person’s card with their respective senator and representative, and 3) sorting the postcards into piles to be delivered to each senator and representative. |
Shortly after Josh—the volunteer coordinator—arrived, a bird flew into the office through some open tiles in the ceiling (it’s an old building), which scared the bejezus out of Josh.
Well, he just squealed, and I couldn’t help laughing, because the first thing that came to mind was this video, which I had in my blog some time last year, I believe it was. It’s one of those vids that no matter how many times I see it, it cracks me up.
From downtown Raleigh, I rode out to Durham, stopping at the Coastal Federal Credit Union ATM off Page Road, and then at the Arby’s on Miami Blvd for a quick lunch.
The young girl who took my order felt compelled to explain to me why she was talking funny: “I have this contraption in my mouth to keep me from eating candy,” she said opening her mouth to show me, while she was talking.
I took a second to think back on what I might have just said that might have compelled her to share that. Nothing. I thought so.
I gave my order, “A Jr. Roast Beef sandwich please. That’s all. For here.”
She said, “You don’t want no water or nothing with that?”
What I really want is for you to make a sentence with no double negatives in it, I thought. And then, No I don’t want no water, which of course would mean that I do want some water. I’m just saying…
This was one of those Arby’s (maybe they all do it), where as soon as you walk in the door they all scream a cacophony of, “Hello!” “Welcome to Arby’s!” “Hello!” They also had one of those cowbells at the door that says, “If you received great [their emphasis, not mine] service today, ring this bell!”
Though it hadn’t rung at all the short time I ate there, I rang the hell out of it on my way out. They all absolutely screamed back, “Thank you!” “Come back!” “Have a great day!” “Thank you!!!”
I picked up Robert and we rode over to the Duke Hospital South Clinics, and I spent my time waiting for him down in the food court area, while he had his colonoscopy up in Clinic 2H. They had a Port City Java there, along with free wi-fi access. Woohoo!
I love being with people who are just coming out of anesthesia. This happened with my friend Kevin, too, when I took him home after his procedure. Robert told me that his doctor was German at least five times. That alone is not what is funny, it’s how he said it. He first said something like, “The doctor was great. A real nice, German guy. Very gentle,” and so on. Then a couple of minutes later he’d say, “Yeah the doctor, he’s German, did…” such and such, so that it was obvious that he thought he was imparting new information.
Three times, with various amounts of time in between, he asked me, “So were you able to get connected (to the Internet) down at the food court?” Again, I’m truly not making fun of him; this is just what happens until the anesthesia fully wears off. It’s just so funny when the question comes out again, as if it’s a brand new thought that just came in the mind to ask.
And I’m fully aware that this is not at all funny when it’s associated with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Today, naturally, reminded me of my own colonoscopy three years ago, which I just re-read. A couple of things in there even made me laugh out loud, and I wrote it. I don’t even remember making up the name David Renalstone, but that line made me laugh. That day’s entry is called “That’s right up my hole,” and it includes pictures of, well, right up my hole.
We had a most delicious late lunch / early dinner at Elmo’s Diner in Durham on Ninth Street. We split an order of their nachos, and Robert had a small Spinach Salad, while I had a small Greek Salad. It was all good.
Back in Raleigh, I got a haircut (got ’em all cut, truth be told), and then went to the gym, completing my workout 10 minutes before closing time.
Today’s workout statistics:
Duration |
or Area Worked |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Resistance |
45 |
Upper Body |
|
Cardio |
40 |
793 |
I got to Flex at about 10:15, and it was a weird, weird night there. None of the regular people were there, and after having one drink the entire time, waiting for Joe until just after 11:30, I left.
His flight had arrived at 10:10, and when I checked in with him as I was leaving, he was just leaving home to head downtown, so I let him know that I was heading home.