Doral Came Out of My Mouth

Question for people who have swum here?
How many water covered sections to the end of the ramp?

Sometimes Doral Pilling’s words come out of my mouth.  

My parent tape from him must be loud and deep.  

When his words pop out of my mouth because I am not attending to the difference between what is in my head and what I say, I laugh.  

Sometimes I shouldn’t laugh, but it feels fun to have his words in my head, even if he is gone.  

That is what I am laughing at:  how some parental ideas are imprinted!

For example, Moiya and I were having a chat about her aches and pains.   At least that is how our conversation started began.

She said that yesterday her arm got so bad that tears were streaming down her cheeks, so she decided maybe she should take some Tylenol, something she never does.  The Tylenol worked for her.  Today the pain is gone.

I know this spot.
Just to the right and back 3 yards is an
Italian plum tree that I planted long go.

Small green cherries on the tree to the west of the ramp.

I added to the conversation, that I want my body to do certain things, like tend my younger grandchildren.

Thank goodness their parents know not to leave them with someone who might just go to sleep in a chair while she should be watching the kids.

Moiya told me that she needs an afternoon nap sometimes even though she is 11 years younger than me.

Her voice might have underlined 11 years as a bit of a taunt, for I longed for the years that difference represented. 

"Sensational Lilac"
... a gift to me from Shirley Treleaven ...

We talked about some pictures she sent me, some wonderful pictures of the lake – the place I want to be.

I told her I have some jobs I must do here, before I go to the lake.

And I am still not stable enough to walk on the dirt roads. 

“Hard,” I said, “to take care of myself.  And you are the same. It is so hard to take care of myself instead of taking care of others.  You have your diabetes to take care of.”

“Oh, I haven’t been doing that,” she said.

“If I were busy, that is the first thing, I would quit doing, too,” I intoned, “watching my diabetes.”

She laughed. 

Then Doral left.

Photo Credits: Moiya Wood