A short trip.

I would get upset when we didn’t leave on vacation as early in the day as I thought we would.  Lolli always had some extra things to do before we could leave; finish packing her clothes, answer the messages on her answering machine, drop packages off at the Post Office which invariably turned into an encounter with a former student wanting to know how to straighten out the warp on their loom.  One hour, two, even three hours later we would finally hit the road with me, Mr. Pissed.

I need to accept the fact that Lolli is a working woman.  I am retired.  She has things to do.   I do not.  Life is a lot easier on me and her if I just let it go and be,
Mr. Mellow.

We leave Fort Bragg only an hour late this time and I have maintained my Mr. Mellow persona. 

We enjoy a beautiful drive up the coast heading for a three day camp-out on a river near Klamath Glenn.  We stop for lunch in Eureka.  Lolli and Mr. Mellow.  Very nice.

Near McKinleyville I spot a 76 and decide to fill up.

At the pump I unlock my gas cap, swipe my credit card and put the nozzle into the filler hole.  I decide to squeegee the bugs off the front window.  Stepping over the filler hose I trip and fall flat onto my forearms.  Mr. Mellow has just become Mr. Shocked, Mr. Stunned and Mr. Embarrassed.  I try to raise myself off the concrete.  Quch!

Lolli hops out of our Volkswagen bus and helps me into a sitting position beside the gas pumps.  She asks if I am all right.  I don’t know.  I try wiggling my fingers, my wrists and arms to assess the damage.  Basically, I’ve become, Mr. Pain!

It is obvious I can no longer drive so Lolli helps me onto the passenger seat.  She replaces the gas nozzle, connects my seatbelt and we continue towards Klamath Glenn hoping things will get better.  My right arm doesn’t seem too bad but my left arm is starting to feel really weird.

We decide we better continue to Crescent City and find a hospital emergency room.

After five x-rays, the application of a partial cast to my broken left arm and a pain shot in the right cheek of my butt we are finally free to resume vacation.

We arrive at Klamath Glenn.  Lolli sets up camp while I ease myself into a lawn chair.

What would I do without my Lolli.

The pain shot kicks in and once again, I am, Mr. Mellow.