Dog Sitting

 The final evening of bachelerhood was a fine one. Kenny suggested Titanic, and then Canes baseball, but a family health issue called him away, so just baseball. He had free tix on account of being a Navy veteran, but I knew Mike had great, chairbacked seats, and so called him. Mike sent us a few of his tickets, and said he'd probably drop by the game after a dinner Downtown.

I arrived in the late afternoon heat, but the stadium was lovely, as always. Kenny arrived as the sun was setting, and the temperature became fine. We ordered a couple of beers from the longtime vendor, who promised "coldest beer in the world," and watched 7 innings. The Canes took a 3-2 lead over Duke, and then we both realized that dinner at Titanic sounded better than watching the end of the game. It proved a good choice -- Duke ended up winning, anyway.

Mike called. Were we still there? We were not, but headed across the street to Titanic. Mike joined us just as we were seated, under TVs showing the Panthers game. We got chili and wings, just like in college, and chatted about life. At one point, I realized we were talking about aging men's health issues, and had us change the subject. Luckily, the issues are prostates and eyes -- both more annoying than life threatening. 

I called my California sister on the way home -- knowing it was only 7 her time. She told me something that caused a true laugh out loud -- to be filed under the "you never stop learing about human nature" Department.

We have a cousin in Queens -- a very reserved and quiet guy. He lived with my aunt, his mother, until she died at 99, leaving him his co-op. He retired, and is now 70. We were never close, but when I was last in NYC, in December of '19, I took him for lunch on my way to LGA. At lunch, I asked him if he would like me to keep in contact with him, and he said he would.

So since then, every month or so, I text -- just to let him have a connection with his family. My sister speaks to him, which I did for awhile, until there were long talks about issues he was having with his co-op, and I tried to advise him best I could, but with the disclaimer that I ain't no NY property law maven.

Anyway, Sue told me during their last conversation, he complained that I only text him, and "don't really care about him." Oh well -- so much for my efforts about keeping in contact.

I told Sue I planned to keep on -- though I'm not sure why. It's funny -- his name came up with my dinner with Mirta Wednesday night. She always teases me about my harebrained idea that maybe she and the cousin would get married -- and we spent the most awkward afternoon some years back exploring that -- except he had zero interest, or ability to communicate with a woman. Mirta was a good sport.

D2 texted -- checkout is noon, and my Ds and Wifey will head back then. D1 will then reunite with her boys and Joey, and D2 can take the enormous puppy back to her Dad, Jonathan.

Bacherlerhood is nice, temporarily. And judging by the pictures, it was a great mother/daughter bonding trip. Wifey is very lucky -- plenty of grown daughters would rather get root canals than spend nights in a hotel with their mothers. I'm sure there'll be tales told of the past three days.