Good Luck Week -- Waiting For My Fate

 My beloved, late Mom, Sunny, always said "Babies bring good luck!" Well, there are two new ones I know about.

My long time haircutter Dania missed my appointment, leaving me perilously close to Bob Dylan in the 70s status, but for a great reason: she flew to Texas for the birth of her first granddaughter. She sent a photo today, and like Dania, the girl has a traditional Cuban name: Parker Kate. Ha.  I guess we'll see fewer Ilianas, Bekyses, and Lourdeses going forward.

Closer to home, my man Eric and  woman Dana welcomed a bouncing baby boy to the tailgate crew this am. I'm thrilled for them. Alas, his bris, due to Covid surge, is immediate family only, but I'll be there in spirit. I know the late grandparents, Marvin, Norma, and Barbra will be smiling down -- especially Marvin. He adored his wildly accomplished son, and the thought of him holding a grandson -- well -- 

This am I had my Covid test scheduled, to hopefully rule out that I was infected during my friend's wedding. The location was to be a small Pinecrest park, on 104th Street, and early this am I got a text and email that it was moved to Sunniland Park -- I guess for more space due to increased testing demand.

My appointment was at 9, so of course I arrived there at 8:45, and the nice Haitian man in the golf cart was clueless about the location, but told me to go to the south entrance. I did. No one there but a guy napping in his car.

I drove back, and a bit after 9, an SUV drove up, and a guy got out -- yes -- it was here. Soon there were 10 cars pointed in opposite direction -- clearly more Hialeah organization than supposedly Pinecrest, but eventually an authoritarian type nurse came by and started directing traffic and patients.

I opted for all three tests: rapid, PCR (a bit more accurate) and antibody (to see if my Pfizer magic chemicals are still circulating). They pricked my finger, after I made the nurse laugh as I always do "Little prick, sir." "Hey -- who told you???" and swabbed my nose. For the rapid test, I had to swirl the swab myself -- 7 revolutions in each nostril. Who knew?

Supposably, as they say in Miami, I get the first results in a few hours, the the rest by tomorrow. Hopefully negative on the Covid, but if not? Hey -- just going to ride it out, and avoid folks for awhile. No big deal, though it might cost me attendance at the Key Largo staycation D1 planned. That's ok -- I'll hang home with the dogs, though nephew Josh is already booked for that gig.

In sad, follow up news, we learned our dear friend Elizabeth's cause of death: garden variety heart attack, secondary to clogged main vessels. Wow. She ate the most cleanly, and exercised like a fiend. As Eric always said, FH is key -- family history -- and she had a bad one -- both parents died of MIs.

Looking back, the nausea and feeling poorly she felt on her hike were the symptoms of the coming fatal event -- but she just chalked them up to being at altitude and a vigorous hike.

What a shame. We all miss her so -- gone too soon.

So today and tomorrow I'll play a lot of Tom Petty -- the waiting is the hardest part. Hopefully the news is good -- if not -- well -- just another tough hand in the poker game of life. Have to play your hand -- nothing more to do.

But nice to have new babies around.