Memorial Day

Normally, I’d have titled this post “Happy Memorial Day”. However, from the backlash VP Harris is getting for saying “enjoy”, I thought better of using an adjective. LOL.

Isn’t much of a Memorial Day around here but, looking back, it never really has been.

Last Memorial Day, we were in quarantine. Year before that, it was business as usual — a workout in the Pain Cave. Same with this year — I'll be heading out shortly for a workout. It may be the only workout this week, depending on how I feel after tomorrow’s second Moderna shot.

Inasmuch as Handsome Man said he'd experienced dizziness with his second shot, and Assistant Maintenance Guy experienced dizziness with his first, I thought it not a good idea to drive the 15 miles to where I’d gotten the first shot.

Mike had indicated I didn’t have to return to where I’d got the first shot, that I could get the second anywhere. I’d checked with the corner drug store and it was “Yes. That’s correct. Walk right in. No appointment necessary”.

However, when I’d called a few days ago to verify it was Moderna, it was “Yes, Moderna but day after a Holiday is going to be crazy. Schedule an appointment”. Only their appointment schedule is booked for weeks — that is unless I want to schedule a night appointment, which I do not ... not in this area. So, off I go to the place of origin tomorrow — hoping there will be no dizzy spells preventing me from safely driving myself back home.

Last week, I was telling Trainer about the secret camera identifying the duo who’d been breaking into the mail center, as “Two skinny White guys”.

Just like I’d equated skinny with meth heads, Trainer also immediately went to, “meth heads” and added they were more than likely coming from the trailer park.

"What trailer park?" asked I.

"There’s a trailer park behind Auto Zone", said he.

How interesting, I never knew that.

I’ve often heard mention of a trailer park with “dangerous people”. In fact, when Shadow came to live with us, it was said his last residence was that very same trailer park. That he’d gotten into some kind of altercation with residents and had to move out for his own safety.

I just didn’t realize the trailer park, everyone was always talking about, was a hop, skip, jump from here — other side of the vacant field where Tent Guy used to live.

But now, just as I’m typing this, something Shadow said to me, when he first came on board, is now making sense.

Looking back through the blog, it was March of 2018, when Shadow hit the blog as “The New Guy”.

When he learned photos taken at events were posted to the Residents’ Facebook page, he approached and said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t put me on Facebook. I’ve got enemies and I’d rather they didn’t know I’m here.”

The likelihood of his "enemies" locating him via the Residents' Facebook page was nil but, of course, I removed photos in which he appeared, all the while thinking “Enemies??? … Don’t want them to know I’m here???” … Who talks like that? … Is this guy a fugitive from justice maybe or someone in witness protection?

It all makes sense now. He was afraid of the people he'd angered at the trailer park.

What didn’t make sense was, shortly after having me remove his photos, he began hanging out in front of the complex, smoking, in full view of anyone walking or driving down the street.

Hiding in plain sight?

I’m also remembering that, after he hooked up with The Seer — back when she and I were still friends, she’d complain about him being out front getting into conversations with people, of a rough looking persuasion, walking down the street. In fact, shortly after he moved in, he invited one of those rough looking types to hang out with him inside the complex.

He introduced her to me as his "niece" and, not knowing who Shadow really was, at the time, I took him at his word.

The "niece" looked to be stoned out of her mind.

Other residents, spotting "niece" on the grounds, looking and acting suspiciously, immediately began to warn others to be careful and, wouldn't you know it, before the day was over, there was some kind of incident between "niece" and her "uncle" Shadow. The police were called and Shadow almost got himself evicted — all this within his first two/three months of moving in.

At any rate, Shadow still hangs out front of the building, chatting it up with rough looking types — which obviously, from what The Seer has told me in the past and her recently hunting him down, she's warned him about doing. But, far as I know, he’s learned his lesson about bringing them onto the premises.

Is it possible the "two skinny White guys" got drawn to our mail room because of an association with Shadow?

Hmmmmmm?

In other news, I believe I made a $1500 mistake in purchasing a new laptop. 

When the only four-year old Envy began loading slow, and some pages and game apps not loading at all, I thought it was the laptop — especially since I’d received a message about parts no longer being available for that model. However, when the new Envy started off loading slow, and some pages and games not loading at all, something whispered “modem”.

The tech came bright and early yesterday morning (They work on Sunday? Apparently they do), replaced the modem, and voilà — loading problem solved.

Even though I would eventually had to switch out laptops, it appears I could have gotten more life than a mere four years out of the old Envy. 

But , Oh Well … live and learn.