Worry Worry Toil and Trouble

Today’s Memorial Day BBQ went off without a hitch and was the success it usually is when it’s an event us residents set up for ourselves.

There was tons of food and about 35 residents in attendance.

I arrived early, took the table in a back corner where I could see everything, get up/down easily to take photos, and hoped I’d be mostly to myself.

Instead, I ended up feeling trapped and suffocating with too many people surrounding me, as my table filled up first.

MAGA chose to sit at my table and, for once, didn’t do or say anything that annoyed me. She performed just like a regular human, even spilled some interesting tea about residents I don’t know; information she’s gleaned from walking around with her dog, attaching herself to others like she’s been trying to do with Talker, in order to get all up in their business.

Dream Lover manned the BBQ and, when all the chicken and hotdog were done, came inside, sat first at one table then, when Lu came in later, ended up sitting next to Lu.

Lu didn’t handle him like she used to ……… hands possessively all over him. So, it wasn’t clear to me if they were just friends or back on again.

I couldn’t resist ……… at one point as I was passing that table, seeing Lu engaged in conversation with someone on the other side of her, I stopped, quickly leaned over Dream Lover, whispered in his ear "Are you two in love again?"

He shook his head a resounding "No".

I was quick, already moving to walk away when something, or someone at the table, alerted Lu to something going on between Dream Lover and I.

She quickly turned around, only saw me walking away, but I can imagine someone at the table will tell her about the whispering, and she'll wonder.

Let her wonder; I'm not worried about that, but I did do something at the BBQ that does have me worried.

Sometimes I can be abrupt to the extreme, and this was one of those times.

Crafty Lady brought her two grandsons to the BBQ.

I said before that I’m not good at guessing ages, so I can’t tell you how old the boys are, but maybe around 9 and 10.

The boys were playing games, starting with chess. I happened to be walking by when I saw they’d switched to checkers.

"I’ve not seen a checkerboard in eons", said I; whereupon, the elder boy asked, "Do you play?"

"I don’t know, it’s been a long long time, I don’t even remember how to start".

The younger said, "I’ll help you", so I sat down across from the older boy.

As the younger began instructing me on how the game is played, I looked up and found Crafty Lady removing the elder from his seat across from me, sitting her own self down to play against me.

Here’s where abrupt took over ……… "HEY! What’s going on? I’m playing with the boys. Get up. Give him his seat back".

She did, and disappeared to help with serving food to the seniors; but now I’m worried that I came across too strong, that she will have a delayed reaction, think about it and decide to be offended at the way I spoke to her, if she hasn't already.

I have no plans to apologize. I'll just worry that I did a wrong thing.

As for how the game played out, he won of course; but I had him on the ropes for a while, as the game moves began to come back to me.

I’m also worried about something else that happened today.

First was a message I received at 10:17 AM from a former co-worker friend, not in the habit of sending me messages …… "You've been on my mind all morning. Just sending you love through Instagram".

I replied, "Thanks! Insofar as I know I'm good, so don't know why you're picking me up".

She replied, "I'm not sure why either but it felt like I needed to tell you I was thinking of you. You are truly one of kind and I'm glad I know you".

I was getting eulogy vibes, pondered it for a bit, then pushed it out of my head.

THEN, at 5:24 PM, a message from Trainer arrived …… "What's up Shirley just checking in on you hope all is well".

So now I'm worried again but replied, "Still alive".

I don’t know what to make of the two telepathically picking me up. On the other hand, I do know, but ………………