TGIF #18267

Like most Fridays, I don't know why I'm glad it's here because I'm working tomorrow! But not a whole day...so I guess that's one reason why it's good to be Friday.

Hectic weeek in many ways. I spent 4 days on some photo fixes for Dad. They always take forever because the files are so large they crash my photo programs. Then this morning I had to do some printing and now I'm restoring stuff.

The reunion has kept me very busy. A lot of classmates are either emailing or calling and I spend a lot of my free time, filling everyone in on everyone else. It's been fun to re-connect. Then in ways it hasn't because there are always the sour apples--sour about anything and everything.

Then there's one classmate who I always had a great friendship with...Thomas.. we've spent a lot of time emailing and IM'ing this week. He's been through a lot in his short life:
....diabetes, dialysis, kidney transplant, amputation of toes on right foot, amputation (below the knee) of left leg, lymphoma cancer survivor, and most recently (in Feb.) diagnosed with Stage 3 colo-rectal cancer. He is currently doing chemo with radiation to follow in about 2 1/2 months and will do the radiation DAILY for 5 weeks. He is the most positive man I'm ever known. Laughing and smiling through all our emails and IM's.

I chat with him and get so many funny and bright emails and when I talk to Al at night, it's like going into the darkness. He's always talking about things that go wrong and disappointments over some sideline tasks he's working on. We don't laugh, even if I try to make things light and fun.

Today is the first time since Jan 14, 2006 that I didn't wake up and think of Al or call him, just to make sure he's up! I even forgot my cell phone, which I use to call and say hi during the day. And I didn't think of doing that! When did I think of it? About an hour ago!

Talking with Tommy had made me realize that life is too short to wait it out... to spend days and weeks and years on a person who is too self-absorbed to notice time fly.

That fork in the road is bearing down on me and Al...and I wonder if he really cares.