Regular Life

(Note: Readers of “They Keys Are In It” may continue today with Part Six.)

Over the past week, between two bursts of working and hanging out in Memphis, I drove back to my hometown to visit family. The business trip had brought me close enough to family that it would have made little sense for me to stay in the hotel. There’s only so much fun a faithfully married guy can have on Beale Street without his wife.

I called Avis and asked what kind of rental car I would be getting, because my co-worker and I had got stuck with a Ford Explorer SUV. For one or two people, it’s just a good way to burn more gas. Although Chris and his girlfriend, D, were going with me, I knew we would be fine. Entire families make road trips with four doors and a trunk (well, and wheels).

“Please don’t give me an SUV,” I said to the Avis employee.

“Your reservation is for a mid-size. So you want me to make a note not to upgrade you?” he asked.

“If that’s what it takes to not get an SUV, then yes, no upgrade.”

What I got was an upgrade of a different sort.

For a long time I have imagined it would be fun to own a Mitsubishi Eclipse. After two days of driving one, I still hold that opinion. It’s a good thing, however, that D is small and that she and Chris pack light.

After a couple of nights hanging out at his place, Chris and I easily slipped back into our friendship. We talked and laughed during the drive; at my parents’ and my brother’s houses; and at his sister’s and his mother’s houses.

I was a bit shocked when Mom announced that she and Dad were grilling tilapia — in the kitchen best known for its pork butt slow-cooked in the Crock Pot. Mom would not let us go to Chris’ sister’s house (less than 10 miles away) until all of us had eaten. That was a good thing. We got caught up and the fish was great.

I followed Mom and Dad to their “farm” and stayed only a few minutes as their fellow Single Action Shooting Society members arrived. I had a one-year-old’s birthday party to catch and a twisty road I knew like the back of my hand to get there. Perfect for the Eclipse.

I zipped, zoomed, and flew the 40 miles to my sister in-law’s sister’s daughter’s party. Work that out geneologically and get back to me (without using the word “niece.”)

That night we ate the delectable food at P.F. Chang’s and I laughed as I watched my brother tool around on a tiny four-wheeler he had bought used for his son.

I spent some time working on some of his computer and PlayStation 3 connectivity problems while he played his guitar and sang. We may or may not have improvised vulgar lyrics related to computers. Then he spent time troubleshooting while I snoozed on the couch (I don’t play guitar). After researching and trying our own things, we finally got the PS3 connected more securely and he later got the laptop connected using a Windows built-in wizard (it took a lot for me to admit that).

Mom and Dad came down for a big, homemade breakfast Sunday morning and we had a great visit while Charles and I intermittently tweaked the router, laptop, and PS3.

The ride back with Chris and D was fun and mercifully uneventful. For all of the above, I missed Shannon and Benjamin. That covers the “lost weekend” of my Memphis trip. You all may sleep at night now.

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