Might makes right

I will delve further into the particulars of this afternoon, only to relate what I recall as fact. I will not go into speculation on whether or not I used any drugs this day.

I faintly remember walking across the yard to my brother’s house and trying the door, and as is the custom in western society, it was locked. The kitchen window right next to the back door is broken, and it was no problem to climb inside.

I was stricken with the unusual desire to clean out my brother’s cupboards, that one in the corner, by the sink especially. I had just spent two hours pulling everything out, off the lazy susan, and putting it onto the freshly swept and mopped floor, up against the painstakingly scrubbed wall, in descending order, according to height when looking from left to right. I climbed right in to sweep out any crumbs from the back, and perhaps to scrub the entire interior, but as I say, there are many details I am not clear on. What I found there, along with the years old popcorn, and the dust which took me forty-eight minutes to sort on the counter according to type, color, texture, and taste was half a pack of American SpiritÔ cigarettes of unknown vintage. I wasted no time in going outside, swabbing the steps with a mop, and then settling in for a smoke.

There was a concrete block wall around my brother’s property which gave the uninitiated, or otherwise infirmed the distinct, and immediate impression of a prison yard, but since this was my second trip to visit my brother since he moved to his new house, it did not seem out of place.

I had chosen a position that I deemed perfect to spy on the leaves as they fell from the tree bordering the driveway. I noticed Ken, the cat, napping amongst the fallen crabapples in front of the garage. I was determinedly communing with my tobacco, when I decided to go talk to the cat, and inquire what it was about that particular spot that was so comfortable. Before I wrenched myself from the throes of the stoop, I saw a familiar white van pull into the drive. When the mailman stepped out, I thought that I would need to sign for a package, or some such thing. Instead, he poked Ken with his foot. Finding that the cat bereft of life, with one deft motion, he scooped up the limp cat in his mailbag and jumped back into the still running van. Before the door even closed, he backed into traffic, apparently without looking because cars from both directions had to slam on the brakes in order to avoid a collision.

While still trying to make sense of what I had seen, and how it related to the action of the leaves, I saw my brother pull up and park on the other side of the tree. He was bringing some groceries to the neighbors, as near as I could figure, because he was going up the steps of the duplex next-door when I waved. He waved back as he fumbled with some keys, and then did a double take, and started over to greet me. I was part way through my salutation when he grabbed me by the collar and started pulling me toward the gate.

Sparing the details, shortly thereafter my life was transformed into an ugly episode of the Lucille Ball show where I was Lucy, and he was an insistent Dezi.

In my own defense it should be said that I had made it 250 miles during the previous 24 hours. I left my house yesterday with the intention of going for a bike ride. I started going west, because the wind was coming from that direction. I like to head out into the wind, so that it will be at my back on the way home.

Turns out that with just a few additional turns, down roads I had never been on, I could be on State Highway 10 West, the road that connected my town, and the one where my brother lives. I think I may have literally shrugged as I turned with mild interest up the 10. I didn’t have to be at work for a couple of hours.

I suppose it wasn’t until I noticed that I was late for work that I actually decided to go. That’s how my thought process trends, do something with unavoidable consequences, and then do something that will make those consequences worthwhile.

I only had one water bottle with me, so I had to stop all the time for water; the rest of the trip was pretty uneventful, though. It was a nice day, the wind mostly died down when I got out of town, and I just kept riding.

I hadn’t called to let him know I was on the way, and I had only been to this place one other time, so I was lucky to find his place at all. I don’t know why my own brother would be so upset just because I was one house off, can’t expect me to remember everything.

I would think he’d be used to this sort of thing by now.