Monday 29
How to return down the mountain? That's always the trouble. To be back at work, sore muscles and all, after a weekend of generally wholesome interactions, was anticlimactic. I found myself drifting through my various undertakings at the office as though under the influence of spiritual Novocaine. Took a few minutes mid-morning to call Oregon's Hood River Circuit Court and pay my traffic fine. The clerk graciously reduced it by about $50. I also got a call from Paul around 8:30. He still refuses to get a cellular phone, so the number is always strange, but I picked up immediately on the hunch it was him. When two connoisseurs of the conversational art meet in witty banter, there really is nothing like it. If good friends, they may resume at any time, in almost any humor, on any topic, with equal ebullience. It matters not how much time passes between.
Tuesday 30
Work was productive and generally carefree. Saw Dr. Choi again for more physical therapy. I'd say it's helping. My neck, back and shoulder pain have gone down significantly since the traffic inconvenience. Definitely coming down with some sort of bug. By the evening it felt like I had a fever, and a soreness had developed in the throat and lower nasal passages.
Wednesday 31
Too sick to go to work. Woke up with a fever, prohibitive head and chest congestion, and a deep cough. Slept it off all day.
Thursday, April 1
I Supposed I was well enough, and past the worst of it, as the fever seemed to have broken. Things at the office were somewhat slow, but there was enough for me to do.
April Fools was mostly uneventful except for a few jokes among online friends at Xanga. My participation received kind raves from some of the who's who of the Xanga community.
“...you win April Fools.”
-GreekPhysique
“You are great”
-trunthepaige
“Full of win”
-Paul_Partisan
“...nice touch.”
-TheTheologiansCafe
“I bow before you”
-La_Chose_en_Soi
“...now this was funny.”
-TheBigShowAtUD
Tiny came over in the evening, ignoring my caveats of illness, and I watched the eighth and ninth installments of Band of Brothers with him. All the rest of us finished our most recent viewing of it a while ago, so he's trying to catch up.
Chapter nine is the heart-wrenching episode entitled "Why We Fight." It's hard to imagine being a comparatively sheltered 1940's soldier, having never heard of a Nazi concentration camp, and getting an impromptu history lesson by witnessing the atrocity first-hand. It never fails; I always weep watching this portrayal. The men who wrote, produced, directed, and acted for this miniseries were geniuses. We saved the last episode for later.
Friday 2
Physical therapy involved some painful massage sessions on the injured areas. I like the masseuse, a large, middle-aged woman who is an amiable Catholic, a San Jose Sharks fan, and a classically-trained opera singer. Given my own background in choral music, arias, and being myself a passive Sharks fan, I enjoy her company and conversation. The day was rather pleasant at work barring sickness, and overlooking the mild office-politics fire I inadvertently started. I was missed in the morning, as I'd forgotten to inform my office of my longer appointment, and had to apologize for my negligence.
I'd intended to accompany Jared to Hillview's Friday night college-group Bible study. I don't usually go to college-group functions anymore, but I think Jared's had a hard time finding regular fellowship since he left Grace, and I want to cheer him on. I didn't feel up to it at all, and spent Friday night in bed. I promised him and the others (most of Martha and The Chores goes to Hillview) I would go next week.
Saturday 3
Woke up with some kind of stuff in my eyes. It seems my cold had progressed through my sinuses into my eyes, where it produced an intense conjunctivitis. My eyes were a deep, evil red and had begun to itch and weep. I tried to putter around and do things but I felt too sick and ended up just vegetating, reading and half-heartedly trying to enjoy a humorous video game. I am not sure how my roommates can stand to spend so many hours of their lives on that Xbox. The whole day was an enormous pile of yuck.
Well, yes, yuck. But there was also sunshine, and softly singing cloud patterns.
Sunday 4
Awoke ill and oozy, discovering that my lungs and windpipe had been gently run over by a truck. I must have spent the entire night coughing in my sleep. My eyes were less red, but now the cough increased its virulence, and a daresay I would have been a nuisance if I had joined any Easter fellowship. It was disheartening to miss Easter Sunday services, and to be out of fellowship on another consecutive Sunday. All the legalistic types at my church have now probably taken me for an apostate if they hadn't already, those squirrelly scoundrels. No matter; you can never please them anyhow; I think nothing ever does.
I was more taken aback to be uninvited from the family Easter dinner! I'd worked hard to conceal my excitement at the prospect of taking my tired frame back to home's nurturing arms, and the mere thought of the good clamor Mom would certainly be raising in the kitchen warmed my poor bachelor's heart. But it was not to be. They didn't want my germs, and I don't blame them. Such is the life of the roving independent male of the species.
As a consolation, Mom and Dad dropped by later with a brown paper sack full of chamomile tea, cough suppressant, eye drops, orange juice, and other such balms, and a separate bag with what would have been my first and second helpings from the Easter table.
Believe me when I tell you, the spoils were nothing short of the most succulent and crumbling varieties of culinary bliss. Mom's pineapple and dark-cherry ham is unparalleled, and melts in the mouth. Her poppy-seed cake is scrumptious and glazed in heavenliness. Her whole palette brimmed with fresh strawberries and spinach leaves, steamed asparagus and small potatoes with chives and sour cream. My parents were concerned at my red eyes, obvious fatigue, and congestion; they didn't stay long, but urged me to see a doctor soon.
I canceled what small band practice we could have had. Multiple members would be absent due to the holiday, and I didn't feel equal to the remaining challenge. It just didn't seem worth the hassle. I disinfected everything I had touched and called it a night.
