A visit with Dad and Eve

I’ve never been to a chiropractor before. Frankly, I’ve always been a bit skeptical about it, because once someone starts going I have never heard of them being released from treatment. But I want to go tubing this weekend, and my back is still sore. Plus I’m kind of afraid to do anything much right now for babying my back. There is a good clinic right down the road from work, I have heard. So when I got my second testimonial today from Terry, who sits behind me, I called and made and appointment.

I liked Dr. Lawson, and he made me feel like my back stuff was something he not only sees a lot of (nach), but could do something about as well. So he made some x-rays, and I have an appointment for a therapeutic massage and back-cracking tomorrow. The good news is he doesn’t think that going tubing this weekend will be a problem. I was happy about that.

Getting a massage on the company dime feels kind of like cheating, but my back is sore, and I’m telling myself that I’m not going to go forever. I’m just going to go when I need it. Then again, there are many proven benefits to therapeutic massage, and just because some ‘traditional’ doctors don’t prescribe it doesn’t mean it is without merit. It does seem like chiropractic care makes more sense for back problems than going to an MD, where they’re just going to give you some muscle relaxers until those don’t work, and then operate as a last resort. I’m of two minds, but I’m open to some help. Plus Billy swears by it for his back. Although he is having problems now, in the past it has helped him a lot. Plus I respect Terry and Casey, who sang the praises of Lawson Chiropractic.

I called Eve tonight about going to dinner, both to see if she was back, and because she is usually the motivator in their dinner plans. We agreed to meet over at Southern Fried Green Tomatoes off Congaree Road.

I got there early and wandered into the mall for a minute or two while I was waiting. I was trying to remember on the way over how long it had been since I had been in a mall, and I guess it was the last time I went to Charlotte to see Lee and Clayton. Lee always says Dillard’s has the best sales, so I went in there. They did have some nice lounging shorts on sale for half price (which was still really too high), so even though I didn’t really need any more lounging shorts I got them. Lounging shorts are so much more comfortable than even knit shorts, and plus I can answer the door or go out on the porch in them without feeling creepy. So I put $18 back into the economy.

Dinner was good. I hadn’t eaten at that place before, but it was above the bar for a meat-and-three, which is basically what it was. The biscuits were wonderful. I took two home, although I really shouldn’t have since I’m not exercising this week.

After dinner we went back to the house for a visit. I felt Dad out on the Cindy and Paul situation. I had planned to flatly ask him what it would take for him to reconcile; but at the mere mention he started rumbling and I backed off without getting to what I wanted to know. We talked about Lisa then, and about Cole. They just spent the week with him last week, and were full of praise for him. Dad really wants to help him get a good start in life, which I’m glad about.

Politics came up, and for my dad he was (fairly) reasonable. He did concede some points to me, and we did find some things we agreed about – both fairly shocking developments; but as usual, eventually, the conversation became rancorous. I am ashamed to admit I tweaked his nose pretty hard about some facts that I knew he didn’t have. The difference was that before, Dad never knew when to stop the discussion without it becoming a shouting match. He did yell some tonight, and insisted on playing a video for me on YouTube about the bail-out program, which he is of course foaming at the mouth about. Honestly, though, that was my fault. I tried to get the last word, and I was actually pretty snotty about it. I should have known that I’ll never have the last word while there is breath in his body, LOL. So he got the last word, and then we moved on and talked about other things. I hugged him before I left. All in all, I felt like it was a good visit, for us.

I went home with my biscuits, feeling like a pretty good son, all things considered.