A post in which I rally round a friend - eventually

I woke up about 10:30, bleary and feeling half-drunk with exhaustion, but my stomach refused to let the rest of me go back to sleep before something was eaten. I made some breakfast and went back to bed.

***

And woke up about 3pm. When I saw the clock I started to panic. Today was my house cleaning day, and Mother will be here in two days.

But I had also gotten the call from Donnie on Saturday. His mother died. Miss Ruby had been in bad shape for a long time, and this was kind of a release for her. But it’s always hard when a parent dies. I should have been over there before now, really, but I've just had so much going on. I knew I had to get over there. I wanted to take a cake, but at that point there was just no time. I know from experience that sometimes you don’t really need someone to do something. You just need them to be there. I made an executive decision mere presence would just have to be enough, cleaned up, and headed for Donnie’s.

Things were pretty laid back there, and he seemed to be doing well all things considered. He and Mark proudly showed me the posh new wine cellar they had built to accommodate their growing collection. There was more wine in there than I would drink in a lifetime, probably, but they are real aficionados.

I hung out with him, listened to him, tried to be amusing, and we straightened up the kitchen some. People started arriving that evening with fried chicken and fixings, which is of course the universal funeral food of the South. I did feel bad about not making something. It made me feel kind of selfish. I mean, I did lose track of time, but I didn’t have to stay out so late last night. I tried to just focus on being there and living in the moment, but it was hard for me to let it go. Most of the gang ended up coming. We ate and then adjourned to the back deck to talk, visit, drink wine, and tell Miss Ruby stories. There was a strong feeling of the gathering of the clan. Everyone rallied round. It was good to be together.

But eventually, I had to leave. I had been there all afternoon, my house is a wreck, and there wasn’t anything there to eat. I headed out about nine, dropped by the grocery store on the way home, and picked up some stuff for lunches. Then I hit the hay. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.