Now or Never

He was suddenly aware of how tired he was;

The nervousness that had raged through him the entire night had exhausted his ass.
The longer they went without speaking the more morose he became.
-Junot Diaz
THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO

Twenty-five years ago today:

May 31, 1987
Sunday

I slept until 10:30AM on this restful Sunday.
The telephone rang. It was mom.
“Do you want to come over for breakfast?” Mom asked.
“I’ll be right over!”

I felt rather lazy today. I ate breakfast with ma and pa and then returned to my pad to lounge and read a book.

Ashley was brought over and we went to the beach. I followed that with a visit to the ICE CREAM Dock.
Ashley remembered when she ordered the boysenberry ice-cream with me the last time.
Ashley said, “I don’t like the purple ice-cream.”
I laughed as it was the company of an innocent child that I needed today.

I watched a couple of videotaped movies later: CRACKED UP and INFIDILITY.

While home I decided to write Eileen one last ‘Now or Never’ card. Then I went to bed. Yawn.

“You won’t die, will you?”
I like to think…we start again. In a new body that isn’t old or sick. Or in a bird or a tree…but no one really knows.
-Joanne Harris
CHOCOLAT