I think my boarding number on the SWA flight headed to Birmingham was B-12. All I had was my backpack. I was returning back to Austin on an evening flight the same day so I didn’t need luggage. The backpack contained my laptop. I never leave town without it. I was a little surprised that the plane was seemingly full of passengers when I boarded. Apparently the connecting flight contained a lot of folks who hadn’t gotten off in Houston. At any rate, with little difficulty, I located an aisle seat. I prefer to sit in the aisle seat because of the extra leg-room available in the aisle.
Before taking the seat, I asked the young lady sitting in the window seat if the seat was taken? She said “No”. Consequently I took the seat. Sometime later I buckled my seat belt. The lady said: “My husband will be boarding. He can take the center seat.” I apologized for taking the aisle seat and volunteered to sit elsewhere. She was insistent that I stay. She just didn’t want me to be buckled in knowing I’d need to stand to let her husband be seated.
Reportedly, the lady and her husband were headed home to Birmingham. They were returning from spending a week in Cabo San Lucas. I asked about their trip and she said it was “lovely”. When her husband got to the aisle where we were located, he said to his wife: “I’m going to go on back. I’m not taking a center seat.” I offered to move and both said: “No – you’re fine.”
Seriously, I could sit elsewhere in the plane. After the last passenger boarded, I went back to locate the husband and trade places with him. He seemed surprised. In fact I’m not sure he really was that eager to change places. He said to me, “Honestly, I don’t have to sit with her. I just spent six days with her.” I thought it was funny.
His response reminded me of the lyrics to the song: “I’ve got a wife at home. I’ve got a wife at home. I’ve got a wife. She’s the apple of my life, but I wish she would leave me alone”.
At the risk of getting into trouble, I’ll simply say that yesterday didn’t turn out exactly the way I had planned. It turned out fine. I wouldn’t change a thing. Actually, that’s not true. If I had done it the way I intended, it would have saved time. But how was I to know?
Part of my make-ready plan for the General’s return home on Friday after having been gone for several days was to have my overflowing box of dated and unused medications ready for disposal. If I had a dollar for every time she has suggested I needed to do that, I’d be able to buy coffee from Starbucks everyday for a month. Sometimes she can be a little overbearing.
At any rate, I had emptied my medication box of everything but current medications and I was taking a truckload (over-stated for impact) of unused pain pills associated to a number of past minor surgeries to the collection site. The National Take Back Initiative was also the motivation I needed to take other discontinued prescription medications for disposal as well.
I had a full agenda on Saturday, so timing was of the essence. The collection site opened at 10:00 a.m. I planned to make my drug run and be back home in a New York minute. When I announced to the General that I was going, she asked where? I told her I was going to Barton Creek Mall. The University of Texas – College of Pharmacy was participating with the DEA in collecting medications on the parking lot at that location.
Obviously, the location didn’t set well with the General. Surely, the list had a closer location identified? Okay, so there was a site in Wimberley. To make her point, she wanted to know why I wouldn’t go to Wimberley since it was closer? Okay, so if you really want to know, I had no idea where 200 Stillwater Road was located in Wimberley. At least with Barton Creek Square, I knew where I was headed. Okay, okay, so I’m off to Wimberley. I was planning to take the Miata and take the back roads into Austin. Back roads were all I had toward Wimberley, so it would work out fine.
Lovingly, the General said: “If you’ll wait until I get ready, I’ll ride with you.” Before I committed I asked: “I don’t suppose you’d want to take the Miata would you?” You guessed it, she didn’t. I could hear the tune of: “I’ve got a wife at home” rolling around in my head. I responded: “Okay, so we’ll take the truck”. Needless to say, I don’t always get to do what I want to do.
Of course, as we backed out of the drive in the truck, the General asked: “Did you drive the Miata while I was gone?” Of course, I drove the Miata while she was gone! My answer to her question was coupled with the thought: “We’d be driving it to Wimberley if you were a little more flexible.” I lovingly (or was it protectively) didn’t verbalize that thought.
Okay, so the day didn’t turn out exactly as I anticipated. Another day maybe? The drug run to Wimberley was a bust so-to-speak. We made our way to 200 Stillwater Road in Wimberley. It is an impressive building. It was also dark and the doors were locked. I was not a happy camper! I could have taken a handful of pain pills and gone back home, but I was on a mission.
The back roads from Wimberley to the outskirts of Austin proved to be an enjoyable ride. It would have been a lot of fun in the other car, but I’m not complaining. I’ve got a wife at home and she likes to go with me without the sun getting in her eyes or the wind blowing her hair.
The drug run to Barton Creek Mall was successful. There were lots of UT Pharmacy students in the parking lot wearing white lab coats that gladly took the stash of pills off my hands.
All My Best!
Don