Follow the Fortune Cookie

Kickin' It Old School

"As I walk this land of broken dreams,
I have visions of many things.
Love's happiness is just an illusion,
Filled with sadness and confusion."
~Jimmy Ruffin, "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"
Currently listening to: "Knock on Wood" - Kenny Floyd
Currently reading: "Margaret of the Imperfections" - Lynda Sexson

When I mention that I'm going to kickin' something old school, I mean my old school of twenty-two years. Yes, this isn't much but one would be surprised how cool my old school is.

Today, however, old school means back when I was steaming through junior high with pneumonia. There's a long story here which culminates with me not being able to miss a day of school or repeating the eighth grade with a 3.9 GPA. It made all kinds of sense to my principal at the time who was blackmailing me. Anywhoozle...

To get through the day I would:
*Sugar it up early in the morning with a fully-loaded, fully-sugared coke
*Let Starbursts dissolve under my tongue during third and fourth period.
*Another coke at lunch with a Mountain Dew back.
*More Starbursts to the end of school.
*A No-Doz in my drinking water during basketball season. Running laps shook off the jitters.

This would lead me to crash about the time I got home around four in the afternoon. I'd sleep through dinner, wake at around 9, eat the leftovers and take my meds for lung rot, pass out again until 3, then start the whole freakin' process all over again. (Homework was finished during dinner and after three). I did this entire process for five months before being admitted into the hospital after graduation. (For the pneumonia, not the sugar).

I haven't done that in about a decade, but today seems to be one of those days. The springtime crud has come to visit but I can't stop right now. I stopped last week because my mom had the crud and before that was several other family members. This week, however, will not allow such niceties. My grandfather's new feeding tube and his struggles? Nope. Early-dementia grandmother not sure what to do? Nah. Late night calls from my father? Nyet. Midterms? Ha! It is full-sugar ahead my friends. There's just too damn much to do.

I'd stick around now but I have to go get my third cup of coffee today. See ya on the flip side.