found drama

FIRST: She has found me after all these years. “I’ve missed you so much.” But I just cannot go through with it and race instead back to my room (shamed in both ways). I need to talk my way out of this one and when We finally leave for our flight home, we are too late. Bumped to the red-eye standy-by, finally returning home to the news that my grandfather has passed.

AGAIN: She has found me after all these years and leads me down the hall. “I’ve missed you so much.” She shows me to her room. Afterward, I race back to my room (hiding it all) and We depart for home, right on time. We make it back with time to spare, get settled in for the birthday celebration. There’s going to be a song that my grandfather will sing. He has not been well but will not be left out of the party. When he collapses, everyone crowds around, trying to help. I go for the phone to dial 911. The land-line won’t connect; it wants me to enter my credit card number to activate. My cell phone battery is on its last red bar; I find my brother’s phone instead. The operator on the other end wants to chit-chat and has no sense of urgency; I order him to connect me with someone competent and wonder if it’s already too late.

About Rob Friesel