FIRST DAYS PART SIX

THE WIND LASTED ALL NIGHT...SUBSIDING FOR A MINUTE,AND THEN COMING ON STRONG FOR A FEW MINUTES.  IN THE MORNING, THE WIND WAS JUST AN OCASSIONAL BREEZE, AND THE AIR WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR.....I NEEDED TO GO TO THE BANK IN MONTROSE AND GET SOME CASH.  I OPENED THE CHECKBOOK AND FOUND THE BALANCE WAS TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.  I ALSO FOUND MY NEW NAME SELECTED FOR  ME...ROBERT E. KEY.  I ALSO FOUND MY CALIFORNIA DRIVERS LICENSE.  HOW MY ANGEL DID THAT, ONLY HE KNOWS.  IN  THE GARAGE WAS A 1951 HUDSON....BLACK AND STICK SHIFT. THE KEY WAS IN IGNITION AND I DROVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME TO GO TO BANK.  I WITHDREW FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.  IT WAS A SATURDAY AND THAT MEANT I WOULD GET TO SEE THE FISHBACKS AT 3509 OUT AND AROUND.  WHILE IN MONTROSE, I BOUGHT A PAIR OF BINOCULARS AT THE ARMY AND NAVY.  I FOUND AN EXCUSE TO GO GET A HAIRCUT AT STAN'S BARBER SHOP WHERE I HAD WORKED AS A SHOE SHINE BOY. STANLEY WIEMAN.....HE LIKED ME AND HIRED ME EVEN THOUGH HE MUST HAVE HAD DOUBTS.  I HAD TRIED TO PLEASE HIM AND ONE DAY A MAN WAS GETTING A HAIRCUT AND HE WAS SMOKING A CIGAR AS HIS HAIR WAS BEING CUT.  HE ASKED ME TO SHINE HIS SHOES.  IN THE PROCESS, I NOTICED CLOUDS OF CIGAR SMOKE DRIFTING AROUND STAN'S HEAD, AND WANTING TO LET STAN KNOW I SYMPATHIZED WITH HIM, I STOOD UP AND WALKED AROUND TO THE BACK OF THE CHAIR, POINTED AT THE CUSTOMER, AND WAVED MY HAND AS IF FANNING THE AIR.   SORT OF A "PHEW" EXPRESSION.  I THEN NOTICED THE SMOKER WAS TAKING ALL OF THIS IN FROM THE MIRROR ON THE WALL ACROSS FROM HIM.  STAN CUT MY HAIR AND I HAD TO BIGHT MY TONGUE TO KEEP FROM ASKING ABOUT BOBBY FISHBACK....THE SHOPPING BAG WAS FULL FROM SATURDAY GROCERY SHOPPERS.  I WENT BACK HOME AND PARKED THE HUDSON IN THE DRIVE WAY.  SURE ENOUGH....OH MY....OH GOD...THERE WAS MY DADDY  MOWING THE FRONT LAWN...HOW YOUNG HE LOOKED.  I REMEMBERED HE NEVER PUT ME TO WORK MOWING.  MAYBE HE WANTED IT DONE RIGHT.  I WANTED TO RUN TO HIM AND HUG HIM AND SPILL THE BEANS.  I THEN REMEBERED HIS LAST DAYS HERE IN TULSA.  HE WAS GREATLY AFFECTED BY DEMENTIA....MOTHER WAS SUFFERING FROM CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND SPENT MOST OF HER TIME IN HER EASY CHAIR WATCHING TV OR DOZING.  SHE TRIED TO MONITOR MY DAD'S DRINKING AND METERED HIS DRINKS TO HIM.  I THINK HE DRANK OUT OF BOREDOM.  ONE NIGHT HE CALLED ME AND SAID "THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MOM"   I RUSHED OVER...WALKED DOWN THE HALL, AND PREPARED MYSELF FOR WHAT I MIGHT SEE WHEN I TURNED THE CORNER INTO HER BEDROOM.  SHE WAS LYING IN BED WITH HER EYES CLOSED AND HER MOUTH HANGING OPEN.  SHE WAS DEAD.  I WENT TO HER AND SAW SOME LITTLE CHICKEN NOODLES ON THE PILLOWS,  I HAD FIXED NOODLE SOUP FOR HER JUST AN HOUR EARLIER.  AND SHE HAD THROWN THEM UP.  I TRIED CPR AND I HEARD HER LUNGS GURGLING...TOO LATE...GOD WANTED HER.  I PICKED HER UP AND LAYED HER ON FLOOR..WEEPING...I CLOSED HER MOUTH AND WHEN HER LIPS CAME TOGETHER, SHE SMILED.  PROBABLY FROM THE LAST THING SHE WOULD SEE ON THIS EARTH..AN ANGEL TO CARRY HER HOME.  I TALKED TO HER WHILE WEEPING AND OF ALL THINGS I RECALL SAYING, I THANKED HER FOR ALL THE SCHOOL LUNCHES SHE HAD MADE FOR ME.  THE AMBULANCE AND EVEN A FIRE TRUCK CAME.  SHE  WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.   THE FUNERAL HOME SENT A PERSON TO PICK HER UP AND WHEEL HER AWAY.  DAD'S SENILITY WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE....HE JUST COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY EDITH WAS BEING WHEELED OUT WITH A BLANKET OVER HER.  I THINK IT BROKE THROUGH A LITTLE NOW AND THEN AS HE WOULD CRY A LITTLE, FOLLOWED WITH  "WHERE IS MOM?"  DADDY'S END CAME ONE YEAR LATER.  I HAD TO PUT HIM IN A VERY GOOD NURSING HOME WHERE HE ENJOYED ALL OF THE OTHER OLD ONES.  ONE MORNING  I  GOT A CALL AND THE NURSE TOLD ME MY FATHER HAD PASSED AWAY.  SHE TOLD ME HIS LAST LIVING MOMENTS....HE HAD ASKED FOR A GLASS OF MILK AND THEN TOLD NURSE THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO BE ALONE.  WHEN THE NURSE CAME BACK, HE WAS GONE.  SUCH A TYPICAL LAST REQUEST..A GLASS OF MILK...HE WAS SUCH A GENEROUS MAN...GIVING SO MUCH OF HIMSELF AND THINGS TO OTHERS.  BOTH OF THEM HAD A TREASURE CHEST OF LIFETIME FRIENDS.  AND, THERE HE WAS..MOWING THE YARD...SO HAPPY TO BE AWAY FROM HIS DESK...I KNEW WHAT HE WOULD DO NEXT,  HE LOVED TO WASH OUT THE GARAGE FLOOR WITH A HIGH POWERED NOZZLE....HE LIKED TO WEAR TALL RUBBER BOOTS AND JUST HAVE A BALL DOING THAT.  I JUST HAD TO SEE AND TALK TO MAMMA AND DADDY.....WHILE I STILL COULD...I WANTED TO BE WITH BOBBY IN HIS ROOM....I FELT IMPULSIVENESS BECOMING THE DIRECTOR OF MY ORCHESTRA...REALLY, I NEEDED TO GO FOR A LONG DRIVE AND CALM DOWN....(TO BE CONTINUED)