The Doctor Appointment

Saturday #1 asked if I would take her to a doctors appointment downtown. She didn't know the area and didn't want to go alone. I picked her and her son Luchi up at 11:00. Luchi was nervous at first. He will be three years old next month and it had been a while since he saw me. I had come prepared though. I pulled some Lego guys out of the armrest storage compartment and handed them to him. Quickly he was quiet and happy while we maneuvered are way to the inter most areas of Detroit.

The heat of the day was already climbing though not yet noon. We passed overgrown playgrounds and empty buildings but you don't see a lot of people. We found the office with time to spare. It was a surprisingly well kept building on the outskirts of the downtown medical district.

"Can you take him to McDonalds or something while I'm here?"

"Are you kidding. It is the middle of Detroit. There are no McDonalds," I said.

"He can't stay in the car the whole time."

"I'll figure something out."

#1 got out and I continued deeper into the city. I don't come downtown very often but today I had a good idea of where I was and where we could go. I pulled into an empty parking lot. An Indian man wearing a blue turban came out of the valet booth and asked how long I was going to be. I said an hour. His English was poor and I had a hard time understanding him as we dickered over the price.

He glanced in my wallet as I shuffled through my money. "Give me $10 and I will give you $4 when you return.

"How about I just give you $6 now."

I helped Luchi out. He gathered up the Lego guys in one hand and held mine with the other. We left my shiny new red Charger alone and looking out of place and headed out into the city. We were near the courthouse. Tall buildings surrounded us and I kept Luchi busy by pointing out the various buildings. I was afraid he would be scared without his mom but we were on an adventure and he was fine.

We talked as we walked along. "Mommy at the doctors?"

"Yes your mommy is at the doctors. Have you been to the doctors?"

"Umm hmm."

"Did he listen to your heart?"

"He fixed my finger."

"He fixed your finger? That's right the doctor is going to fix mommy's finger too."

We were headed for Coney Island, a famous little dive dinner on the corner of Lafayette and Griswald. As we approached the restaurant we saw a black man sprawled out on his stomach on the sidewalk. His head was resting on a folded jacket. Pigeons pecked at scraps on the cement around him. He was wearing only one shoe. On the other foot was a stark white sock. I found myself wonder how the bums sock could be so clean if he was walking around the city in it.

"He's dead, " Luci said matter-of-factly.

"No Luch, he's is just sleeping." I hoped. "Lets walk by quietly so we don't wake him."

We entered the restaurant and sat at the counter. The servers and two men at the counter were all middle eastern and kept up a steady conversation in their native tongue while we ordered hot dogs and french fries. Luchi was more interested in playing with his toys then eating. Each time I would encourage him to eat he would tell me , " I'm fine." He was no trouble though and seemed to be enjoying his adventure.

#1 called to check in. "What are you doing? Where you at? Is he ok?" I assured her we were fine and asked what food she would want us to bring back for her.

Toward the end of our meal Luchi figured out that the orange counter stool he was sitting on could spin. He would spin the stool fast and the stool would vibrate. He would laugh and giggle as I immated the sound and tried copying me with his own lips.

Time went by quickly and we ordered chili cheese fries to go for his mom. Luchi carried them back to the car being sure to tell me to be quiet as we walked past the sleeping bum. It reminded me of when my kids were young. Three years old is such a magical age where everything can be made into an adventure and conversations are delightful because you never know what they will say.

We returned to the doctor's office and #1 walked out a few moments later. As we pulled back out onto the road Luchi asked, "did he fix your finger mom?"

#1 looked at me confused for a moment, she had been going for a female exam. I quickly explained that was what doctors do and she played along, showing her index finger to her son and flexing it. "See all better."

Together they devoured the chili fries on the way home. I was a little sad when I dropped them off but it was fun. It reminded me briefly of when we all lived together.

Born To Be Down

And you just don't get it
You keep it copaceti
And you learn to accept it
You know its so pathetic--Bound For The Floor, Local H

We are driven by the same basic instincts anger, happiness, sadness and fear. You can paint people together with the broad strokes yet no one can predict how each of us will react to the minute. The glance from across the room, the missed phone call, the ripple on the water-- the change our lives. We are complex. Often we don't even know our own reasons. We hide. We hide behind complex constructs of who we think we are, who we want to be, who we are told we are.

I like to believe that more then fate brings us together, that more then our will drives us. Sometimes we are gently guide away from the edge, sometimes our lesson is to fall. I don't know how I got here. My past is mostly forgotten. My future uncertain. I could use a nudge now.

Reflections

A picture in time. I don't remember the date. Just the period of my life. I remember driving my 1972 Cutlass Supreme north on Jefferson between Hall Road and 21 mile. The car so waxed and polished I could drive from the reflection of the road shining up at me from the hood.

I loved that car. I remember staring into the hood looking at the reflection and thinking, something just isn't right. I was doing all the right things, working hard, building a career, building a family yet something was wrong. I was doing what I was supposed to do-- not what I wanted to do.

The refection of the road, the oncoming cars, the deep blue sky all had the underlying golden hue of the cars body color. But you can't drive by staring at the reflection. I bought a new car this week; a dark red Dodge Charger. It has been nine years since I got a new car. Nine troubled years.

I can mark periods of my life by the cars I've owned. Perhaps this new Charger will mark a new period.