Every so often

So, tonight, I’m up at Plaid, getting some cigarettes. I never smoke in my car, so I’m standing there, out front, in my MA-1 fight jacket and my sweat pants – it’s late, I just pulled something on to go out, and I’m wearing my white and brown Penny Loafers, my Cuban Shoes, my biker friend calls ’em, and I’m just minding my own business.

A young couple walk up, in their 20’s or so, and he goes into the store and she stays outside smoking, and talks to me. Am I a veteran? Her uncle is, was in Desert Storm when she was 3, and is messed up from Gulf War Syndrome, and they just now started paying him Disability.. I’m thinking yeah yeah yeah, that is the way it works, they wait for you to give up or die or go insane. But, I didn’t say any of that, I just made the right noises here and there.  I says, "I was in the Cold War, in the Navy in the early 80’s" and she gets all respectful.  He comes out with the six-pack, and she says "well, what do you think?", and I pull a line from a movie out of my head and I say "fuck the government", and they both laugh, wish me well, and start to walk away.

She turns and runs back and says, "do you mind if I hug you?" Many things go through my mind as she says "I’m 26" and I pick the best line and say "ok", and she gives me a good long hug.

Not one of those "one-Mississippi" "two-Mississippi" hugs, there and gone, no.

It was a nice, long hug, and I wrapped both arms around her and put a palm in the small of her back and the other between her shoulders, and she says, "oh what a nice hug!", and I’m thinking, "well, how’s this? Eh? Life is not so bad!"

That hug went on a bit longer and she broke away and said something about a nice night, and I had this real sensation of electricity buzzing around and though my brain and my hair, at half an inch long all over,stood up in places, it felt like, and I felt this big ol’ smile on my face.

Yeah, I’m thinking, how bad is that? Ye haw.

***

Things usually work out. I panic, give up too soon, and it works out. I got meds to help me this time, and they really seem to work, and I’m standing there, minding my own business, smoking and thinking, tomorrow’s the warmest day of the year so far, it looks like, and Easter Sunday is the day after tomorrow, and some good looking 26 year old wraps herself around me and hugs me like I haven’t been hugged for awhile, and damn,

life is good.

****