from viking rabbit to game-playing pilgrim

I love the old cartoons: Bugs Bunny, Pink Panther, Roadrunner and Coyote.

They come on daily, at 7 AM...

which is three hours before I rise.

Usually.

Today, after 5 hours of sleep, I was awake in time to catch some 'toons.

Oooohhh, aaahhh. (smile)

Then it was time to toss emails back and forth with Sarah Benhase and Lisa Ricks, grab some coffee and eggs, and hit the road.

Out I went to surf in my safe deposit box for Ronnie's social security card and, perhaps, even a copy of his last photo ID card.

After a delay caused by my arrival without an appointment, I was finally allowed access, but 'twas all of no avail.

I had not one single item of his, not one, in that deposit box.

Shocked, I went home to ransack drawers, the filing cabinet, but to no end.

There followed a flurry of emails and texts and even a phone call, all trying to determine what to do next and how to proceed with moving him to a nursing home.

Exhausted, I laid down to rest... and took a little nap.

Refreshed, I headed out to the hospital, more jokes in hand, this time from another issue of The American Legion monthly.

That's the only part of the magazine I read, and I'd read one page of corny jokes to Ronnie yesterday, so new ones sallied forth with me today.

My intention was to make a day of it with him.

The chaplain had told me yesterday, during the debacle with Christina's visit, that Smitty and I would be the only ones allowed to see him now, but that we would still have 24/7 access.

Would "still have 24/7" visitation privileges???

Yes, apparently, that's what I've had all along, that's why my armband is orange and Christina's and Tony's and Michael's had been blue.

Nice to know, if a bit late.

So, like I said, I came for the an extended visit, arriving at 3 PM and staying until 8 PM.

That's quite a while to be carrying on a one-sided conversation, but I managed to keep up my end pretty well.

I spoke of my time with Christina and her girls last night, reminding him that I'd shown him their photos on Tuesday.

I spoke of Tony's upcoming knee surgery to replace his left one and that his doctor had called it "the knee of a 75-year-old arthritic old man".

I swear Ronnie had raised an eyebrow to that comment!

I spoke of Michael's visit to him on Wednesday and talked about the twins in kindergarden and headed for first-grade in the fall, reminding him of their photos from Tuesday, too.

I spoke of Smitty and Mary and their anniversary and how they had actually been together for more than half their lives, even though only twenty of it was through marriage.

Mostly, though, I spoke about Grandpa.

I talked about our summers in Waycross with Grandma and Grandpa, of summer camp at Laura S. Walker State Park, of him and Grandpa fishing and talking about life.

And the whole time I spoke, I held Ronnie's right hand in my left one.

I swear he squeezed my hand a few times, that he held on the whole time.

I swear he was listening to me, too.

And I had the impression that he was waiting, waiting for something, for someone...

and I reminded him that Smitty would be visiting him tomorrow, as they were to return from their trip today.

For the first five years of his life, Smitty was his only brother and they went everywhere together and did everything together before my youngest brother was born.

There had just been the three of us Smith kids, just as there are three of us in this photo.

Remember? When we had been so fortunate to be all together for what would have been Mama's 80th birthday in 2017, with Tony 'there' on the phone with us?

That was a very good day.

I'd like to believe that Ronnie might awaken and see that photo on the tv stand in this room and that it will bring a smile to him.

Yes, I will choose to believe he knows that photo is there, and has been there, for most of his stay this May.

Now, I seek solace from a movie and I think "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" may well be the one to bring a smile to my face.

Yes, I will choose to believe that it will.