Don’t even bother thinking anymore about how many
days it’s been since I did or didn’t see the sun – just part of the landscape
as far as I’m concerned now. I’ve gotten so used to it doesn’t even register how
long it’s been since I even THOUGHT of getting out the old sunglasses!
Today I got REALLY serious about inhabiting room
108 – I dredged my mattress topper off of the highest bunk in the box bedroom,
spread it out, and claimed my bed to the sea!
An interesting lady – who a) had come to the hotel
with the Ayles after church on Sunday when she learned Loraine had offered to
give them a ride home to Bridport, and hoped to get one, as well; (she had come
there to visit her daughter, though she herself lives outside of London), and b)
I had ‘entertained’ along with the Ayles as they waited for Loraine to sort
some things out prior to their all leaving – for what ended up being several
hours – was in the area and stopped by to visit Loraine. BUT, seeing as how
Loraine was not in (gone pretty much every day now, in the throes of house
remodeling), she had asked Stacey if I was in – and, yes, I was.
Sylvia is quite the talker, which was just fine,
actually, as she ended up telling me her ‘story’ – one of my favorite things to
muse over. (As she was leaving – almost three hours later – she confided that many
of the things she’d disclosed she had never shared with anyone – and I believe
it. Also it seemed to me that the time we spent together had to have been very
cathartic for her, and that, besides reveling in the hearing, also made me happy.)
The story is way too long to relate in all its glorious detail, so I will just
say that she married an American service man who after nine months of courtship
took her back with him, a young bride, to Virginia. Her eyes were immediately
opened when they arrived as his parents’ house – as, she said, he was one degree
removed from being a hillbilly. The sad thing is – and she never mentioned this
to her parents – as an enabler, she was marrying a man who already was, a), in
the habit of hitting her, and two, an alcoholic, though not yet thirty. (She
said that she was convinced that it was things that she’d done that had been
the cause of the majority of their problems and trusted that things would
change once they got settled in their new home. Yes, she says, I was horribly
naïve and innocent.) Twelve years, and three children later, she finally absconded
with their offspring and returned to England. Some ten years later the
missionaries caught, and taught, her son one day at home when she was at work,
and the rest is history - a pretty interesting, colorful lady. (She had remarked
on Sunday that as much as she had enjoyed our conversation, she thought, in all
honesty, that we probably would never see one another again. She said this AGAIN today – but you just never know, right?!)
Came across a report today that said there’s been
a major flu epidemic going on in Boston. Good thing I got MY flu shot two and a
half months ago back on Day 110. The article said that emergency rooms have
been turning people away due to lack of space, and that one hospital in the
area had even set up temporary tent facilities, out of doors, where they could treat
people and then send them home to die. (Just kidding - about the dying part!)
This evening Loraine and I had a few of those rare
moments alone together – she is always So busy and often with Andy. At one
point she thanked me and said how much she really appreciated all that I was
doing. That was very nice, and I appreciated her saying so – I do try to help
out the best I can. It is always satisfying and rewarding when your efforts are
recognized.
