Tuesday, June 30, 1992
The campus snack bar is open lunchtime hours during the summer and does full menu if you don't mind waiting for things to be made fresh, and it's much more peaceful without the in-house radio rocking out in the background. Nick and Noreen are at the same table at the back where they got reacquainted just a few weeks – actually, wow, months ago. She actually brought in her own salad and he thought a fish sandwich sounded good, not like they didn't mind the wait, despite spitting precipitation keeping them off the patio.
He had been wanting to stop by the lab and touch base with Brian, so they went over some things. It sounded like there was about 20% routine matters and then the rest was come and go, most equipment was all set but there would be a few calibrations due soon, but nothing major. Brian had gone ahead and checked parts inventory and gotten an order ready but would leave that for Nick if he wanted. Sure, why not.
Noreen caught up with him, right on schedule Goody had to ask if she'd gotten her eyes checked recently.
"I don't think it would do either of us any good, so we'll leave well enough alone."
So they take their time after eating, the day has a mixed vibe, he gets to meet her mom today.
"Nick have you ever been in a nursing home?"
"A few times, mostly as a kid."
"OK, just wanted to make sure. Some things a person can never be fully ready for."
"I know." They squeeze hands as she stares out the window.
He isn't concerned about what he might face, this just feels right.
The weekend had been somewhat of a drag, the wet weather was fitting. At one point he listened to a severe weather net on the scanner and thought that might be good to help with at some point, but he wasn't otherwise motivated, couldn't ride the bike, work was filled with the pangs of landing back on earth, the morning reared its head too soon, he was never good at catching up on sleep. A lot of things were started then abandoned, tried to watch TV, ended up dozing off to music here and there.
He almost called her during jazz but it seemed too soon, things were still aglow, words get in the way. A long shower after work was just plain soothing. He would have to let the jazz do its work tonight and let Sunday come.
And it did, she rang late morning with a question about computers that didn't fool anyone, chalk it up to her sense of humor, even if at a subconscious level.
"It's good to hear your voice," he admits. "Wish we could watch some of this stuff I've been taping."
"Hold onto those, we'll get a chance, gotta plan it right, you know where that will lead if we curl up, plus it will be colder in a few months."
"Yeah good point."
"So, do you have some time this week, did you want to go with me to see Mom?"
With more rain in the forecast they were going to have to pick a day and make it a good one, so far so good, although Nick seems to be enjoying it more. She walks with noticeably less pert than usual, he's just glad she can be herself, but he tries rubbing her shoulders some.
She smiles, "Sweetie I appreciate you coming with me and trying to make me feel better."
"That's what we do isn't it?"
She moves her chair next to his and leans on him, tears up a bit, and pretty soon he realizes her weight feels like a warm bag of sand, bushes dance for them in the weeping window.
After a bit she draws a breath, "Ready hon?"
"Ready Freddie."
This gets an ember of earnest smile.
Thankfully he's parked closer and offers to do the driving. They get on the main road, and he tries, "I hear Coverdale and Page are gonna do an album soon, might tour."
She's still in a funk, "Hmmm...wait, who?"
"David Coverdale, from Whitesnake and Jimmy Page from LedZep."
"Oh yeah, groovy, sorry, not with it today."
"So what do you listen to mostly?"
"Oh I'm an omnivore, but whatever fits the mood, sometimes I sleep with classical, but in the car I just flip around."
"But enough about the other night."
This gets a laugh while she looks away. "So when do I get my bra back?"
"Come and get it."
"I'll just take something of yours hostage, you know how this works."
"Want my undywears?"
"Shut up and take the next left."
"Oh...my brother is s’posed to be back this way for the weekend, so be warned."
"Well if he's nothing like you...wait, that could still be a bad thing."
"It's worse than very bad, run, just run."
"I supposed I have to bite the bullet at some point - listen to me, haven't even met the guy."
"Mom mentioned doing some cooking and hinted that would be a good time to have you over, if you can make it."
She just throws that expectant look, "Nick, you know I'll move heaven and earth to be there....I just love the way you get around to mentioning things. Your poor mother...if it happens to come up again then you better mention and hint that I'd love to get there early and help out. Can ya handle that?"
Nick just sighs and shuts up. Noreen waits for a straight stretch in the road and pecks him on the cheek and puts a hand on his shoulder.
They arrive at the facility and find a spot, he parks, they just sit there. After another deep breath she looks up at him to signal and they pull up their hoods and head into the lobby then down the right-center of the four hallways that fan out. Staff float here and about as Nick meets eyes with many of the residents that look up, some smile, some stare blankly. It smells like a hospital.
She's not in her room, one of the staff says try the game room, so they do, and Noreen approaches a woman with short gray locks seated at a table staring out into the blender they'd been in and out of all day.
"Momma, hi," to get her attention.
She turns to face them and smiles, "Hi dear," then stands up and they hug.
"Mom this is Nick."
"Oh hi, good to meet you, call me Edna."
Nick takes both her hands, "I'll do just that, Edna, good to meet you."
"What brings you out today?"
Noreen jumps in, "It had been too long, Mom, I get too busy, I know, the boys are better about it -"
"Just glad to see a familiar face, the weather looks awful."
"It's much nicer in here for sure."
They all take seats and the gals catch up a bit, are they treating you well, Noreen is getting back in front of a classroom and Nick has been a great help, they both glance at him now and then.
As they kinda rattle on he pulls a checker board over his way and assembles the checkers to see if they're all there, and they are. Nick hadn't played in years, not since with a granddad, and he couldn't remember if they still had a set at his house.
After a few minutes a fellow in a wheelchair pulls up, "Hey wanna rack 'em up?"
"Sure, why not, you may have to remind me how," as he situates things and moves chairs.
"Nuthin to it. I'm Roger by the way," and reaches for a shake.
"Nick on this end, alright, what's yer pleasure?"
Roger takes reds and goes over the kings, which is the part Nick had long forgotten. Such a simple game, nothing to lose but pride, these old timers usually wipe up the floor with you it seems like.
They get going and Nick finally gets a king but can't do much, but it's all in fun, his opponent is a retired machinist with MS, body is not what it used to be but he's sharp as a tack.
Noreen glances over and prods her mom to do the same, they seem amused, good for them. At one point they go back to Edna's room for a few minutes, he and Rog keep resetting, Nick is behind 1-2 but who's counting.
They aren't gone long and take up positions to watch the action, as it were, Nick's remembering a few things, maybe he played this more than he'd thought over the years.
Rog kept egging him on, "Keep on mixin' em up son, you know the moves, there's a million ways ain't they?"
He gets the idea that Noreen is about ready to head out, so this will be the last, then somewhere in that thought,
"FUCKETTY FUCKATASH," at a piercing volume from the next table over, everyone looks to find a stout lady who'd just spilled some clear pop on the table and herself, and the staff are quick to pop in and calm her down, nothing hurt but pride.
Edna just grins, Roger has her back to the scene and is almost biting a lip, Nick has to turn to the window till he can get his composure back.
But speaking of hurt pride, final tally is 4-2 but they shake hands and pledge a rematch.
Nick gets a hug from Edna, she's happy with him tagging along and it's good that her girl has a nice friend.
On the rainy trip out to the car Nick can't get over it, "God, fucketty fuckatash, how have I never heard that before."
"Awww I'm tellin' you said a bad word."
He unlocks the passenger door, she gets in but pulls him in after, and they squeeze inside the closing door.
She looks him in the eye for a moment, "Nick you have no idea, I've been dreading this but somehow it was totally 180 degrees, I mean, she and I don't always have a lot to talk about, but this really worked, and you playing checkers was so adorable."
"Adorable getting my ass kicked."
"I'll make it up to you...wish I could right now actually, I could throw you down back there and eat you up right now."
He rolls the dice on this being a shut-up-and-kiss-moment, and that appears to be the right answer.
Since the windows are starting to fog up they decide to head out, before he starts the car, "take a look in the glove box."
She does and pulls out her bra, "you ASSHOLE!" Then lassos his head with it and pulls him close, two beat kiss.
"Won't that stretch it out?"
"Please, this is the only way I'll ever stretch a bra. Maybe I should have fertilized them."
He pinches her left one, "didn't we do that right here the other day?"
She retracts the makeshift harness, "Alright we're taking up valuable parking space, start this thing up, move, SCATTAMOOSH."
This leads way to the expected Wayne's World-ish bout of Queen improvisations, mamma sang bass, she takes the low parts and he the higher ones, as she snaps his right arm with the bra, then eventually it ends up on her head with the cups over the eyes. After that gets a laugh she puts it on rightly over her top.
"Keeping 'em warm are we?"
"Since your hands are busy..."
They banter on to the campus lot, decide they have no further business at the school, he has to work later, and then, Noreen admits,
"It turns out I had some ransom for my wayward undergarment all along," then pulls a cassette out of her purse and plops it into his deck.
The first track is bluesy, sung by a powerhouse female, love me baby, like my back ain't got no bone. Noreen just watches him for reaction, he chimes in, "Interesting."
"Recognize the voice?"
"Wow is it Bonnie Raitt?"
"You know it, from like 20 years ago, you were shittin' in diapers."
"This is hot."
"It took me a while to put it together on Bart's stereo, I hope you like it."
"Thanks babe."
They take their time saying goodbye and he watches her drive off as long as she's visible, takes in a couple more tracks, then heads home.