Sans Kelly

 Today is an odd one. This is the day Kelly left for Arkansas to visit her mom. I got up at my usual time, but instead of going to work, we loaded Kelly’s suitcase into the van and I drove her to Detroit Metropolitan Airport so she could catch her flight.  I parked and we walked to the baggage check-in, then to security and that’s about all I could do, they won’t let you past that point without a boarding pass anymore. I thought they used to, but maybe I dreamed that up, or maybe that was pre 9/11.

So after a few kisses and a long hug, holding back the tears, off I went back to the van. I only turned back once to see her queuing up at the security check point. Ok maybe it was four times.

On the way to the parking garage, there is one of those rolling sidewalks.  I LOVE that thing. I usually wait for it to be empty, then I get on it and run my chair full tilt. I swear with the combined speed of my chair and the walkway, it feels like I’m going 35mph. What a blast. It was almost enough to cheer me up. But not quite. It was a perfect sunny day, around 22C (72F) so I went out on the top deck of the parking garage and watched planes take off for about 20 minutes. I love that. That helped a bit too. I could have sat there all day. But I had to get to work of course. I stopped briefly for gas (cheaper in the US) and I bought some junk food you can only get in the US, and then headed back to Windsor.

At the office I tracked Kelly’s flight live, watching the little plane tick slowly across my screen. I had to go out for lunch. I normally bring one, but as I was going across the border, I didn’t today because I didn’t want them confiscating my turkey sandwich or my apple. No I’m not kidding; they have a thing about meat or fruit. A nearby restaurant has a special on Thursday, burger and fries for $4.99. It was tasty, but I over ate and then I felt like I needed a nap until around 2pm.

At 5 pm I came home. Traffic was a mess again; it seems every main artery is closed for construction. Going east in this city from downtown is an exercise in frustration at rush hour. But not for me, not today. I didn’t care. Whatever. I got home. No hug. No Kiss. No Kelly.

I miss her. A lot. I went for walk by myself. I do that when she is here sometimes too, but when I get back at least I can bore her with things that I saw, or tell her that the falcons were back, or the bats were out again, or that I helped a man corner his little football dog so he could bring it home. Sigh.

I have to turn this around. Or it’s going to be a VERY long two weeks.