November 20, 2012

• Ahhhh...

       I can be a difficult person.  Just ask my wife.  That said, it is simple things that bring me those moments...you know the ones, when unexpectedly, the parts of your brain that signal pleasure and satisfaction all fire at once and you find an unintentional, "Ahhh..." escaping your lips.

       I got home from work around 3:30 this morning only partially rested.  I had driven out on the run, so when we finished in north Jersey, it was my turn to jump in the sleeper.  I slept the sleep of the dead, closing my eyes on Interstate 280 before we even made the Jersey Turnpike and only being torn unwillingly from the depths of my stupor at the yard four hours later, when my codriver rolled down the windows, opened the curtains, turned all the lights on inside the cab and called my name repeatedly.  I got out and started the car to warm it for the ride home, then unloaded my gear and helped him unhitch.  When I got home,  I took a nice hot bath to ease my tired joints and muscles (the load had been 34,000 pounds) and fell into the bed sometime after 4.  My intent had been to get up with the kids at 7, but I didn't even hear the alarm go off and woke once again only after Tina had come back to bed and the kids traipsed in one by one to hug their Mama  (and oh yeah, Daddy's here, so we'll give him a hug, too) before heading out to meet the bus.  Since today was grandparents day at Isa's school and there would be no grandparents for her (My Dad was the one who made that a special time for the kids.  He would drive up from Florida to be there on some pretense or other.),  Tina cajoled me out of bed to get dressed so we could sit in on Isa's music class before she had to go to work.  At least there would be someone there for her.  We sat through a class on rhythm, said goodbye to Isa and headed down to the Dunkin Donuts where Tina and I  shared sausage, eggs and cheese on an acceptable excuse for an everything bagel.  I dropped Tina at work and made the short drive to the house.  I turned on the computer so I'd have some music in the background, and grabbed the motorcycle keys.  

       It has been a month and a half since I bought the bike, but I hadn't ridden it in a couple weeks.    Prior to the hurricane a couple weeks ago, I had put it under its cover under the shed overhang.  We had then put all the yard furniture and pool supplies away as well, so it was going to take some work to extract it.   I got all the other stuff moved, unbuckled the cover and got it pulled back off the front wheel and over the mirrors when it hit me.  The clear, brisk fall morning air was overpowered by a new complex aroma, part leather, part gasoline and, "Ahh... ", I was attacked by memories of all sorts of good times I've ever had on or around a motorcycle.  I think I'm still riding the endorphines.  

       It got me thinking about the things that can provoke that, "Ahhh..." response:

                  Walking in the door and hearing an excited, "Daddy's home!"

                  Walking in the house to see my wife who has been upset with me (over the phone) all day about something that she has to deal with alone because I'm several hundred miles away on the truck,  approaching her and watching when I put my arms around her, as all the tension melts away and her eyes say it's all good now.

                  When the first hint of the smell of baking apple pie or pinto beans wafts its way down the hall.

                  The moment during a hellish day of work or bicycle ride when I feel my second wind coming on.

                  The tune of an old, long forgotten song coming from the radio. 

       I'm sure there are more, but I'm curious.  What prompts those feelings for you?  Is it as surprising and new for you each time as it seems to be for me?

       Hope your holiday week is going well.  I'm off to Easton now to get my motorcycle inspected.

  • 4:50 pm
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