June What?

 

You know when you know something but she just really don't know something? For me that's what this new federal holiday is like. I know it's a federal holiday but for some reason I haven't been able to understand that it's a federal holiday. I had in my head for some reason this week to call my buddy at Assist, Inc., where I'm part of the community group which awards financing for home repairs. I have found that if I call Andreas as early as Monday morning he can give me the answer whether or not will have a meeting on Tuesday. Traditionally, I would call around 8 AM on Tuesday morning but for me it was just easier to call the day before. Anyway, I dutifully called at 8 AM and was kind of surprised there is no answer. I tried a little later but I was getting close to my home health person showing up for my Monday routine. I still hadn't called the office. It was later during the morning when I roll down to the office here at the apartment complex and there is nobody there. I needed the maintenance guy help me dig out the From a bottle of fallen down in my disposal. But Jennifer's office was very gloomily dark. Then I read the sign on her door “We will be closed, Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth”. Like all good private nonprofits Assist, Inc. is closed for the holiday!

Like I said, I should've known this, I did know this but didn't really extrapolate the idea that it would really be recognized and people would not go to work because it's a holiday. Luckily the buses are running I had a doctors appointment for today over at the Death Star. And since the medical appointment was the only thing I had to do today I wouldn't be bothered by the reduction in service. I would just have to make sure I was on one of the buses that was running east to the hospital campus. The rest of my day was pretty normal as Mondays go. I met a new physician, a urologist who seemed pretty cool. I'm not sure how much work is done with people with spinal cord injury specially long time for survivors but he seemed open enough to let me pretty much manage my own regimen. He seemed okay, friendly enough, a guys guy, but detected a strong “no-nonsense don't waste my time”aura, which is all right with me.

Even though I really didn't put a high priority on the action but I realize that one of the things I'd lost in my recent bout of lost/stolen wallets was my Costco membership card and since the hospital campus I was going to is next to Costco , Iwent a little early. And sure enough even if I had not lost my card out of had to renew my card today for another year of service. Following the purchase of another year of membership I didn't feel like spending any more money and I didn't have a way to cart whatever I purchased home anyway. When I told my home health person, Melissa, where I was headed she was really excited sounds like we might meet this coming Saturday at the Costco and doing a small bit of shopping and she can drive the stuff home and drop it off at the apartment.

I can't say that I spent the day honoring Juneteenth but I appreciate the announcements in the efforts and I guess the holiday. On my way to the bus stop, and the parking lot of our apartment complex, one of the residents of the apartment complex was sitting in her car and I stopped for a quick visit. When I wished her a happy Juneteenth she asked what it was my settles one of the 1^st black holidays recognized by the federal government. She turned to me and sniped “is that what Martin Luther King Day is for?”. I had nothing to say so I turned in my chair headed for the bus stop wishing the heat would return…