Make It So!

Wind Horse rocketed across the Holmes Bridge and straight into the mouth of downtown if mouth is the word I'm looking for. And before anyone asks, and I'm sure that someone is thinking about it even now, the bridge referred to is not the Holmes Street Bridge in Shakopee, Minnesota. 

I realize that bridge is a noteworthy one because it's the state's only example of a deck truss bridge. But for God's sake, let's not get sidetracked by another diversion.

The bridge I refer to crosses the Cape Fear River and empties into 3rd Street leading to downtown Wilmington. As I was saying, Wind Horse charged straight into the road and I was reminded of a poem we memorized in Crystal Cove Elementary School. You may remember the poem unless you came along after poetry was banned from public education.

The poem is called, The Charge of The Light Brigade, and begins with "Half a league, half a league, de dum, de dum, de dum, and then delivers the punchline...

"someone had blundered"

That summed up my feelings perfectly. Someone had blundered, and it wasn't me. I'd done everything humanly possible to sort out a life worth waking up for but my higher power had slept in, apparently.

If you're a regular visitor to the blog, you won't be surprised when I say that I soon found myself parked in front of Circular Journey Cafe. The place is my favorite downtown caffeine den, and I was looking forward to meeting up with members of Team Genome. Specifically, my god-niece, Lupe Lightfoot Mankiller, and her BFF, Claudia Solviegh Bensen. 

Stage direction: Genome enters Native Grounds. 

"Genome!" said the pair. "What's going on? What's the emergency?"

Sit down and tell us everything, said Lupe. "You look like someone who drank from the cup of life and found a worm at the bottom."

"What's the matter?" I said. "You want to know what's the matter? I'll tell you. I've had it! I'm tired of reading about all the other bipolar bozos who've become rich and famous and while I haven't quite gotten there. In other words, where's mine?"

I paused long enough to order a double cappuccino with oat milk and a sprinkle of nutmeg. I know! Nutmeg! Don't get hung up over it; I felt like a change of habit was called for.

"I understand exactly what you mean, dear old ancestor," said Lupe. "You might feel better if you got a haircut. You look like a chrysanthemum."

"I know you're only trying to help me feel better," I said as the two imps snickered at Lupe's joke. "But I've asked you to meet me to discuss my revised evil plan for world domination. Let's start now."

"Wait, wait, wait," cried Claudia. "You're getting far ahead of me. First, are you really Lupe's ancestor, and do you actually have an evil plan?"

Lupe placed a hand on Claudia's arm and shook her head while gently patting the arm.

"We Genomes do not lightly forget," I said. "Well, we do forget some things like appointments, people's birthdays, and mailing letters, but we don't forget abject suffering.

I don't know if you're aware, but yesterday, I experienced what your grandparents' day was called a nervous breakdown. I lost all structural support and collapsed into a heap on the floor."

"We heard," said Lupe. "And we want you to know that we're here for you even when we don't appear to be."

"Yeah," said Claudia. "We'll be your structural support."

"I spend all day, every day," I said, "looking for the silver lining, a little light music, a bit of cheerfulness. And what do I find? Grief! That's what I find. Loads of unrequited grief. I've had enough!"

Lupe patted my right hand, and Claudia patted my left. I expected them to pat my head next. It was turning out to be a big day for patting.

"Whenever I get that depressed," said Lupe, "the feeling turns into anger and I go out into the street and start knocking peoples' hats off. That usually helps."

"But that's all done," I said. "From now on, it's going to be a different story. Today, I finally open that gate and step out onto the yellow brick road. From there, I will move forward one step and one day at a time."

"And there's no better time like the present," said Claudia. "Shakespeare says, if you're going to do something, you might as well pop right at it and get it over with."

"Forget Shakespeare," said Lupe. "He's a bum. Listen to Jean Luc Piquard instead:

Make it so, Data! Engage!"

With her words of encouragement, I shot out of my chair as though I'd sat on a tack. I practically flew out the door and into the wide, blue, open. And I'm still engaged today, engaged like the dickens! Buckle up is my advice and make sure the safety bars are in place. It's a wide, wild, windy world we're riding through, Billy Bob!