Events on this day in 2018, positive memories

At this time in 2018, I was still playing music for a living, but also performing limited "Medical Escort" for a few friends. This meant that when they had an appointment they couldn't drive to, they paid me to drive them, then I waited until they were done.

Playing music had been growing more and more painful, or should I say moving and setting up MY EQUIPMENT had become painful, so much so that by the 6th of May 2019 when I had the surgery, I had almost stopped playing because I had to pay someone to come along and move my stuff for me. So on this date in 2018, I took my friend Don

(may he rest in peace) to an eye appointment in the madhouse of Atlanta. These are things I wrote about that day in 2018

So while the drugs I'm not supposed to have kick in, let me put a more positive spin on this afternoon.

We had a nice lunch, although the food was a long way from what it has always been in the past.
We came back to his house to let his dogs out to potty, then we drove right through the heart of downtown Atlanta at 1:30 pm, and it was almost a dream.
You must understand, driving for me is a game, almost an entertaining challenge. I try to find the pathway through traffic that will get me/us to the destination quickly, safely...but almost like Mario Andretti weaving through traffic.
However today, there was almost no traffic to speak of.
I turned one street too soon, which gave us a nice diversionary trip through a very beautiful neighborhood.
I had carried my laptop with me.
Once we got to the eye clinic waiting room, I began showing my friend stuff on my computer, meme's from the joke group I own, (one I put on my phone JUST for him ha ha 🤣........)
Then I noticed that there was a nice, slender lady to my right, who was watching over my shoulder and laughing.

So I introduced myself, then I began sharing my humor and stuff with the both of them.
When my charge went back to the secondary waiting area
(I went there the first time, that room has no windows) I remained with her (dang it, I can't remember her name).

We chatted, I showed her many of my writings in Steemit, she was impressed and excited (seemed to be and said she was).
We shared some of our religious beliefs, especially how I like to weave the principals from the bible into my writings without actually quoting, so that I wouldn't alienate any non-believers.
I stopped at one point, to speak to a nice looking slender man with an Emory name tag. I had been watching him out of the corner of my eye, and I could tell he was following us.
His name tag identified him as an MD.
So I asked him what was his specialty, which he said was Pulmonology.
I said
"Well now, can you come listen to my breathing? I don't like the wheezing I'm hearing".
We all had a laugh, he said he gets that a lot. He was called back shortly.
All this time, across the small square seating group from us, there was a mother with 4 children, all different ages, all black.
Apparently, above and in spite of her children and their antics, she too had been listening.
When the first lady got up to get her charge (she too was transport/escort for someone, a relative I think) this third lady got up and came over to sit next to me, she was more interested in my YouTube videos, which I happily shared with her.
She asked how she would find my YouTube channel, and I showed her.
All that time, the diversions, the laughter and the moving and passing out my cards to those three, I didn't notice the pain as much.
So the two ladies and the Dr got my business cards.
That part was great.

Diversions can relieve pain. Who Knew?

"Memories from May 4 2018"

^by
Jerry E Smith
©06/04/2022
the xray is mine, the memorial is used with permission






^{Self Portrait from about 1978}