Time Trials

by Lee, Terry

  “Yes.”

  Regina touched the corner of her eye to still the nervous twitch. “And your nephew made the presentation. Is that correct?”

  “Yes.”

  Practiced smile still frozen in place, Regina glanced around the apartment and caught sight of a multitude of framed pictures on one wall. “I see you have a lot of mementos. Would you care to tell us about them?”

  “Turn off the camera,” Ms. Middleton ordered.

  “But—”

  “Turn off the camera.”

  Regina shrugged at Roger, who gave the nod for the camera to stop rolling.

  “Look, we need to get a few things straight.” The woman moved to a nearby recliner and lowered herself, the cedar box remaining in her lap. “I’m not a very talkative person. I don’t even watch the news. I think it’s all crap.” Ms. Middleton yanked down on the front panel of her pantsuit. “I agreed to this interview, though I don’t know why. But since I did, I’ll tell you what we can discuss.”

  The movement of air in the apartment stilled. All Regina’s fears about the interview materialized right before her eyes. She wouldn’t have been a bit surprised to see the woman before her morph into some creepy alien from a Twilight Zone rerun. She didn’t move a muscle and only took tiny inhales of breath when she felt her lungs shrivel. The last thing she wanted to do was keel over in a dead faint.

  “Number one. I participate in the Volunteer Transportation Program with the VA. We take vets to doctor’s appointments, and then return them home. Number two. I’m part of the VA Advocacy Program, and I also volunteer for Meals on Wheels. And number three, if you’ve got any questions about the guy in fatigues who’s walking Theo, forget it. He is the son of a friend of mine. He’s recently returned from the Gulf War and has some sort of brain injury. He does odd jobs for me around here. Makes him feel better. But don’t talk to him. He’s had a rough time since he got back, and he doesn’t do well around strangers. And number four.” Ms. Middleton shot a cold hard laser stare at Regina that could have resulted in two black holes where eyes had once been on her cosmetically altered face. “I hate wars. There.”

  So, that was how it went. The camera resumed and Regina asked about Ms. Middleton and her volunteer work. End of interview. The crew repacked their equipment while Regina spoke briefly with her boss. She hoped to do some damage control later before the piece aired.

  “Take the rest of the day off.” Roger rarely showed compassion for anyone. However, even he obviously recognized the tension in Regina’s demeanor after dealing with Ms. Middleton’s rigid demeanor.

  “Wait!” The crew, Regina, even Roger, stiffened at the sound of Ms. Middleton’s voice, as if they were playing a child’s game of freeze tag.

  “You.” The woman’s finger pointed directly at Regina. Even Roger looked relieved he had not been singled out. Regina, on the other hand, decided she definitely needed a pee break…and a stiff drink.

  “Come here.”

  She rarely allowed people to use that tone with her, although at the moment she felt like a third grader who had just been caught sticking bubble gum under her desk. Regina eased her way through the camera crew while they jumped on the opportunity to leave the apartment. Cowards, she thought. She stood within striking distance of the old woman.

  “I know you.” Ms. Middleton paused, her gray eyes squinted. “Why?”

  Oh God, the end to top everything. If it wouldn’t be so noticeable, Regina would have dabbed at the sweat she felt on the back of her neck that seeped down onto her spandex dress. She chewed on the inside of her lip. “Uh…I…live here….across the courtyard.”

  What seemed like an hour later the woman replied. And, of course, it was brief.

  “Oh.”

  ~~~

  “What took so long?” Allison grabbed Suzanne’s arm. They had to double-time their steps to keep up with Regina.

  “Get me out of here.” Regina stopped when they got to the parking lot. “I need a drink.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” Allison held open her car door. “I’ll drive and drop you back off afterwards.”

  Ten minutes later they walked into a darkened bar with rounded booths. “Let’s go this way.” Allison led Regina and Suzanne to a booth toward the back.

  “Well, how’d it go?” Dena asked.

  “What?”

  The once lodged golf ball in Regina’s throat transformed into the kind of knot one feels right before the waterworks start. Around this leather-padded booth sat Frannie, Dena, and Janie. They scooted closer together to make room for Regina, Allison, and Suzanne.

  “But…how?” Regina, never at a loss for words, felt like a blubbering idiot.

  “Hot damn. We did it!” Dena high-fived the others at the table. “She’s fucking speechless. Where’s a camera?”

  “Oh, stop.” Regina grabbed a napkin from the table and dabbed at her eyes, actually surprised she still possessed tear ducts. “I…just can’t believe…you’re all here.”

  “Bad-Ass-Girls to the end. Waiter!” Dena raised her famous deeper than blood-red polished nail of her index finger.

  A waiter appeared with a tray holding six high-ball glasses.

  “What is this?” Regina held up the glass and raised rounded eyes to the waiter. “We haven’t even ordered yet.”

  “Well, Piper couldn’t be here, so…guess what?” Allison raised her glass. “She ordered us a round of White Russians. Cheers!”

  “Damn.” Janie examined the contents of her glass after her first sip. “This isn’t half bad.”

  “Especially since it’s not out of a milk jug.” Suzanne covered her mouth as if she didn’t really mean to speak out loud, though her eyes betrayed laughter.

  That day would forever be solidified in Regina’s memory bank. For that day, she truly understood the meaning of friendship.

  PART THREE

  The Bad-Ass Golden Girls

  Chapter 26

  2012

  So, here we are. Another twenty years have passed and the world has undergone some major alterations. Social media changed life as we once knew it. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google, and texting are major passages of communication. YouTube can provide any instructional/how to or music video you desire. Netflix, Redbox, On Demand, and DVD recorders have shut down all video rental stores. A VCR may still be found in a vintage shop.

  Gen X and Millennials were the first generations to grow up with computers in their homes. Baby boomers became digital immigrants versus the digital natives mentioned above. A good number of baby boomers embraced the technology; others dealt with it the best they could, while some crossed their arms and said no way, no thank you. Hence, we have an older generation mix of George and Jane Jetsons versus the Fred and Wilma Flintstones.

  The major networks now have to compete in ratings with the plethora of cable stations for news, sitcoms, and series. Fewer people have landlines, and heaven forbid if you don’t have a smart phone. God…where would we be without our smart phones? GPSs are now standard on most new vehicles, which eliminated the standalone GPS system one could mount on the dashboard of a car. Then Google maps came into play. Wow.

  James Bond underwent many transformations over the years. “Resources say” there are more than five, but for the sake of boredom, let’s stick with the most notable: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and finally, Daniel Craig.

  Pixar altered animation forever. The production company brought to life CGI-animated features with PhotoRealistic RenderMan used to generate high-quality (lifelike) imaging. Pixar movies now entertain adults as well as children.

  September 11, 2001, now referred to as 9-11, changed our country forever when a group of Islamic terrorists hijacked four commercial airlines in midair. Two brought down the World Trade Center in New York City, the third hit the Pentagon, and the fourth crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania. Thousands of people lost their lives, and millions upon millions of people across
the world were affected. The TSA (Transportation Security Association) heightened security control to drop-offs and pick-up stations for those traveling by air. The September 11 attack prompted the invasion of Iraq in 2003, sending the United States to war.

  OJ Simpson was acquitted on charges of killing his wife, while Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriquez, and Lance Armstrong lost their athletic celebrity hero status due to performance-enhanced drugs.

  On a lighter note, Wheel of Fortune celebrated its thirty-seventh year as the longest running game show, and reality TV took over television networks. The Food Network became a viable source of entertainment with such hits as Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, Giada De Laurentiis, Emeril, Bobby Flay, The Pioneer Woman, and Rachael Ray, to name a few. Even Trisha Yearwood, mostly known for her music career, landed her own show on Food Network, specializing in her family’s recipes for home cooking.

  Charlie Sheen dove headfirst into the shallow end of a pool and ended his long-standing career as Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men. Winning…not. And although Americans loved their sports, Sunday Night Football lost its No. 1 total program viewers slot to Mark Harmon’s tenth season of NCIS. CBS’s The Big Bang Theory was the highest-rated comedy, with the nerd-herd headed by Sheldon Cooper.

  Over the years, young and old alike were enthralled by the world of Harry Potter, with J. K. Rowling gaining the position as the first ever author to achieve $1 billion in net worth. The books became the best-selling book series in history, and once these epic stories turned to the big screen, became the second highest-grossing film series ever recorded. To date, the Marvel series captures the top spot.

  Back to 2012, the San Francisco Giants swept the Detroit Tigers and the New England Patriots won Superbowl XLVI over the New York Giants. The Miami Heat became the NBA Champs in four games to one over the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Rory McIlroy shot a bogey-free 66 (−6) in the final round to win the PGA, his second major title, by eight strokes over runner-up David Lynn. Roger Federer and Serena Williams claimed individual Wimbledon titles. The BCS Championship in New Orleans went to the Alabama Crimson Tide over the LSU Tigers. The NCAA Basketball champs were the University of Kentucky Wildcats, and the Lady Bears of Baylor University won their second national title against Notre Dame. They finished their season 40-0.

  I’ll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in 2012, losing out on the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes to Union Rags. Tendonitis caused I’ll Have another to be scratched the day before the race, which not only cost him the Triple Crown, but also his racing career.

  ~~~

  Disclaimer:

  The stages listed below are taken from

  Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Man,

  and a few additions from Wikipedia.

  Stage of Development 7: Generativity vs Stagnation

  (Ages 40-65+)

  Basic Virtue: Care

  During adulthood, people continue to build their lives, focus on career and family

  They strive to create or nurture something that will outlast them, like having children or contributing to changes that benefit others, or simply learn to care for another person

  Generativity refers to “making your mark” on the world, whether through creating or caring…giving back with the knowledge you’re helping to make the world a better place

  Those successful during this stage develop the virtue of caring, being proud of your accomplishments, watching your children grow into adults, and/or feeling okay with yourself as a human being

  According to Erikson, “A person does best at this time to put aside thoughts of death and balance its certainty with the only happiness that is lasting: to increase, by whatever is yours to give, the goodwill and higher order in your sector of the world.” (Erikson, 1974)

  Chapter 27

  Allison - 2012

  Let’s face it. No matter how well you take care of yourself, there is something you can’t outrun. Time. It’ll march right over you. Some get the tiptoe treatment…others get the combat boots. The BAGs are approaching sixty. Is that possible? Yes…happens to everyone, no one is exempt. Father Time and Mother Nature are in cahoots here. Lines appear where there was once smooth skin. Gravity takes hold with both fists and drags everything south. Hair growth lessens in some areas, and for whatever freaky reason begins to grow in other less appealing spaces.

  It all boils down to attitude. Are we going to be like the Good Witch of the North…mild-mannered and placing protective kisses on the foreheads of others, wearing a crown of jewels and standing against oppression? Or possibly the green-faced, cruel Wicked Witch of the East, taunting small dogs and little red-headed girls with braids, while dodging buckets of water which would melt our horrible, awful, brown-sugar persona?

  Maybe there is a little of both in each of us. The Good Witch might surface when being greeted with a warm hug and smile from a grandchild. Then again, seeing yet another unwanted wiry hair on ones chinny, chin, chin could easily evoke…well, the other witch.

  ~~~

  Back before Denise’s death in 1992, she’d asked Allison why it seemed so hard for people to talk about dying. Allison responded, “I don’t know why, none of us are getting out of here alive.” The BAGs were past the middle of their life span. People didn’t live to be 170. But that didn’t mean it was time to roll up the carpet. Hell no. It was more about switching gears. And switching gears was what the BAGs did, although now they referred to themselves fondly as the Bad-Ass Golden Girls.

  ~~~

  Allison and Ben celebrated their thirty-sixth anniversary at their favorite restaurant, Perry’s Steak House. As usual, they split the enormous specialty pork chop. A small votive candle highlighted their faces. She reached across the table to squeeze his hand.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what? Marrying you?” Ben smiled. “I think you’ve got that backwards.”

  One of the things Allison loved most about Ben was how he downplayed his gentleness. As an HPD officer all these years, she knew he had a stoic side, though he never brought that home. He was the backbone of their family. Allison had a strong spirit, Ben had a gentle heart and sensible mind.

  “For being the husband, dad, and especially the papa. The grandkids love you.”

  “Hey, that’s the easy part.”

  He got that right. Being a grandparent was a walk in the park compared to the actual day-to-day, on-call 24/7 of raising children. They’d faired pretty well with the girls. Cara and Shelby were both in their thirties, married, and had families of their own.

  Shelby, the youngest, had been their studious, academically-advanced child, and hated her dark auburn natural curly hair and freckles. She had been in the honor society, worked on the school paper, led the debate team to the national finals, and spent more time in her room studying than going out with friends, girls or guys. Before her Magna Cum Laude graduation ceremony, she’d held an in-depth conversation with her parents about the importance of critical thinking and social equalization. Shocked the hell out of them.

  Well, that was not quite accurate. When Shelby was fourteen, she approached her mom one day while at the mall.

  “Mom, we need to buy that guy over there something to eat.” Shelby discreetly nodded toward a man sitting at a table in the food court.

  “Why?”

  “Because I think he’s hungry and probably homeless.” Shelby stood planted with hands on her hips.

  “I don’t know, Shelby.” Although Allison had never been against helping others, she had school clothes in mind.

  “Mother, remember Pay It Forward?” She now had folded her arms across her chest, determination blazing in her eyes. “It’s only a couple of bucks, and that’s nothing compared to what you’re gonna fork over for Cara in a very short time. Just look at her!”

  Allison and Shelby shifted their gaze over to Cara walking around Forever 21 like she owned the place. Long story short, Allison gave Shelby money to buy a meal at McDonalds.
Then, with a watchful eye, she watched her youngest daughter visit with the person inhaling his lunch. Shelby later wrote an article for the school paper. Allison had been so impressed she sent a copy to the Houston Chronicle, where it was published by one of the paper’s columnists in a piece about urban areas of Houston.

  Cara, the oldest, had been a whole other sack of nuts. She had Allison’s height, blonde hair, and bookoos of the one thing Allison didn’t have at that age...self-confidence. Her appearance held way more credence than grades. And boy, did it show. She and Shelby couldn’t have been more different, and fought like hellcats. Cara’s interests were more along the lines of having the right color glittery eye shadow and practicing what she called her “hair wave” to attract a guy’s attention.

  Somehow making her way through college, Cara married and now had two adorable little girls, Layla and Savannah. Ben and Allison couldn’t help but smile thinking of Cara raising two girls…paybacks were gonna be hell. Shelby and her husband had a beautiful three year old little girl, Evelyn, and were currently awaiting the arrival of Jonah, their baby boy, due any day.

  Allison would be forever grateful for Ben’s understanding heart with the issue of her mother. Living with someone who suffered from Alzheimer’s was not meant for everyone. And without Ben, she doubted she would have been able to be the primary caregiver, plus maintain her own sanity for as long as she did. They had moved her to a residential facility specializing in the progressive disease when her mother’s temperaments turned harmful to both herself and Allison. Her mother died six months later. Allison always thought she should write some sort of self-help book on what she had learned through her mother’s illness. She made a mental note to talk to Frannie, the BAGs author.