Finding My Way

I’m untethered. For two years the poles of my universe alternated between home and a memory care facility down the road in Fredericksburg. I oriented my life to that town, shopping, medicine, everything. Yesterday, I drove there to pick up a curbside order. They had no record of the order. The young lady asked, politely, perhaps it was at another store. The old man, me, answered politely, after looking at his phone and notification email. Why yes, I believe that’s correct.

As I drove the 30 miles back to Johnson City and the 22 to Marble Falls, I remembered that I had visited the store in question, changed my app to reflect that store, because I was there to buy not to shop and needed to know precisely where to find the item in question. I forgot to change the store back. My phone synced with my computer. Upon reflection, I believe I’ll leave it. Marble Falls is eight miles closer and eight miles is eight miles and 16 when you count the round trip, and why add the extra expense? Besides, it’s easier to get to the Marble Falls store than the Fredericksburg store, and I doubt they’ll miss me.

For now, I’ll leave my medications at the chain drugstore in the old German community, partly I guess so I can remember the days when a trip into town also meant a trip to see my wife and even though we were separated, those were still good days. Because, well, I got to see my wife and she was alive. And now that I think about it, another benefit of heading to Marble Falls is that the journey takes me right past the Masonic Cemetery, just down the road, where her home now consists of a spot of ground just north of a big oak. Not quite the same, but a visit, nonetheless. In retrospect, maybe I’m not as untethered as I thought.