Calling Some Friends

     Early this morning while the rain was pouring outside and the thunder and lightening were keeping me from sleep, I was racking my brain trying to think of something to write about. I was sort  of in a bad mood because I had discovered that a family member (not C) had lied to me. If you know me at all then you know that this is a special irritation of mine.  I firmly believe that one should always keep one's word. Honesty is the best policy.
  I was all primed and ready to write a column on the evils of dishonesty and how it ruins so many things. I was planning on ranting about how people just don't seem to think that they need to keep their word. I was going to write about those who lie to get what they want from other people and seem to have no guilt about misleading people.
  Before I got started writing I had some things to do. I needed to call two friends of mine. One of them was Agnes and the other was Evelyn. Both of them are elderly women that I have "adopted" over the past few years. I hadn't heard or seen Evelyn for awhile. I wasn't afraid that something had happened. There's enough people that know both of us that would have let me know something like that. I know that she likes to chat and I know that the hot humid weather we have lately has kept her homebound. Agnes had gone to Florida for a week and I wanted to know how her trip went.
  I decided to call Evelyn first. She picked up the phone and was happy to hear my voice. We caught up on what was going on. She asked about C and how work was going. I amused her with funny stories of things that had happened the past week or so.  She talked to me about her grandson.I spent a happy half an hour talking to her. I smiled as I hung up the phone.
  Then I dialed Agnes's number. I wasn't sure if she would answer. Agnes has tons of friends and family that like to take her out. She could be anyplace. The phone rang twice and then Agnes answered. She,too, was happy to hear from me.
  She had a good time in Florida. They had gone to eat at a restaurant in a building where ice used to be stored back in the days of ice boxes.  I can't image anywhere in Florida being cold enough to have ice. She had gone to some museums and to a town called Venice. She remembered Venice from when she was younger and used to travel to Florida regularly. She told that me she didn't care for what the town had turned into.
   She has one son who was born in September. Every year she takes him out for his birthday. I asked her how old he was, he will turn 73 this year. I was amazed. I have seen her son and he doesn't look that old. I though that he was around C's age. We talked about how her son has always taken good care of himself.
  By the time I was done talking to Agnes, I had no desire to write about dishonesty. I was just too happy. I was glad that I had chosen to make the phone calls first. The sun was starting to come out and things were just looking too good to write a column about lying. I'm beginning to think that talking to some good friends and laughter are two good ways to shake a bad mood.