Thank You Little Mexican Dude!
Last night was Mexican night out. Our usual waiter loves to flirt with mom and Mrs. Sandra alike. It makes me roll my eyes as it is so blatant and egregious. “He is just vying for a bigger tip,” I told my mother last night on the drive home. “But he is so cute!” my mother replied gleefully. I noticed that last night Mrs. Sandra tipped him five dollars. Mom gave him three dollars. Hook, line, and sinker folks. “The irony is that Mrs. Sandra probably doesn’t have the money to give,” my father said last night as we gossiped when we were sitting on the couch at medication time. We Shall not Neglect ...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - November 8, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Free Range Chicken…
My mother’s doctor set her loose upon this little burg today – destined to do all the things she hasn't been able to do for months. A ripple could be felt reverberating throughout the space/time continuum this afternoon. “The doctor said I can go back to doing everything I was doing before the surgery,” she excitably told me over the phone. Mom’s buying me clothes in Wal-Mart at the moment. She said I was looking sort of shabby. Fortunately, my mother has a good eye and a panache for men’s fashion. Helen’s lunch was kind of mediocre – another day of baked ham and you know how I feel about that. Asto...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - November 8, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Jermaine is my Bane…
There is a very large black man who seems to buy his groceries on the night I do as well. His name is Jermaine and he loves small talk and idle talk. He rides around the grocery store in one of those power chairs they provide. “Where’s Alec and how is he doing?” he will often ask me about my brother. We went to high school together and it is the bane of my existence to get caught by him. You can hear him a mile away inside the grocery store fortunately – the sound of the power chair and the cackle of his laugh. “Jermaine is in here!” my father told me as I passed him last night as he was reading magazines. ...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - November 5, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Doing the SO-SEC Dance…
My father and I had some errands to run today as far as my Social Security is concerned. Apparently, I have completely disappeared from the “extra help” prescription drug coverage program. There is no record of me ever being in it other than the paperwork my father carried with us. After countless attempts to reach them by phone, my father and I drove to the nearest office in Opelika. I trepiditiously joined my father even though I felt shaky at the time. They couldn’t give us much help other than to suggest that I reenroll. We got the paperwork and then left to get a bite to eat at Burger King. I was craving ...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - November 4, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Malaise…
I was trying to figure out this much maligned malaise I am in today when I remembered my father gave me my medications yesterday at 2 PM after he closed the pharmacy at noon and they have long since worn off. I took some more of my psychiatric medications and hopefully in an hour I will be feeling better. I also think my blood pressure medication is the key component to me feeling better today. Especially regarding the fatigue I feel. Corralled By Graybeard… Earlier today, I was driving to my parent’s house to pick up some lunch. Graybeard, with his Gilligan’s hat, waves me to a stop practically getting...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - November 3, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Auburn? After Five? Ah Hell! Let’s Go…
“Do you think we could go ahead and drive to Auburn this afternoon?” my mother asked frettingly late in the day yesterday. “My books have come in.” It was almost five in the afternoon. “It is getting late and you know I have trouble driving after dark because of glare,” I replied worriedly. “We will hurry and I will get you home!” she exclaimed. Moments later my mother pulled up in front of my house. “Your daddy is going to jump all over me,” mom said as I sat down in the driver’s seat. “He says you and I are doing too much lately.” Well, that set us upon yet another journey to the bookstore and...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - November 2, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
No More Appointments!
Dad often calls my mother the appointed one and the secretary, and she can live vicariously through your appointments as well. I was very blissfully asleep this morning when my phone rang at seven a.m. “You have an optometrist appointment at 9:15 a.m.” my mother very blithely told me. “Mom?” I asked very kindly and politely. “No more appointments, okay? I am suffering from appointment fatigue.” “Your eyeballs are going to roll out of your head if you don’t get them checked regularly,” my mother said very defensibly. Mom called me back and said she changed the appointment until the end of November. I...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - November 1, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Euphoria…
My injection in the old derrière was this morning. Dad called me and rallied the troops early after dawn. "Your shot is today," he told me sounding groggy himself. "I will see you at the pharmacy at nine." I sleepily signed in upon walking into the lobby of Dr. Kamath’s office. I sat down and about fell asleep sitting up. In just mere moments, my nurse called me back. Rebecca makes this unpleasant task so easy for me to bear. She is one of the kinder souls I have met in my life. “I don’t know what we would do without our nurse, Rebecca,” I told my father upon returning to his former Pharmacy wi...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 31, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Nightfall…
I was sitting at our table in El Rio Grande tonight completely in a whole another world. I had that 1000 yard stare soldiers garner from overly intense combat and had almost called mom to tell her I couldn’t go. Mom has kept me so busy lately that I am growing weary and tired. Soon, our waiter would be out with our food and I could zone back into reality. He sat down my spicy shredded chicken burritos and they were made of Mexican heaven. Mom’s sizzling plate of fajitas was put before her while Sandra got the Nachos Supreme. All during this, my mother and Mrs. Sandra gossiped about anyone and everybody. (Source: The 4th Avenue Blues)
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 31, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Me and You and The Waffle House…
“Let’s me and you go eat at the Waffle house for breakfast in the morning,” my mother told me last night. I think it was the first time I’ve seen my mother up before twilight in years. Mom pulled up in front of my house and blew her horn. We were then on our way once I took the helm. “I’ll have the ham and cheese omelet,” my mother told our elderly waitress. “I’ll have what she is having,” is what I then told our waitress as well. We had the best grits I have ever tasted this morning. Bar none. They were rich, creamy and buttery. The omelets weren’t half bad as well. “I am trying to ...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 30, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Chad Has Departed From Amongst Us…
CHAMBERS COUNTY, Ala. - A Lanett man has died after a single-vehicle crash early Sunday morning. The crash occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Chambers County 299, seven miles south of Lanett. Michael Chadwick Roberts, 40, was killed when the 2002 Chevrolet 1500 he was driving ran off the road and struck a tree. Roberts was not wearing a seat belt and was transported to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where he later died from his injuries. Alabama State Troopers say speed was a factor and the circumstances surrounding the crash are still under investigation. Chad was a very good friend of mine. His death kind of yanked the chair...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 30, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
The Top of the Charts…
I was just looking at my iTunes and the song I’ve listened to the most is Rancher’s Wife from The Horse Whisperer soundtrack. I have listened to it 153 times. Next is Alice in Chains greatest hits all which I have also listened to over a hundred times. My current fixation is the soundtrack to the legendary game Skyrim. It is rapidly climbing the charts. It has lots of ambient or what I call “space music”. One song, Frostfall, I could listen to over and over. Ask and You Shall Receive… My mother called me late, late last night fretting over some things she has to get done at the hospital today. She h...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 28, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
We May Never Ever Meet Again…
♫I’ve Got to Know You Now♫ That’s what I was thinking at the local Circle K this morning. That Amy Winehouse song played over and over in my head – my earworm for the day. The clerk called me sweetheart as she rung up my SoBe citrus orange drink and Maggie’s Slim Jims. “Where’s Marty?” I asked inquisitively this morning. “He’s got the night off Sweetie,” she replied, handing me my change. I was about to ask her for her phone number as she was very clearly flirting with me when I noticed her wedding ring. I am no home wrecker so that was the end of that. I just told her thanks for being s...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 27, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
First Frost of the Season…
I got our Maggie’s harness on so she was ready for our morning walk. She would not quit wiggling today for me to get the leash on her. I got to giggling sitting on the floor as I called her a little stinker. My Maggie was feeling her oats this morning. When I opened up the front door the cold air hit me like a sledgehammer. I noticed the yard was covered heavily in frost as well – our first frost this season. Winter seems to come so abruptly here in the South. I guess that frost means no mowing of my yard until spring. Well, suffice it to say Maggie and I went for an abbreviated and short jaun...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 26, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Plunder on the High Seas…
Mom and I made it to the movie theater with perfect timing just as our movie, Captain Phillips, was starting at noon. I really enjoyed the movie even though it was intense action from beginning to end – a movie which I try to shy away from. Adrenaline junkies will love it. It is hard to believe Tom Hanks got his start as a standup comedian showing up at various comedy clubs around the nation. He plays such dramatic and serious characters these days and with quite an acumen I might add. He is the quintessential everyman for everyone. When the United States Navy shows up at the end of the film, then you can start to...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - October 26, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
