Hey Chuck, lock up when you're done

First of all, I hadn't mentioned this on the blog because I'm still kind of trying to process everything. The Fox turned in his resignation and his last day is Friday. This hurts. I really like the Fox, sex dreams aside, and he is the only "normal" team member I have. However I think maybe this job wasn't his cup of tea. He's an electrician by trade and I think that being thrust into the general contractor mode was a little too much out of his comfort zone. So about a month ago he got a job offer from a small electrical contractor looking for someone to take over as their operations manager - which is a perfect job for him.

So obviously, EPOD is less than thrilled at this turn of developments. Mostly because he was supposed to be on vacation next week - and every time he plans a vacation, something catastrophic happens and he ends up not being able to go. Last year it was cancelling a trip to Italy because his mom was weeks away from dying from fast-moving cancer. The year before that, it was his father's death. The year before that, we had started The Huge Corporate Headquarters Project and he just couldn't be gone during that critical startup time. So basically, other than a few days here and there the man hasn't had a decent vacation since he's been with our company. Hence the reason, probably, that he is so fucking crabby all the time.

The tension at the office is so thick that you could cut it with a chainsaw. Seriously. I have been hiding out in my office just praying that no one will walk by and ask me anything at all, because I might cry if they ask anything about The Fox. I guess on the good side, though, is that he promised me that if I ever need a job he will make a position for me. He probably can't afford my expensive ass, though, but at least it was a nice gesture.

Then last night at the pool, I was swimming laps and much to my dismay I got some water in my ears. Well, it wasn't exactly water, folks. I got up today and couldn't hear at all out of my right ear. As the day went on, it seemed to get worse and worse, and that meant one thing. I have poorly draining ears and every four or five years I end up with the clogged ear from hell, which involves buying one of those lovely ear wax removal kits and basically douching my ear until a bunch of shit comes rolling out. By the time I got home tonight, I was almost in agony and it took me an hour to finally get my ear cleared out with assistance from Joey. At one point, Monkey Man came into our bathroom and saw all the gunk pouring out of my ear and said, "Ewwww...." How true. And I was so clogged up in my head that I ended up not only with a migraine but also feeling nauseous as hell.

Joey's stomach virus seems to have hit my tummy a little bit too. Blech.

And just when you think the day is over, you get a phone call that leaves your eyes stinging with tears. My cousin Charles, who I called Chuck, dropped dead this morning. It was probably a heart attack or stroke, and I'm thankful that he didn't suffer.

Way back in the dark ages after my disastrous year at Hokie Town, I dropped out of school with dismal grades and no plans for my future. My family was pissed. And by some miracle, Chuck called me out of the blue and asked me if I wanted a job.

That phone call started a new friendship. See, Chuck was 29 years older than me - he was one of the oldest grandkids on our side of the family, and I was the youngest. He has a daughter my age that he had been estranged from for years due to his nasty divorce. And he took me under his wing, gave me a job, and was a real mentor to me while I got my stupid head straight. I think part of it is that we were both black sheep in the family - he never confirmed it, but everyone suspected that he was gay (which of course in Bible Belt land is kind of scandalous) and of course I was the brilliant prodigy daughter working in a fast food restaurant. We were bonded by the fact that we weren't willing to live our lives the way people expected us to, but in the way we felt we should in our hearts.

Chuck loved me like a daughter in a time when my own parents didn't love me very much. And honestly, I wasn't very lovable. I was a hot mess. But I always appreciated it.

We weren't as close after I got married - I wasn't living nearby anymore, he and his daughter reunited and he became a grandfather, and other than seeing each other now and then and exchanging Christmas cards, that was about it. But he always had a special place in my heart.

So I'm a little sad tonight. Glad that he didn't suffer, but sad that I never really got to thank him for what he did.

When we worked together, whoever would close up shop after we finished taking inventory and getting the deposit ready would hang alone at the restaurant, while the other one would take off and head home to wash all the day's bacon grease off. "Hey, lock up when you're done," was always our parting shot to the other, followed by eye-rolling and a "I know, I know!"

Hey, Chuck - lock up when you're done. And have a good night.