Tuesday

Sept. 18, 2001

Think about something else

I don't want to go to work. But I need to. I spend most of the day in meetings. I don't have to present. I think. I eat free breakfast and lunch. No such thing, of course.

I find out that they do want me to make this trip. However, Air France has been cancelling flights from Texas one day at a time. Worrisome. Maybe they will fly tomorrow or the next day and, before I have to go, things will return to normal. I'm afraid of delays or not being able to get there to do my business.

I'm not afraid for my safety. Because of the hurricane story.

The hurricane story. I heard on the radio, years ago, that there was a tornado near the airport. (It used to be about five miles from us, maybe less as the crow flies.) We went outside and saw debris falling from the sky near over there. That's what it looked like. The tornado touched down and destroyed some private planes and lifted up again and left. They had flown from Corpus...because a hurricane was supposed to make landfall there. It didn't. Did it elsewhere. And spawned a tornado to destory those planes with surgical precision. Go figure. You can run. But you can't hide. Flying to Europe and all around Europe will doubtless be safe. But possibly frustrating. It's ten days until I fly. Maybe everything will be quite normal except for all the additional security. But right now it looks like I may have to rearrange my European flights.

On the way home, my father-in-law, sitting in the front of the van with me comments on where bars used to be and says, "Didn't they add some stories to the Austin hotel?" He hasn't had a drink in years but remembers his youth of bars and roadhouses from many decades ago. On the way down, he said the van (my dad's) had a smoother ride than the cabs they usually ride. He comments on Mopac that the lines swim together. He says he often sees double.

The dinner was nice at the Seasons. Dining room was dead. Bats flew just after dusk, smudging the sky. Parents ate their food eagerly and seemed to like it.

In the bar, Rebecca played. The bar was dead but started to pick up later. At our parents' bed time.

becaues it cheers me up

Meta:
The journal. I don't know. Should I keep going? I'm starting to lose enthusiasm.

JUST TYPING
Coalition of countries.
What is a country?
A homeland?
A sect, a religion.
I'm not a joiner.
But humans join.