Do Old People Still Multi-Task?

We found a big open field with a porta-potty, unfolded our green camp chairs, and put on our little cardboard glasses and watched the eclipse. It seemed to me at the time that the moon could’ve moved a little faster. My impatience did war with my thinking this was an opportunity to meditate on the meaning of life. There were little swords everywhere in my head.

I took time out from being amazed and grateful about the moon overtaking the sun to exchange fairly unpleasant texts with a public official. Waiting for a response, I set to worrying about an upcoming medical appointment (not for me, I was only the companion bird on this one, the notetaker, the one who says, “I’m sorry. Could you repeat that?”) with all its various implications. Life can be life-changing, one thing can be eclipsed by another. Certainly, the day lent itself to that sort of reflection.

After the eclipse, we stopped at Leon’s, a famous local custard stand. The line was very long line even in the middle of the afternoon. After waiting a while, we decided we had to leave without ice cream to deal with the afore-mentioned medical appointment. It wouldn’t do to be late with ice cream stains on my shirt. It was okay. Leon’s was still there after the appointment. One double chocolate, one double pecan eaten in the parking lot, the way it’s done here in Mil-town.

We push on to the next eclipse.