The clock runs down and stops

I went back to Brown Elementary this afternoon, possibly for the final time. Ms. L had warned me ahead of time that the kids had planned a "surprise" party for me. I went in the room, and all the kids spelled out "Thank you Mr. Chance" on paper. They presented me with writing they did on what they appreciated about me, with pictures, all bound together in a nice book with pictures. I was really touched. There were cookies and juice boxes. Lots of the kids hastened to outdo each other in quickly cutting out crowns and gifts wrapped in red ribbon and giving it to me. One girl asked me what my favorite color was and then presented me with a blue crayon carefully wrapped and labeled. So adorable. I did a Mad Libs with them, which they found very amusing.

After the kids all went home, Ms. L gave me a card that the first grade team gave me. Inside was twenty dollars! They'd taken up a collection to present me with a little gift to reward me for all my hard paid work, Ms. L said. Isn't that thoughtful? I gave them thank you cards I'd prepared. (I'd brought a huge batch cookies the day before.)

Then I went to the doctor, only to remember at the very last minute that my appointment had actually been for the day before and I'd totally missed it. Oh well.

My father checked into a really nice rehab center while I was gone. Then he walked out a few hours later and took a taxi to a bookstore, where I had to pick him up and take him home and stick around. He spent the rest of the day utterly incoherent on morphine or whatever depressant he's on. He kept talking about the Polish infantry being in the bathroom. My life would be very pleasant right now without this stress.