the Tenth happens

October 10th: a day to exorcise demons that haunt memories and torment the soul. October 10, 2018: waking in a room at Hampton Airport, Pensacola, turning on the tv to check the tropical storm that was heading toward Bay County when I turned out the light last night, blinking for a second look and exclaiming, "It's a goddamn category five hurricane". (Bless me, Father, for I have sinned?)

Driving the few blocks to Sacred Heart hospital, checking daughter Malinda in for her third brain surgery, this Time to correct an aneurysm before it ruptured instead of after, and going to wait. Wait. Wait.

Waiting, watch on my computer screen as Michael Monster sweeps ashore and heads north.

Malinda's surgery goes well. But in her ICU room that evening, panic as she goes from clear speech to garbled, unintelligible aphasia; summon the charge nurse to find the surgeon, who is still in the hospital. Watch as her bed is wheeled quickly away for a brain scan. Wait. Bear the news that, yes, a stroke, deep in the brain and not related to the surgery, which had been long and tough but gratifyingly successful.

Michael and All Devils: Halloween loosing its ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties three weeks early, 

instead of October 31, October 10. 

Life as it meets us.

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For ten months after, we were transients on Hurrication before 7H was habitable again. In that, we were fortunate. Four years on, there are still blue roofs in Panama City, and tall pine trees standing needle-naked dead, poised to fall in the next windstorm. Landmarks are gone such that I no longer know my way around after dark. Not meant to generate pity, especially with Hurricane Ian having missed us two weeks go, taking out Florida counties to the south of us. For those so blessed, life happens. 

October is by no means finished with us.

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October 10, 2022: an exorcism and a blessing.

T