Covid Chronicles. Chapter 60: This is a test, Al

 

Read chapter 59 here

Photo by Retiring Guy

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Turns out the answer to my question about moving up the dates of the reunion is as plain on nose on my face. But it took me awhile to sniff it out. 

During an early June phone call, Al indicated to JoAnna that he and his family planned to attend the Richard reunion in Two Rivers on the weekend of July 24-26. For JoAnna, this event is forever off her calendar — or at least until her cousin Curt acknowledges and apologizes for his predatory behavior and the Andrews family begins a healing process. (Not ever likely to happen, in my estimation, as denial, sadly, remains the family’s favored response.) 

JoAnna was surprised to learn that Al and his family are spending the entire week in Two Rivers, starting on Sunday evening, July 21. Picture a light bulb blinking on above her head, representing the idea of the Andrews’ Crew reunion taking placing from July 19 to 21, allowing the Marylanders to extend their getaway and join us in Middleton. 

In other words, This is a test, Al. 

In JoAnna’s way of thinking, if Albert is attending the Two Rivers reunion, where no other immediate family members will be in attendance — Cindy is on the same page as JoAnna — he can certainly make time for us. How can he say ‘no’? 

(Here I go again, crawling out on what might be a shaky limb. But I have to admit, I’m getting a lot of enjoyment out of this activity. Guess it makes up for some of the restrictions imposed by the virus.) 

In this case, ‘no’ was not in Albert’s vocabulary. At this point, JoAnna’s planning began in earnest.