My good buddy Christian accompanied me to Durham this weekend to move up the rest of Mike's stuff that we're keeping (his enormous book collection, his piles of college-era art, the bookshelves I'm going to need now.) I really don't know where we're going to put it. I couldn't afford a long-term storage building so we put most of it in the garage but, as we learned the hard way, you can't leave stuff out there indefinitely. We ended up throwing out a ton of our own old clothes and books because of mildew. So this is a short-term solution. All of it has tremendous sentimental value for me so I don't want to get rid of it. Looks like the only solution is to donate and dump a lot of my own stuff to make room. This coming weekend is going to be busy with trips to the Salvation Army, the dump and the houses of anyone who wants my stuff.
I just hope I'll be in any kind of shape for it by then. I managed to throw my back out pretty badly right before we left Durham. Not because I was lifting anything heavy. No, that would make too much sense. I threw my back out tying a knot!!! I was tying down the last item in the back of the van when BOOM!...I felt a little tug in the lower left and some of the most blinding pain I've ever felt. Took the wind right out of me. That good ol' Wieringo spine. #$%@!!!
Anyway, I'm back in Richmond now and it's only through the kindness and good heart of Mr. Christian Leaf that we were able to get the stuff unloaded and the van returned. Suzanne and Christian mostly unloaded everything by themselves while I limped along carting things like bookends and empty satchels. I owe Christian a debt I won't soon be able to repay.
Not only did he do the lion's share of the labor, he kept me pretty cheerful during what could have been a depressing errand. Anyone who knows Christian knows that he's always "on". His sense of humor is quick, smart and relentless. Saturday night, we were planning on getting some dinner and then catching the HALLOWEEN remake at the theater. We were tired and pretty much over it by then though, so we settled on dinner at Don Cecilio's (All praise the 32oz. frosty mug Dos Equis!) and an evening of Sci-Fi Channel's worst made-for-TV movies. We got back to Mike's house in time for the last 3-quarters of SASQUATCH MOUNTAIN and it was like watching it with the robots from MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000. Christian (and the beer) had me laughing until my sides split. And when the hot brunette from CABIN FEVER showed up, he really hit his stride.
Knowing my back was in agony didn't stop him either. All the way back today, he had me cracking up so much it made me wince. The man should be on the radio.
So, thanks Christian. For EVERYTHING!
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9 comments:
That's what's family is for, brutha. Don't ever think otherwise. Just think SASQUATCH MOUNTAIN. Then think Lance Henriksen looking all old, but then to cleanse your palette—think SASQUATCH MOUNTAIN one more time...in slow motion...with dem—
Si!
Its great to have friends like that. My wife and I really reconnected with some of our college friends when her mother passed away a few years ago. They were just there for us and now we don't know what we'd do without them.
matt-ski!
so sorry to hear abbout your back. wish i coulda been there to lighten the load with you two. christian is, what my grandfather used to refer to as, a hoot! glad you guys had a good time and hope your back feels better soon.
talk to ya later--
you too, christian!
todd
yeah, what todd said!
-c
Funny and willing to help you move heavy stuff, that Christian sounds like a keeper.
Your back is like mine. I can lift a wheelbarrow full of rocks with no effect, then on another day I lean over a funny way to pick up my glasses and suddenly I'm writhing on the floor in agony.
Incidentally, I don't think there is a true "Harvey Comics" entity anymore, as the family sold off properties and the company fell apart when Harvey Sr. died. Anyway it's parody, so you can't be sued. And now that Dark Horse is reprinting the Casper stuff so that people can get familiar with it all again, the time might be right for Enchanted!
JP
Ah, the old parody gambit. Sweeeet. Thanks, dude.
I once threw my back out lifting too much at the gym. I thought that was pretty manly. Well, until I squealed like a Ruby Rhod and limped to the elevator. That kinda sucked.
Them made-for-SciFiChannel movies... There's a reason the call it "the most dangerous night on television". "Alien Apocalypse" was so bad that it was actually fun to watch, so if you haven't seen that one, you should definitely check it out.
And the back thing? Rest it for a day or so and then go out walking. Walking does wonders for back strain.
Warren, that's good advice. I'm finding that out even now. Even though I was busy at work, I forced myself to get up from my computer and walk around every hour or so. Did wonders. While I'm still hurtin', I'm definitely on the mend. I dodged a bullet this time. I've been out of commission for months before following one of these episodes.
This movie thing on Sci-Fi is a regular event? I didn't know that. I'm definitely going to try to make that a priority. Suzanne and I usually bond over a night of COPS and AMERICA'S MOST WANTED. May have to throw her a change-up. :)
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