the id, the ego, & the single misfiring brain cell

...after a manner of speaking. 

Our civilians returned to work. Ahem. Excuse me. 

YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAA!

I caught up on some of my duties, then graded a bit, then we were all called into a meeting for some sad news. 

DFENG (Dean of Faculty, Department of English) is a tight bunch. We genuinely like each other. So what happens to one happens to us all. Well...something awful happened in the family of one of our beloved, and the news hit us all pretty hard. I don't deal with suicide well. I've lost too many friends to it--too many brilliant, wonderful, funny friends. Thus, when I learn that someone close to us did the deed, I go into a sort of blank-out mode. 

I graded a bit after that, but mostly just sat thinking. 

Then I went for a 3:15pm appointment with Discount Tire to have my tires changed, since I was driving on a spare and everything--a spare that was being used for the first time in ten years. If that don't make you nervous, folks, nothing will. 

So I checked in with the technician dude, who sold me much more expensive tires than I'd come for (well done), then sat down to grade papers. I still wasn't really in the mood, but I gave it my best effort. After a bit, I realized I'd chosen the sunlit chair, so I shifted over to the shade where everyone else was, (doh) between a black gentleman (who chatted with me briefly about having sat in that same chair) and a white gentleman reading a huge honking book that looked...academic. 

The black gentleman left five minutes later, and I tried to focus on my papers. But after a while, I said to the remaining gentleman, "Doing a little light reading, are you?"

He laughed and showed me that he was reading a biology textbook. We got to chatting. Turns out, he was 22 years AF enlisted, and his wife is currently in the local master's program in counseling and will become a new AOC (Air Officer Commanding) next summer when she graduates. As we talked, we realized we had many things in common. He was a delightful conversant. I look forward to meeting his wife. I think we talked for about 30 minutes. We've both thought we might like to retire in Tennessee, because it is so breathtakingly beautiful. We've both served as enlisted folk, and we were probably born in the same year. We both love the Springs.... It was just one thing after another. 

When I came home, I looked him up on Facebook and proffered a friend request. Then I found his wife and...we have a mutual friend. :) 

Small Air Force. It really is. 

But I came home feeling a little better about people, and about me in general. 

Thanks, Mike. 

d