Semi-On Topic: a busy week

[Tom Williams]

Some personal, some musical, hopefully not a waste of your collective time.

 

Monday

My brother's body is put on the plane from Berlin to Dulles. He had died of pancreatic cancer a couple of weeks ago, less than 4 weeks after diagnosis.

 

I read on FB that a kid who goes to my church, and sometimes hangs with me at the high school, has Covid. We had had contact the previous week. Great.

 

Tuesday

I wake up with a mild sore throat. I go into work. (public schools, multi-site IT guy)

 

After short discussion with school administrators -- "Go get tested now" -- I go get tested.

 

15-minute test is negative, or I would say "non-positive." Negative results aren't very trustworthy. Tester tells me to take a second, 48-hour test for much better safety. We do that too. I take two days' sick leave.

 

I e-mail my band that I cannot practice Wednesday, being under isolation pending test. The band is very understanding, despite the fact that we have an engagement scheduled for Friday at a state park, which translates to both above-average money and above-average exposure. They reschedule practice for Thursday night, in hopes that I will get a negative test result.

 

I e-mail my siblings that I may have Covid, that would interfere somewhat with attending my brother's burial on Saturday.

 

Thursday

I receive the "slow" Covid test results, also negative, I'm cleared to interact with humans again.

 

I go into work, take care of a few things, notify the band that I am fit for duty.

 

Practice with the band, and I mention to them that it is essential I get home as soon as possible (90 minute drive from the gig) on Friday night, as I am burying my brother on Saturday morning (45 minute drive to the grave site). Specifically, no dallying or playing past 9 PM -- I have to rest some time. They all promise to help me out with that.

 

Friday

The schools all have the day off, for the County Fair / Labor Day weekend. (The fair itself was cancelled due to Covid epidemic, but the schools had already given us the day off.)

 

9:15 -- 1:30 Go to a dentist for a molar I'd broken Monday night. Nearest one that can take me before mid-September is an hour's drive each way.

 

1:30 -- 2:30 Rest for half hour, and pack vanload of instruments for the state park, 90 minutes away.

20 minutes road work delay, then I get to the wrong part of state park. 10+ more minutes delay getting to the right part. Arrive slightly late, 4:15, to set up for 6 PM gig. For the first time, we have no sound man. I now get to run FOH while playing keyboards. Yip--pee!

 

6:10 -- 9:00 Good performance, except the lead singer promises the audience we will run over a little to compensate for a late start. I tell her -- on stage -- don't say that, I gotta leave. Awkward to bicker during a set. The band backs me. At 9 PM everyone helps me pack out, and I am out of there by 9:15 -- pretty good for loading a minivan with three keyboards, four stands, a rack of equipment, all the wires that connect them, yada yada yada.

 

10:30 Home. Terrible backache from playing / driving / stress. Asleep by 11:30, aided by wife's prescription backache pill.

 

Saturday

My wife and I get to the graveyard (in another county) in time for the burial, but the officiating pastor (a friend of mine, I booked him for the gig) was sent elsewhere by Siri. Ancient VFW men in VFW uniforms with blank-filled guns and an electric bugle are standing out in the sun. I agree to start without the pastor, who is now headed to the right graveyard. He arrives by the time the flag has been folded. All's good. Cheap wooden coffin is actually more beautiful than many we have seen in the past. Wife and I get home around 1 PM, and I sleep hard for 3-4 hours.

[gino]

So sorry for your loss Tom. Thats a very tough week.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Tom sorry to hear about your loss. Eventful week. I hope you can relax now for a bit.

 

All my best from Australia.

[stoken6]

My condolences Tom.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[yannis D]

My sincere condolences for your brother. Despite this, life has to go on with all ups and downs.

[Bill W]

Tom - sorry to hear of the loss of your brother. I am relieved that you don't have covid - get some rest brother!

[nursers]

That's a hard week, condolences

[Adan]

Pardon me for projecting my own feelings onto your situation, but it seems to me you have to live for your brother now, too. Double your enjoyment, double your passion, double everything.

[BEMcCut]

Rough week. Hang in there.

[KuruPrionz]

All my best to you and yours Brother Tom.

[drawback]

Sorry you had to go through all of this, Tom. Take care.

[Tusker]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss Tom. A difficult week indeed. Grief is a cunning opponent. Catches you when you are not ready. Please accept our support. Love to your family.

[Joe Muscara]

Sorry, Tom. Best wishes.

[MAJUSCULE]

Condolences, Tom. I also lost a good friend this past weekend, got the news Monday morning. Hard to just carry on after that.

[drawback]

Condolences, Tom. I also lost a good friend this past weekend, got the news Monday morning. Hard to just carry on after that.

 

Jeez, Eric. Tough. Sorry to hear.

[Tom Williams]

Thanks, guys. I deliberated over whether to dump all that here, but the feeling of community at KC made it a pretty easy decision.

[MathOfInsects]

Tom--Really sorry to hear. What a heavy load to carry around.

 

Hang in.

[ElmerJFudd]

That"s quite a week, Tom. I"m sorry for your loss. You"re definitely not alone.

[GovernorSilver]

My condolences, Tom.

[mate stubb]

That's a tough week. You have my thoughts and well wishes.

[Bill H.]

Condolences Tom - and hope that your week going forward will be better.

[CowboyNQ]

Sorry for your loss Tom.