Bittersweet

Bee now eschews the afternoon nap, which is a problem for us. Losing the daily respite from the rigors of a two year old is one thing, but getting a cranky two year in exchange at dinner time is no fun at all. But then we remembered how much she likes to sleep in the car, and the "driving nap" was created. The other day, Bee and Glenn and I took to the road about 3:30, but I had no idea where we were going... It rubs very hard against the grain to look for reasons to drive in Los Angeles, as I am always doing the opposite.  So I just got on the 2 Freeway and headed north. It's the only freeways that seems easy going almost all the time, and it heads up to the mountains. It was the route we used to take on our visits to Tujunga where Sleeford and his family lived. I had barely passed the I-5 ramps for north and south when I looked behind me and saw a giant blonde head nodded over at a seriously drunken tilt. The dog looked a little nervous, but the big nap was on. 

Up through the dry scrub hills opening into the lower mountains we went, summer having its way with the land as the shadows bore into the ground. Without thinking, I reached the end of the 2 and angled west onto the 210. Before I knew it the Lowel exit was upon me and I instinctively took it. I was on the way to Sleeford's and didn't really have any other plan. We haven't been there for a year and half, and since Sleeford died, we've had little reason to go. His father is full metal jacket nuts; his sister who lives next door did not fall far from the nut tree, nor did she move far from the Pollard compound. Bee slept through it all, but Glenn clearly knew where he was, and was looking all about for his favorite human in the world (besides me, sometimes) but there was, of course, nothing. Nothing but sad memories, and nothing like the sudden death of a healthy friend to put a monstrous hole in your world. 

I turned around in the Pollard driveway before anyone saw me and headed back home, the dog and I both with heavy hearts. Back down Lowell we cruised and then onto the 210 heading east. Bee had been sleeping for about 20 minutes by now, and my goal is at least a half hour, so I set the cruise control on 60 and let everyone and their mother pass me. About two thirds of the way home the Glendale Adventist hospital caught my attention to the right. Bee was born there, and that's where we first met - she was 24 hours old at the time. I was a nervous wreck. We hadn't expected Bee to join us for another day, but there she was. I was so wound up I couldn't figure out how to strap in the car seat. But it has since become the biggest day for the happiest thing in my life, even if it doesn't want to nap in the afternoon any longer. And it occurred to me that our little drive had taken us to the place where Sleeford left this earth, and to the place where Bee entered it. Sweet. Bittersweet. Sleeford would have so loved her...

(Guest Blogger Sparky)