Surprise Phone Call

I was in bed reading last night when my phone rang at approximately 9:30 or so. It was Stupid Bill.

I had not heard from SB for quite some time, despite the fact I have called and e-mailed him half a dozen times. I asked how things were going and he said, "Bad. Dude, things are realled F'ed up here. After several minutes, I get him to open up. All I will say publicly is that it has to do with his ex-wife.

We talk (mostly he talks and I listen) and when I get a chance I ask him why he has been dodging my calls/e-mails.

"Dude, I have not been talking to much of anyone lately." To that I cried, "SB, that is BS. (I just like the way that looks in print!) I know you have been talking to Monica for weeks."

"Uh, yeah." he replied.

"SB, I have called and e-mailed you half a dozen times." I tell him point blank.

"I only got your last message a few days ago." He retorts.

I then tell him my trip to WV is scheduled and I should be there on the 23rd of August.

He then begins to inquire on the route I will be taking so I tell him: 30 from Dallas to Little Rock, 40 to Nashville, 65 into KY, then pick up the Blue Grass Parkway...

"Dude, I just live 20 minutes south of The Blue Grass Pkwy."

Then I tell him what I had planned on doing when I came up...that is up until he went off the grid. "SB, I had planned on driving to your house and arriving late on Friday night. I figured I would crash there and we could catch up on Saturday. I could spend the night Saturday night and leave Sunday morning."

"Dude, I would love to meet you someplace. What do you normally do when you drive up from TX?"

I then told him about the camp ground that I stay at outside of Jackson, TN. I told him I drive there, set up camp, spend the night and then get up and start driving the next morning.

"Do you still take the Blue Grass Parkway?", he said.

I told him that I never change my route and then he said, "How about I meet up with you Saturday at E-Town (Elizabethtown, KY). We could drive up together and catch up. Then when we get to WV, we can go our separate ways until you head back. I mean, after we see each other's folks, that is."

I agreed but I told him that he did not need to meet me at E-Town. I looked at the map and he was not that far out of the way for me to swing up to his little town and pick him up. He said that there was no reason for me to leave the highway. I smelled something fishy. Could it be that SB is embarassed of his current situation?

I really don't know, but that is what I suspect. The rest of the gang (including some of his female running around buddies) are happily married and SB is not. Most of us are moderately successful (we have homes and jobs and dependable vehicles and maybe a little savings) and SB is not.

Well that is it. I stayed up until about 11:00 or so talking to SB and he will call me back so I can stop someplace to pick him and his gear up and then we will continue to WV. I am not sure what the plan will be once we get into Huntington but we will figure it our. We could drive to his folks place which is 90 minutes south of my final destination and then we could stay the night or I could just drop him off and continue on. He may just want to come into town with me and he can see if someone can put him up for the night. Mom does not have the room in her small house...

Okay RycheRox and KD...that is what is going on so far. More to follow.