Today wasn't what you would normally call a "day trip" and it wasn't very long, thus the 3.1 in the title. I hadn't planned a trip to Dallas/Ft. Worth area but earlier this week I received a call from my sister telling me that our mother was found unconscience and bleeding on the sidewalk in front of the house. Apparently, she had fallen down the steps and hit her head. At least that's what we surmised, since there were no witnesses and she didn't remember.
As it turned out, Sharon was scheduled to attend, and speak at, a conference in Arlington so I decided I would drive her up to Arlington and see what was going on at the hospital...and if it worked out I might get around to a few of the area's Harley dealerships over the next three days. Sharon and I packed up the car after lunch on Wednesday and headed north. As luck would have it, I hit Dallas a little after 5pm so had to deal with rush hour traffic. Thankfully, I had a EZPass for the car and was able to use the tollroads a lot...although they were bumper to bumper as well.
This morning, I left Sharon at the hotel in Arlington to attend the conference...she spoke in the afternoon...and headed to the hospital in Plano. The clock in the car said "7:45" as I pulled out of the parking lot. As one of the dealerships was in Bedford...not too far from the hotel...I decided to be there when they opened the doors at 8am. Afterall, it was "on the way" wasn't it?
The route I chose took me through the city streets so I avoided most of the worst traffic until I merged onto Hwy 183, just a couple of miles east of my exit. As I neared the point where Hwy 121 merged into 183, the traffic became extremely heavy. Fortunately, I only had about 1/2 mile before I could get off and away from the mess. The only problem is that I needed to move over three lanes through traffic coming off 121 trying to move the same three lanes in the opposite direction. I made it off without hitting anyone and found the dealership a block on the other side of the stop light.
I went in, looked around a few minutes, got my passport stamped and headed back east towards Plano. I went down 183 towards the airport...bad idea as it turned out...to get on the George Bush Tollway headed north. Suddenly the traffic screeched to a halt...turns out there was a 4-car fender bender in the left lane and everyone had to go around it. It must have just happened because there were no cops or wreckers.
With only a slight delay, I made the tollroad exit and got on headed toward Plano, once again...and Carrolton, the site of another dealership...after all, it was "on the way". I found the dealership at the corner of the tollroad and I-35, about 100 yards off the tollroad. This time I didn't even look around...just got the passport stamped and got back on the road.
After all was said and done, I arrived at the hospital and went straight to room 333.and discovered it was occupied by a man...Geez, the moved her to rehab without telling anyone! I went down to the nurse's station to find out what was going on. It turns out that they merely moved her to another room around the corner. Well, no harm, no foul.
I visited with the doctor a bit, talked with the occupational therapist and then it was time for lunch. I decided that I'd go to lunch so she could take a nap after she finished eating. Since I was just "down the road" a bit from Sherman, I decided to head north during my lunch hour.
My trusty GPS took me straight there...just north of Sherman on Hwy 75. As usual, I walked around, found a t-shirt and got my passport stamped. Out the door again in about 15 minutes, I thought I should drive by the old house at 817 Pelton before heading back. Again, the GPS took me straight there. The old neighborhood doesn't look too good but the house was about the same...even had the trim painted brown like I left it in 1982. It's hard to believe that's it was almost 30 years ago that we lived there, but then time does fly when you're having fun.
Because to the little side trip to the house...and the fact that Sherman is farther away from Plano that I had thought...I was late getting back to the hospital. I engaged the cruise control at 75mph and sat back to enjoy the '60's music on the satelite radio.
As I neared Allen...the site of yet another dealership playing the passport game...I decided to make a quick pit stop and get another stamp. I was there less than 10 minutes and then back on the highway...this time definitely headed to the hospital. The Allen dealership was "on the way" so how could I not drop in...right?
Perhaps I'm a bad care-giver and a bad son...but then, I never claimed to be otherwise. I do what I can....sometimes. Sharon says that I'm a pretty good person sometimes...despite myself. I guess she should know. I'm afraid my little road trip incurred the wrath of Sharon so I might have a little making up to do when I see her next. My rationalization was that she was eating lunch, watching TV and then taking a nap...and didn't need a babysitter. Apparently, my reasoning was faulty. Perhaps I'll think twice before going on Road Trip 3.2...tomorrow!
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