MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2010

Today has been a little odd. When I got home Carol was in the kitchen and was a little defensive. I was quietly checking to see if there were new additions to Tom's medicine, when she asked me what I was doing. I just said I was checking to see if he took hid medicine and she told me in a very matter-of-fact tone that the calendar said he took them, so he took them. I asked her if she'd eaten and she informed me they had already eaten plenty. This doesn't sound like much, but considering she's usually over-the-top gracious when I get home, it's a little weird. I put out some food and go to the gym. When I get back I sit at the kitchen table reading and eating. Usually by this time Grandpa is long gone watching TV and Carol is in her pajamas, occasionally going into the kitchen to shut screens and eat ice cream. But, here they are in the kitchen with me. Then they are in the hallway arguing about the tiki hut (someone called earlier to say he would come by and fix it up because it looked like it needed it last time he was here... whenever that was? Tom and Carol seemed to know him). Carol says it needs to be done because it is "leaking like sieve," but Grandpa counters that he goes down there everyday and it's just fine. I don't say my opinion, which is that everything in there is so weather torn that as long as the structure is standing, I'm probably not hiding their in a hurricane anyway. Then Grandpa comes in looking for something to eat, "is this your aaacctiiiveeea?" "Yes," I say. "What is it?" "It's yogurt, like really creamy strawberry ice cream. Help yourself." I hold my tongue while he opens it by stabbing it with a fork repeatedly, then takes it to his room without any utensil at all. He comes back later, I presume for a spoon, but he opens the fridge, shuts it, looks at the picture of Jim on it and asks, "do you know my son?" I say yes, silently begging him not to ask me any more questions. This is enough for him. He nods and turns back to his room empty handed. I hear some arguing, but I don't know what about. Then Carol comes in and asks me what book I'm reading. She thinks this is wonderful. She turns around and walks away. A little while later I hear doors opening and shutting. Grandpa calls out on both porches for Carol. He comes in asking if I've seen her. I say I saw her about 15 minutes ago, and I thought she headed back to their room. He's not so sure. Something "stinks." He continues to look for her, and says he's going to call the police, after all, he says, "she never disappears. We didn't get into any augment. We NEVER argue. I don't know what this is all about." I help him look. but it doesn't take me long. She's in the office smoking a cigarette. I ask her if she's OK and she says she's not. I tell her that Tom is worried about her. She says she has to compose herself before going out. I somehow convince Grandpa that we should give it a full half-hour before alerting the authorities. She comes out about ten minutes later, and instead of being relieved, Grandpa is accusatory. "Where were you." "In the little bedroom." "No you were not." "Well, yes, I was." "Something stinks." He sits muttering swear words to himself under his breath. When it gets loud enough that I hear him say "bullshit" clearly, I ask if he's OK. "None of your god-damn business," of course. Alright, now he's ready to go to bed. Is Carol coming? No, she says she's not ready. This clearly does not please him but she's just fine eating ice cream in the kitchen. Very strange.