Weekend

It's crazy what goes through your mind when it's in shock. This last weekend was unlike any other, any time, any place. Saturday started out overcast, little sun here and there, but mostly clouds. Perfect weather for my family who haven't been in Washington in more than a year to arrive to. Work was long, with the expectation of an almost complete reunion, and the idea of making all my progress in this little town known pressing on my mind. I probably annoyed my little brother calling him every few hours to see where they were and when they planned to arrive. During the last few hours of work the weather started clearing up drastically, finally the sun was out, but the timer was ticking down, would they make it before it set for the night? Turns out they did, my Dad, Sister, and two Brothers pulled into my driveway at around 7:15 in time to motor over Lakeway Drive to a beautiful sunset, on our way to the start of an insane weekend.

My family can be a lot of drama, for anything more than a few weeks it can be too much to bare, but when there's months in between, it's like a breath of fresh air. It's funny when my family was visiting I didn't once get annoyed by Brett and Emeli's bantering, in fact I was noticing how well the two of them seem to interact now, Brett is very kind to her, and she's definitely learned how far she can take Brett before she needs to look for apologies. We had a delicious dinner at this incredible pizza parlor, they cook the pizzas over a wood-fired grill, with really fresh ingredients. Usually it's too expensive for Emma and I to go for casual outings so it's always a treat to go there. I showed them the awesome lemonade they serve, they mix in rosemary and it has the most peculiar bite to it. I can't describe how nice it was to be sitting in a familiar place with faces I've known for so long but seen so little of recently, it was perhaps harder than being in Utah where I feel a visitor. We finished off two large pizzas and everyone seemed very full, very content. It was cool outside, but we decided to walk a few blocks up to the local ice cream shop Mallards, one of Bellingham's pride and joys. Emeli was jeered at by a homeless black man which startled her, unfortunately the homeless choose the popular street to hang out on. I've walked that street probably a hundred times but when you're not just a solitary college student, fending for himself, and you have family around you the whole world can look entirely different. So we get in the car, Freddy insists on riding shotgun, to sweeten the deal for us backriding passengers we get to watch Quantum of Solace in dolby digital surround, and Emma sits captivated oohing and ahing at the stunts. At the turn to my place Dad decides to keep on straight, spying the looming Lake Whatcom on the GPS unit in the dash. Though dark it was fun to see him explore a place I was very familiar with, seeing his gaze fall over sights I could illuminate in my mind having seen it a dozen times in full sunlight. My own curiosity kicked in, I had never driven the road we were on as far as we had gone, I was starting to wonder if it did in fact go all the way around the lake, which would make for a very long car ride... It wasn't long until Emeli and Brett started complaining that they wanted to go back, which I was torn on, I was excited to see if the road went all the way around the lake, but I wanted to interact with my family, yet I was realizing we'd have to drive the distance we had just come, back... Luckily the GPS kicked in and showed a route to the freeway, which would take us a more direct distance at a higher speed. After only a few minutes on the freeway Freddy started asking when we could pull over so he could go to the bathroom, since we were really only 5 or 10 minutes away we pressed on. Just a couple minutes later Freddy asked again almost in the same tone, and Dad told him he should just wait, but Freddy immediately got very serious about pulling over, telling Dad to pull over right now. I'm sure the thought of vomit in the new Land Rover was enough to pull over on the side of two lane freeway. I admit I was watching quite intently, probably with the intent of seeing some vomit, and giving him a hard time about it later. Luckily I was because Dad didn't see him look cautiously around, and then suddenly collapse. Not sure whether he had just keeled over to hurl I asked if anyone else had seen him fall over, Dad didn't seem to realize what had happened so I jumped out of the car and ran over to see where he was. He was lying flat on the pavement, face first, not moving. I started shaking his body trying to see if he'd move, he moved his arms up to his head and started pulling at his hair. My first thought was that he had dirt in his hair he was trying to get out, and by this time Dad was standing by his side helping to pull him up. It was too dark to see everything at first, but I could definitely see the blood, there was a stream forming right above his right eyebrow. Emma was at the scene at this time too so I turned her away, not sure if it'd be any more graphic. As soon as Freddy was on his feet he began pushing involuntarily trying to walk off, which seemed weird to me for two reasons, first he didn't seem to be taking any notice to the large gash on his face, and second he was treating us like strangers. I first noticed my hands were shaking when I tried pressing 9-1-1 on my phone, mistakingly pressing 9-9-1. Immediately I was on the phone with an operator who transfered me to someone in my area, I was trying to describe what had happened, while watching Freddy struggle against Dad trying to get him in the car. Dad called out to me telling me NOT to get an Ambulance, we were going to take him. So I tried explaining to the emergency operator that we were going to take care of the situation, she didn't seem to believe me, she asked "why do I hear shouting in the background?" She heard Dad yelling at Freddy, at this point Freddy was not responding well to Dad trying to get him in the car. I hung up the phone and ran over to help, we were trying to force him into the car but he was acting very strange. Dad was saying to him "Freddy! You've been badly hurt! We are taking you to the Hospital NOW!" But Freddy didn't seem to understand he would push away and say things like "Okayyyy OKAYYY" It was apparent that he wasn't responding well to Dad so I looked him in the eyes and snapped my fingers right in front of him and said calmly but sternly "Freddy. Wake-up. You're hurt. You need to get in the car." His demeanor instantly changed, he went silent, stood very still, and almost in a reluctant mood stepped right into the front seat. Emeli the whole time in the car was really freaking out, it was interesting to me because she was transferring all of her stress about Freddy to her pink bear that she just realized was missing, poor thing! Freddy was sitting in the front seat and so I started massaging his shoulders, at first he flinched and yelled "stop it Brett!" but when I said it was me he said oh ok thanks, and relaxed. Dad took off doing 80 to the Hospital, at one point we were stuck behind this small car in the slow lane, Dad flashed his lights at him, and he slowed down. I've been guilty of that before, but never again, you just never know what people are rushing to, and you can only hope it's something important. Freddy kept pulling down the visor and looking at himself in the mirror, the odd thing is he would see himself and get really pissed, then moments later do the same thing as if he hadn't just been doing it not 10 seconds earlier. On the freeway exit I asked Freddy when he was born, and instantly he responded with the correct date, I asked him what year it was today and he just said "I don't know." I asked him what town we were in and again he said he didn't know. He seemed annoyed with the questions so I stopped, we were approaching the Hospital when he started saying the same thing he'd gone on about before he fell, saying how he needed to stop and go to the bathroom. We arrived and everyone hopped out to go take him in except Emeli, and I got to drive the Land Rover for the first time, a few feet away to find parking. Finding all the appropriate controls for shutting off a car is ten times worse when you're anxious to get somewhere I swear.

Long story short they checked Freddy in really fast which was surprising, and after only a few hours he was out again. Apparently it was just the effects of dehydration, over-consumption of caffeine instead of sustainable food.Emma was a complete doll, she immediately stepped in and helped Emeli and Brett feel ok. She started showing Emeli LOL Cats on my iPhone which was a huge success, Emeli was enraptured, and soon Brett and Emeli were nervously laughing in the waiting room. While we were waiting for word from the Hospital Brett Emeli Emma and I went back to my place and played on the PS3. Brett and Emeli got to play this amazingly fun game Little Big Planet, and they were hooked! It was so fun to watch the two of them interact, it was kind of a hard game to grasp Brett caught it faster than even I had, but Emeli took a little longer. So it was a funny combo, Brett would be up near the end of the screen and he'd have to wait for Emeli to get it, she was a real sport about it, she'd just laugh hysterically the more agitated Brett got. When Emma and I went to get Freddy and my Dad from the hospital Freddy really wanted to sleep at his place, I was nervous about him sleeping there alone in case he passed out again. We decided it'd be best if Brett went and stayed there with him. When we got home Brett and Emeli were dead asleep, Brett reluctantly woke up, but Emeli was out cold in my bed.

The next morning we got donuts at the local shop, it was very sunny, we went and picked Freddy and Brett up. Freddy seemed to be doing a lot better, but his face looked like it was making his life very miserable. I felt SO bad for him, today was the day we were going to explore, it was the last time he'd get to take in the sights and feel the cool Bellingham breeze and he had to see it through a headache, bleeding face, and chipped nerve exposed teeth. We gave him a maple donut and he took a few bites before he realized he had to stop cause it hurt too much. We had breakfast at the dorms, Brett and Emeli seemed to enjoy the buffet style, plus seeing all the college students must have been cool. We took a stroll around campus, and then made our way down to the beach. The beach was definitely the highlight of the weekend, Freddy seemed to leave a lot of the pain and misery in the car and as soon as we started exploring the rocks he seemed at home scurrying over the stones looking at the sea life. Brett and Emeli were eating it up! Dad brought along all of his gear so he was always a few paces behind having to pack up all of the camera and binocular stuff. After exploring a while we headed back to get Freddy packed up. Emeli uncovered a pack of Mambas and started passing them out very generously, she has such a kind heart. She handed one to Freddy who politely accepted, but I noticed him tuck it away not being able to eat it because of his teeth (I assume). Freddy started looking really down from this point out, you could tell it was weighing heavy on his soul all that he was leaving behind in Bellingham. Brett and Emeli wanted to play more of the video game so Emma offered to stay at my house with them so I could help get the car packed at Freddy's. The night before when I was lying in bed it all kind of struck me what had happened and what was about to happen. I realized then how much I'm going to miss having Freddy around town, I really took advantage of the fact that my brother was here in the same city. My whole family is scattered many states apart, I can't just decide to go visit my parents, I have to wait months to see Brett and Emeli, but Freddy was 5 minutes away. I really wish I would have hung out with him more, we had so many good times here. I've always been more emotional than I had to, and to my credit it's been a long time since I've full on cried, but that night I cried, not very long, and not very hard, but it hurt, I really didn't realize what I had and it was leaving the next day. Driving around town with Freddy in the front seat seeing his pained expression, realizing the emotion he must be feeling, I had to swallow a few tears, pressing them back only made it harder a few hours later.

We visited my store, took a look at Whatcom the school I go to, and just showed Dad around town a bit, delaying I suppose the inevitable, the unrelenting fact that things were about to change, this joy would soon be coming to an end. We somehow, don't ask me how, fit all of his stuff into the back of the land rover, it took about an hour, but we did it. Emma came over and we drove to Boomers, the local burger drive in. We had amazing burgers, it was somewhat of a somber lunch, Freddy only got fries, onion rings, and a shake, poor guy. We meandered back out to the cars and said good-byes or tried to, I instantly became a mess, I could barely speak I was just so choked up!! It was a really fun weekend, somewhat more exciting than anyone could expect, but I'm glad it all worked out. Guess they troop didn't end up leaving for another hour or so, they were looking for scattered items they'd left around town haha. They even stopped by my house to pick-up headphones Brett left in my car. The second good-bye was much easier than the first. I still keep replaying all the things that went through my mind as we were driving Freddy to the hospital, how sweet it is that he reacted so well to my voice. I'm not the best personal communicator, so it was really touching to see all the subconscious respect Freddy has for me. I'm feeling very stable now in life, being where I am, being who I am, ready to see my family whenever next I can. I can't wait to see my Mom, and feel like every minute isn't worth a thousand dollars, slipping away, and really enjoy being with my wonderful family.