Curious George
2002-02-28

Well, I just got back from the vampires. Thats what I call the people who take my blood. The lady I had today is very nice, and does a good job, its' just that getting stuck with needles is never a fun time. I stopped next door to get my BP checked and as I suspected it is through the roof. 170/100. Normal for me is 117/80. Major hypertension. I quit taking the drugs earlier in the week, have cut way back on the drinking and cut out salt and it is still ballistic. I have a call into the doctor now to see what I need to do next. I'll keep you posted.

None of this would have bothered George. George was a neighbor of my best friend Brian and a few years younger than us. Nothing bothered George. He could usually be found shoeless, stoned and in his regular uniform of an old tee shirt and jeans. He had over the shoulder hair and a baby face and girls love him. He was fairly uneducated, but street smart. I swear he could have hitch hiked to California with only a dollar and a joint in his pocket and he'd have gotten there having gained weight, slept with a dozen women and still having the dollar and joint in his pocket. George knew how to survive.

George had an old van that was known by every cop in all of the surrounding towns. He had a different style with women. If he found one (or several)he liked he'd just ask them for sex. He got slapped more than a few times, but lots said OK. He always had at least one girl around all the time. He'd even date two on the same night.

George was more than willing to share his discards, but the kind of girl he attracted was sort of not exactly what Bri or I were looking for. He hardly ever had a job, but who needed a job when you had friends.

We always figured George would die in a car accident. It was expected. One day we were kidding him about it. Another friend, Butchie who was always totally toasted had just been killed by a drunk driver. Butchie was sober for maybe the first time in weeks. Pretty ironic. Any way, we are busting up George and he is just laughing it off. He puts a quarter in the jukebox and from behind his back randomly pushes two buttons. It comes up the B side song sung by somebody I had never heard of. The song title.... God watches over fools like me. Well we all laughed, hoped it was true I guess and life went on.

About two weeks later we all met at the Quarries, a place we swam and partied, sort of a meeting place. George was suppose to come with us. It was dark, but not too late. We were all just heading out so I don't even think any of us had even had more than a beer or so. George walks over and tells us he'll meet us later. This kid he knows is on something and way to messed up to drive alone. We tried to talk him out of it. This kid is way too messed up to drive. George is conviced that as long as he goes along, everthing will be OK. So George gets in the van as they swerve off.

We found out later they never made it even a mile. The kid headed up the highway, bounced off the high speed guard rail and rolled the van. George broke his neck and was killed instantly. The driver was found wandering around crying about his van.

Butchie, George and Linda ( It think I hve written about Linda earlier, I'll have to check) That was a bad month. The funny thing is they all were sober and taken out by people who weren't. They all would have walked away too if they had been wearing seatbelts. I never got into a car again without buckling mine. I won't drive unless my passengers buckle up too. A very tough lesson and probably the only good tha came out of the whole mess.

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