“Don’t Think I’ve Left You All Behind”

So, Aaron and I are home after several days away. Here’s how June 24 & June 25 unfolded…

Wednesday (June 24, 2026), Aaron and I flew to Michigan out of Great Plains, New York, which we’d never done before, usually leaving from LaGuardia, JFK or Newark. It was fine, though much smaller than what we’re used to. I found it charming. Aaron didn’t love it, but our flight was smooth and fast, with no troubles.

Aaron’s mother, Mary Ellen, and her longtime boyfriend Mark, picked us up from the airport, as they often do. They let us borrow Mary Ellen’s car but we went to a restaurant together. The food was good and the company was great. I was happy to be with them and happy to be back in Michigan. I love Michigan. It isn’t home anymore, but it is packed with memories and many people that I adore. We headed to our hotel. I toyed with going out but decided to stay in as I can get worn out pretty easily and we had a lot planned. I read a bit before bed – and I slept well, which isn’t surprising as I’d gotten up very early. Oh…and as I was off the medication that had been crushed in the mail, I was sick all day.

On Thursday (June 25, 2026), the pharmacy let me by purchase 7 days worth of my meds out of pocket. My online pharmacy was supposed to have sent me more but they never sent a tracking number so I figured it was delayed. Aaron went to the rehearsal for his cousin’s wedding. Meanwhile, my sister Janice picked me up and then our father (with my nephew Jordan along for the adventure), taking us to Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill (the same place I’d gone the day before). Our cousin Joy and her partner Nate joined us as well. A fun time was had by all. After we parted ways with Joy and Nate, Janice took Jordan to Kroger to get groceries and then we dropped him off, followed by our father soon after.

Janice took me to pick up Aaron’s dry cleaning for the wedding and then we headed out for Mooreville to visit with Grandma (Frances Phillips), our step-father (Douglas L. Canell) and our Aunt Marge White. I took lots of pictures of the countryside on our way from Ann Arbor; I’ve always thought it was beautiful there, but I didn’t start taking pictures of it until after I moved to New York.

I had such a wonderful visit with my family.

Janice drove me back to my hotel. I got ready for bed. I read more of my book and slept well again.

To Be Continued…

Today’s journal entry song quote is from “Pink Pony Club” from the 2023 debut studio album by the American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”.

THE BOY FADES OUT

Remember that boy
& his inspiration?

Remember that boy
& our invitation?

Remember that boy?
Without hesitation…

Remember that boy
& you remember temptation.

But I don’t know that boy
& he doesn’t know me.

The boy faded out
& set us both free.

But then why am I writing
of his faded memory?

Whatever Whatever
will be will be.

Written by Jason Wright
January 3, 2000


For Nate:

Someone that I don’t really know, whose appearances are always brief and electric, who I wanted before I knew his name and long before his sweetest confession.

In the late 90s I spent nearly every night at a Denny’s located at 3310 Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor, which was permanently closed on March 30, 2022, and has since been demolished to make way for a new Chick-fil-A. Gross.

That’s where I knew Nate from. I never knew his last name. I didn’t think I stood a chance with him but he said something really cryptic to me once that turned heads…but I only saw him once after that and it was in passing and he looked like he had really been put through the wringer. It wasn’t the kind of situation where I could talk to him and I never really knew him very well, so he just disappeared from my life. I hope he’s good.

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