AUGUST... The backside of Summer... (Part 26i)

As I said, I had to work Sunday morning. Labor day weekend was probably the busiest weekend of the year as far as pumping gas was concerned. Cliff, my boss, wasn’t all that happy about me leaving at noon but he’d agreed to it when I was hired. When I got home I only had a short time to visit with Elle and then get to the sailing club on time. I found her to be what I now know as depressed. She’d had the catheter removed and now found that her wetting was worse than before the operation. She’d talked with the doctors and they told her to have patience. I couldn’t add any more to it and felt bad that I couldn’t stay to keep her company.

I don’t have any memory of the races that day but I do remember I ended up third (again) in the season standings. The prizes were to be handed out that night at the sailing club and Elle was supposed to go with me but she was too afraid of what might happen if she did. Once I received my trophy I left and went back to see Elle. Time was running out on me as I only had that night and, hopefully, some time the next day before I was on my way to Ohio. She was scheduled to go back to college on Thursday and was fearful about how she’d be able to handle it in her present condition. I remember her sitting on the day bed couch on her front porch with a piece of plastic spread out under her and a bath towel on top of that. Her mother originally didn’t want me to come in and to see her like that but Elle went against her and I was allowed in. I felt really helpless because there was nothing I could do or say to help her. She understood that it was a really big thing for me to go race in the championships. I was going to be the youngest competitor and, more important than that was the fact that there were some really good sailors who had never even qualified for the championships and this might be my only chance. When I got up to leave she got up with me. (Her parents, thankfully, had gone to bed.) I remember giving her butt a squeeze when kissing her (like I usually did) and finding it very wet. After an initial start to a bulge I came back to the reality that the girl did have a serious problem. I promised I’d stop by the next day when I could and went on home.

Labor day was an incredibly busy day for pumping gas. Tony and his family left for their winter home first thing in the morning which meant it was basically Cliff, my boss, and I at the station. A lunch break was out of the question which meant another chance to be with Elle was eliminated. Even though I had to get my boat and trailer ready for the trip to Ohio the following morning I stayed and pumped gas until it was almost dark. When I finally got home I ran over to see Elle for a just a few minutes. She was feeling better but with her parents around I didn’t get too ”close” to her, if you know what I mean. My heart wasn’t into going home to pack up my things although I did. I pretty much knew I wouldn’t see Elle again until we were both back at college which made me sad.

To be continued...