Big Bubble Day

It was a big day in the shuttle bubble yesterday. That’s the first time I called it a bubble. There’s something to that. It’s a different zone.

I met a Puerto Rican preacher, a Chinese cook, my second retired zookeeper, a young-ish self-employed computer jockey, a retired railroad worker, and my first chiropractor.

The preacher and I talked about El Dios, fluctuating congregations and his good-old-days as a cabbie in San Juan. Man, that was when a hundred dollars was worth something.

The Chinese cook - John - told me how to make very tender chicken breasts just like they always are when you get Chinese take out. He’s been here 20 years and has not been practicing his English. So, good luck with the chicken, David. I’ll see if I understood him and pass along the technique.

The computer jockey had a dozen boxes in his car before he had to get towed in. He should have rented a car. Probably a delay that ripples down to his next pay check. I took him home and we unloaded in front of his garage. I hope the rain let up before his cardboard got all wet.

The zookeeper talked about feeding steak to Sampson. That was before we knew what gorillas preferred to eat. Can we remember a time that far back? And, according to him, Sampson died of a heart attack. So, eat less steak. Eat more vegetables.

The retired rail worker took a look at the actuarial tables and decided he didn’t want to work and then die. So, he retired. We talked a lot about food quality and organics. Quite the Christian, too. Lots of volunteer work in his days now.

The chiropractor? My very first chiropractor in the shuttle.  A story unto itself. He’s my age. His name is David, too.

And, he’s about 25% along the way to recovery after having been stung by a jellyfish off the coast of Georgia last May. It is the middle of August at this writing. He’s got a long way to go.

As you might imagine, we talked about the two types of chiropractors - straight and mixed -, bodily systems, good food and general well-being.

He said things we don’t want to hear. For instance, most of the damage we do to ourselves (think 80%) is caused by what we put into our bodies.

Here is the summing up for the day. Pray to God you eat less steak, more veggies, and retire as early as possible. And don’t leave your cardboard in the rain.