Farmer H is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he can build a shed! Sometimes his porch light is on, though nobody's home. But the porch is sturdy and the light doesn't flicker. He may not be the brightest crayon in the box, but the box is handmade, dovetailed, sanded, and lacquered, with monogrammed initials inlaid.
Saturday, Farmer H went to his Storage Unit Store as usual. He wanted to make some sales in his last remaining weeks, and was still there when I called him around 3:30 as I was leaving for town. I think I was just inquiring as to his whereabouts, and if he wanted something from the store.
"I don't know, HM. I'm not feeling well."
"What's wrong with you?"
"I just don't feel good. I'm putting my stuff away now."
"Did you have lunch?"
"No."
"You'd better eat something when you get home, before going off to the auction."
The more I thought about it as I drove to town, the more I was convinced that Farmer H shouldn't be driving himself home in his delicate condition. He has diabetes, you know. And shouldn't be skipping meals. I remember when I had to drink that sugary stuff at the doctor when I was pregnant with Fetus Genius, and they let me leave, and when they gave me the test results, I found out my blood sugar had been 48! No wonder I could barely find my way back home, and had trouble remembering how the gas pump worked at Casey's!
Anyhoo... I had an inkling maybe Farmer H was having an episode of low blood sugar. I had some butterscotch hard candies in T-Hoe's console. Sure, they're probably several years old. But might give Farmer H a boost to get him back home to eat some protein. Mrs. HM to the rescue!
Within 7 minutes, I was pulling onto the gravel lot of the storage units. There was SilverRedO down by Farmer H's locker. I drove up, and Farmer H came out. So did another guy, younger, who might have been helping Farmer H put away his stuff, or might have been about to rob him blind. He kept walking. Farmer H stepped up to T-Hoe's passenger door, and stood there. Looking through the window.
"What in the Not-Heaven? What are you doing?" I put the window down. "Aren't you getting in for a minute?"
"No. I was just seeing what you wanted."
"I bet you haven't eaten anything for 7 or 8 hours! Do you want a butterscotch?"
"Yeah. I'll have one." Farmer H took the bag and shook them in his hand, then put them back except for one. "I had a sausage biscuit that my buddy brought around 7:30."
"So it HAS been that long! And you only took ONE butterscotch?"
"I'm on my way home. I'll eat something there. And I just had a couple of those auction cookies before you got here."
"Those tasteless shortbread cookies in the tube? Did it help."
"I'm feeling a little bit better..."
"You need to start taking better care of yourself. You can't just go all that time moving stuff in and out of your locker, and not eating!"
"Yeah. I'm going to put a mini fridge in my new locker so I can take a sandwich."
Not exactly helpful for Sunday's sales. I made him take some string cheese, and Ritz crackers. He said his buddy "across the way" usually brought a cooler. So he'd put his cheese in it.
5 comments:
Whew! I thought for a minute you were going to get there and find him passed out! He really does need to take better care. Tell him I said so.
River,
He didn't sound like himself on the phone. So I stopped by to see if maybe I should drive him home, or take him somewhere for food. He's no spring chicken, and just because he got away with his odd eating habits in the past doesn't mean he can still do it. I will tell him you said so!
As annoying as they are, the prospect of being without them is not pleasant, is it? I think they call this feeling love?
You mentioned yours was 48 when you were pregnant with Genius, is that too low or too high? What would be a normal reading?
Here in Australia we have single digit reading with decimal points. I have high cholesterol, so my doctor would like to see my blood sugar down to around 5.0 so I don't develop type 2 diabetes.
Kathy,
Oh, I love him. I just can't stand him!!!
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River,
It should be between 80-100. So that was really low. They never should have let me leave without getting it back up. I think you are using the A1C reading? Farmer H is supposed to keep his around 6.0, I think. That's his goal, but he has said the doc is happy when it's around 6.5. Of course he is medicated for diabetes, but still sneaks his treats.
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