A Staggering Quirk That's Heartbreaking Genius

NOOO! The Universe is conspiring again! Conspiring against Mrs. HM and family!

Friday afternoon, the eve of Christmas Eve, I got a call from the ex-mayor. He said that Niecy tested positive for THE VIRUS. She had just gotten her results, so he wanted to let everyone know who might be attending the Christmas Eve festivities.

"She's four days in. She's gone 24 hours without a fever. She'll mask up. But we thought everyone should know."

"Well... you know how much we love coming over. I know Sis and you put a lot of time and money into preparing the food. I've had it, and should be immune, but after spending those four days in the hospital with it, I'm afraid I'll have to say no. That doesn't mean Farmer H and the boys can't come. We'll talk it over, and I'll let you know."

"Okay. So you'll tell them?"

"Yes. And one of us will respond."

I discussed it with Farmer H, who had the TV muted while eavesdropping. Funny how he can hear my private conversations, but not commands that I bellow at him!

"I know you don't want me to go."

"I don't. But I can't tell you what to do. I know you love eating their food, and being sociable. But don't forget how you've been having tests to prove you're fit for surgery on your back. If you catch something, it could turn to pneumonia, and then you'd be looking at a couple months, minimum, before they'd think your lungs could handle the anesthesia."

"Yeah. When you put it that way, I probably shouldn't take a chance."

I sent Genius a text, and he replied immediately.

"Oh no! We will be seeing Friend's grandpa, so we won't be able to go. We have a gift for Babe. Your Sis has been talking to me all week about how excited Babe is to see Friend. But we can't risk it."

Then I had to inform The Pony, who works so hard, and doesn't get out much, and purely LOVES this yearly party.

"Oh. I guess I probably shouldn't go either, since I'll be around all of you the next day, and could pass something on."

"You never know. Sis and Ex-Mayor have been babysitting Babe all week. They said she isn't sick, but you never know when she might come down with it and not show symptoms for a couple days."

"Yeah. It's best I don't go."

So there you have it. A party ripped out from under our feet like a magician's tablecloth off a fancy dining table. We are sad, and bear Niecy no ill will. We're happy she's feeling better, but have to look out for our own best interests. I hope this does not cause a rift.

Ex-Mayor called back later, and said that Niecy said she would stay home. No. That's not fair to them. She's family, and they've been around her all week already. I told him we had already made other plans, one of them being Genius leaving Pittsburgh later to start his journey through the icy landscape of the storm that just made its way to the east coast. Not that he's on the coast. Just farther east.

"Well, I could have not told anybody, but I felt like I should."

"Yeah. You could have kept silent, and then later said, 'I don't know where all you people got sick! You must have been out to the casino and caught something!'"

Which is in fact a possibility. But as Genius pointed out, the casino will be AFTER he's visited Friend's grandpa. And in a casino, you're not that closed-in and close to people for an extended period. As long as you don't touch your face with slotty hands, you have a pretty remote chance of catching something. It's not like you're handling soda bottles and serving spoons and sitting face-to-face with people at the table.