Lady Barbara's Secrets

  Now everyone has heard of Victoria's Secrets, but who has heard of Barbara's? The first is exciting but the second is more enlightening.  Again at Table 5, Lady Barbara steals the show. Why six months ago she told me her wish to go to heaven. Today Heaven has to wait since she is having one hell of a time on earth. Today at the Oak Cafe sits Horst, Ron, Marcia, and me. Missing is Greg and Abe. Abe has been in the hospital. 
   'I can play the piano today. My jaw still hurts from where my tooth was pulled. I must eat from the right side of my mouth today.' Marcia, the psychologist, announces she will be leaving for Santa Fe next week.
   How much is Amtrak charging you?
   "One hundred dollars and it will be the Fullerton train out of San Diego. I hope to be there for most of the year." The bowl of diced apricots are served to each. Barbara now remembers another secret from her past. With each secret removed, she is more and more relaxed at our Miracle Table 5." Then Lady Barbara's chimes in.
   "I just remember after my husband died my daughter gave me such a time. I had moved to Ramona to be with my son and found out my daughter was stealing money from me. When I confronted her she removed a knife and threatened me." 
   "I called the police and she ran away down some hills. When I told the policeman her name, he sighed and told me they had been watching my daughter. They wished to find out where the drugs were coming from."
   "After they found her I was told to send Janice to a rehab center in  Indiana. She would not get on a American Airlines plane but the taxi driver volunteered to drive her all the way to Indiana. If forget the name of the  institution they sent her to. but she climbed out of there for a few days."
   "She returned in a few months. I had moved to San Juan Capistrano from Romona. I lived off the ocean. She had a few relapses but now is just fine and happily married."

   "George, do you like the blouse I am wearing? I always bought three styles with one style too small for most people. That was when I lived in Julian. I lived there for ten years. 

   Today the 29th of January, Lady Barbara looked relaxed. Both Horst and Cahn were missing, so it was Thomas, Marcia, Lady Barbara and myself. 
   "Well George, I did not go in to my dentist yesterday. My pain is going away. I never knew a pulled tooth had roots so long...I remembered when Jay, my husband began having headaches. He would not go to the doctor but had coughing pills ordered at the drug store....That was in October."
   "His coughing became worse until it was too late. He died and my nine year old daughter took it real hard. I think her bout with drugs was caused by his death."
    "After San Juan Capistrano, I moved to Ramona. My husband and I often went to Ramona for Bechtel vacations. We went there on several occasions so it was easy for me to wish to live there again.  I bought a large two acre house on the hill. My son moved in with me and I began raising dogs."
    "My son soon moved in with me. We both attended a Baptist church but first went to our favorite restaurant on the main street. One Morning, we entered and all the seats had been taken...I asked two gentlemen if we could join them since there were two seats."
    "He began speaking with my son. His last name was Agee and he got along well with him. We both raised dogs so I moved in with him. He had a repair shop. Soon we got hitched. He did not tell me he had suffered two heart attacks. He died in the hospital."
    "I opened up my dress shop called Barbara's on the Hill. Many of my customers came from San Diego. They owned homes in Julian also. I always bought four of a kind and kept one for me. I did a thriving business there."
    All of a sudden Thomas got into the act. "Strangers in the night..." No this charming Italian could not compete with Sinatra ,but he certainly changed our appetite. I changed a lunch seat for the piano variety and began to play it. 
   Now Barbara became infected. And what is life without a song. She also played the same song my way. We laughed and she continued to play. 
   I walked her outside to wait for her van. What a shame I met her too late in life - but at least we are no longer strangers in the night but a couple in love - it is never too late.