The winter of 2014/15, found me sick as a dog and living back at the family home.
I had taken to drinking to ease my panic. Pints of rum every other day.
I would come home from work off lunch and swig before I went back.
Come home at night and mix with water and heat up like a tea.
It was a ferocious winter and at certain points I was snow bound for days and the month of March we were without water as the town system had frozen.
I did not think I would survive the winter.
But I did.
Lost weight to worries and looked great though my mind was on fire.
It was all I could do to drag myself into town for work.
I would stop on occasion at the corner store for morning coffee or evening supplies.
Older woman working there had been around the area a long time.
Cute little thing. But I watched before me how every week her parlor changed, her eyes glazed, her frame went skeletal.
Didn’t know her well enough to inquire and folks on that island were tough and private.
I too don’t take kindly to strangers asking personal questions so I just remained friendly and polite.
