Simply Put, Two Friends Go Out For Coffee

Attack of an MS bladder

Annmarie and I were due to catch up, and a simple phone call wasn’t going to cut it. Last Friday we decided to meet for coffee and she picked a local hot spot that was a combination of a high-end chocolate store and café.

When I arrived, she was in the chocolate part selecting treats for her Valentine. I had sworn I wasn’t buying my Valentine anything edible for the holiday.

For one thing, he is kind of a healthy guy and there is a limit to how much I want to corrupt him.

For another, I take a stand on buying candy before Valentine’s Day as I always insist on celebrating 2/15, when chocolate hearts are half off in all the major drugstores.

But not to be outdone, I followed Annmarie to the register and threw some red foil wrapped hearts on the counter. Then we headed to the café part and grabbed our coffee.

Thing is, I don’t like coffee.

Its lovely aroma is ruined by its bitter taste.

What I HAVE come to appreciate is what I like to call frou frou coffee. Specialty blends filled with sweetness, flavorings and whip cream. You know, the stuff that sounds commonplace and not too bad when the word “coffee” is used, but is not part of anything healthy that I’m aware of, unfortunately.

We ordered, a cocoanut mocha latte for me which, translated, means tropical flavored, chocolate, caffeinated sugar.

It was a gorgeous day, very springlike which was weird because it was winter and I’m not a huge fan of real spring- bugs, allergies and outside noises galore. But it was nice and so we drove to the nearest beach where we drank our drinks and chatted for over an hour.

We even had some fun entertainment watching a black lab playing fetch and a golden retriever who ventured into the water just enough to cover his paws with the tide, and then refused to move for the whole hour we were there.

After a bit I said, “Annmarie, this is all lovely but I’ll need a bathroom soon.”

There was a public restroom only 20 yards from us but though the beach was packed, it was locked since, after all, it was still winter.  Annmarie agreed it was time to go and started the car.

But in absence of a motor sound, there was silence.  She tried again, nothing.  The car was dead and it was shocking.

Shocking because while I’ve had that experience several times, we were in Annmarie’s car. Her car not starting is not likely in Annmarie’s world. Her Valentine is her husband Sam and he is a boy scout to her girl scout when it comes to preparedness.

Mini emergencies don’t dare crop up as they know they don’t stand a chance with these two being caught off guard.

They service their vehicles at regular intervals, before the recommended mileage requirements.

They have what the need when they need it plus extras, just in case.

They have a generator, battery packs AND extra batteries in a wide variety of voltages for when the power goes out.

If you need something unusual, perhaps a tool that you’ll use only once and then never, ever again, Annmarie and Tom have it in their basement and can put their hands on it before you even finish telling them you need to borrow it.

Once, I went to their house and was surprised to see Annmarie opening a package of fruit filling.  I commented that I was surprised she didn’t just make her own.  Turns out, she did.  She had made her own fruit filling and had used a fancy machine to vacuum seal and store her own recipe!

I didn’t even know that there was such a machine.

Another time, Annmarie and I were going on a picnic and she put our food in an actual picnic basket.

At least, I think that’s what she put our food in, I had never seen one before. If I go on a picnic I usually use a paper bag to put my lunch in, held from the bottom in case the ice packs make the bag too soggy and sandwiches start to fall out.

So Annmarie’s car was supposed to start. Especially when I had to go, if you know what I mean.

She correctly assumed the problem must be the battery and, of course, not only had jumper cables but knew where they were and basically, how to use them.

There was a woman next to us who rolled down her window and asked if she could help. She offered the battery from her car but it must have been borrowed as she didn’t know how to release the hood. So, while Annmarie hooked up the cables to her battery, I went over and helped the kind lady find the hood release button.

The windows in the back seat must have been tinted because neither Annmarie nor I had noticed a cute kid with her. But there, strapped into a car seat, was a young boy, maybe 3.  Very cute, very curious, and very precocious with a ton of questions.

“Is your car broken?”

“How come its broken?”

“Is it the battery?”

“Do you know how to fix it?”

No adorable youngster, I have no idea how to fix it and hopefully Annmarie does because by now I have to go pretty bad.

Annmarie couldn’t figure out how to attach the cables to my young friend’s vehicle. My part thus far to help was getting the hood of the second car open, answering the little boy’s important questions and holding my bladder as much as I could.

By now a group had gathered and it was determined that the woman’s vehicle was a hybrid and as such, no help. I explained the situation to the boy’s adult lady, (a nanny maybe who didn’t know what kind of car her employers drove or a mom in a new vehicle?)

She understood and offered to move her car, which started, thankfully. One of the many looking at Annmarie’s engine moved their car into her spot and another attached the cables.

While they did their thing I was desperate to find a way to distract myself and did what all the gathered had planned to do but were now very busy jumpstarting Annmarie’s car, I took a picture of the beautiful sunset that had started during the battery ordeal.

Soon Annmarie’s car engine revved up and I jumped in, begging Annmarie to drive away as quickly as possible as I shouted my thank you’s to those who had helped.

“Gotta go,

can’t stay,

but thank you for helping us

get on our way!”

Annmarie dropped me off at my car. It would have made sense to run into the café where my car was, and where we had started our visit, to use their bathroom but when an MS bladder is calling an MS brain may not be working.

I started for home as speedily as I could only to realize I wouldn’t make it. I aimed for the grocery store but it became clear that while I might make it to the parking lot, no way I would make it to the very back of the store where the restroom was located, across from the cleaning supply aisle to be specific, because of course, that’s where it would be, way, way in the back.

I pulled into the parking lot of the nearest public place I could, a bowling alley which was ironic because I was taking my nephews bowling the very next day, ran in faster than road runner, got into a stall and just about made it.

Relief, finally.

Relief, but no toilet paper.

Annmarie isn’t the only one who is always prepared.

I managed to reach my purse hanging on the back of the door where there was a pack of tissues.  No jumper cables, but tissues worked for this type of emergency.  Phew!

When I got back in my car, I realized that in the car/bladder ordeal I had somehow managed to pilfer Annmarie’s stylish sunglasses. She had driven off in a different direction. I texted her to explain.

“I’m so sorry! Should I turn around to get them to you???”””

“No problem,” she replied.  “I have others in the car in case of emergencies.”

Of course she did…..

Happy Pink and Red, Sappy, Happy Hearts Day my friends! 

If you need to reach me, you can find me at the local CVS on 2/15.

Or in a public bathroom.