Unimportant Phone Calls

"Your phone is ringing," Sharon tells me. We're at her in-laws' house, Father Check has just arrived, Frank's brother Mike is making drinks, and his sister Rosa is trying to herd everyone from the kitchen to the living room.

"Oh, I should turn that off," I say. I usually leave my phone in the car, but Frank's mom was wondering whether (his brother) John Paul's fiancee, Angela, was coming, so she asked me to go get my phone and call her. I didn't used to have service at their house, either, but with my new phone, ... =)

I look to see who it was. My Uncle Frank. (!!!) Why is he calling? He was home yesterday, so he's probably not driving through Connecticut on his way home from somewhere. Would he leave NYC to go somewhere north of Connecticut at 7pm on a Wednesday night? I was just there. Did something happen since I left? He didn't leave a message? Is it unimportant? Or too important to leave on voicemail? Uncle Frank hardly ever calls me.

Sharon sees my face. "Call back. See what it is. It's ok. It'll only take a minute. No one will notice."

I call back. Unlce Frank picks up.

Shaaa-non.

Hi, Uncle Frank, what's going on?

I got my answer. I called your dad.

???

I'm in a restaurant here, and I just met some people from Colorado. I wanted to impress them with everywhere I've been besides Pikes Peak, and I couldn't remember the name of the place where I went on business a few years back. It's Durango.

Oh, really. I didn't even know that.

Oh, well your dad helped me out. I'm telling these people how much I love Colorado.

Oh, yeah? Do they believe you?

Yeah, I'm telling them how I really wish I could move out there.

(I'm laughing at this point, all worries diffused. Uncle Frank is the man who told me last year he doesn't drive outside of the City: "I don't DO fog, deer, or snow," he told me. "Will there be snow at Erin's wedding?" After almost everyone in the family assured him of the unlikeliness of snow that particular weekend in November, he was greeted by a White Christmas-type snowfall, and fog that covered the mountains all weekend.)

...yeah, meanwhile, I'm just praying there won't ever be another wedding out there.

We exchange a few words about the unlikeliness of any Colorado weddings in the near future, and then hang up.