SO MUCH FOR THE FIREMAN'S PICNIC

84. SO MUCH FOR THE FIREMAN'S PICNIC:

Lady MacBeth Clara Barton and Abigail Adams I SWEAR they were all there but in the pouring rain everything else was cancelled and the truck from the caterer with its two attendants was being re-packed with all the provisions they'd earlier taken out and the beer truck just idling never opened a tap and I figured maybe they were all rescheduled for another day or tomorrow or NEXT week whatever - for as it was only three cars had shown up - but whichever it was the picnic never got started and everything was soaking wet in a current downpour set to last for hours and the all-day rain was the forecast to beat and not just today but like for the next three and a few women were talking with animation but laughing too - they were the ones who'd arranged everything and the ones too who'd made the decision to cancel (what else could they do?) and now in their shorts and flabby arms and leisure clothing they found some pleasure at the least in being together and making light of disaster - seeing as money was at stake entry fees pre-registrations food outlays re-scheduling fees and all of that let alone the resubmission of a raindate for the use of the park grounds - IF there was no conflict with some other group - it all had to be considered worked out re-done and carefully once more publicized so everyone knew : "rain is such a pain in the ass" one said and then another said "well it's one of those things - what do we do now ? what are you going to do today?" and a third said "back to the usual for me - taking care of my mother SHE'S got Alzheimer's - it's horrible you sit around watching someone turn into someone they never were" and someone else said 'yes I know it's always so sad..." as she stared off into space.