I called Skeeter the very next day. Since I'm older now, there's no need to go to school. Skeeter was on his lunch break at work, so he was able to spend some time with me on the phone.
"Hey, Doug. How are you?"
"Fine. I'd like to talk with you," I told my best friend.
"About what?"
"Patti, of course."
"What's wrong with her this time?"
"She says her father is in a nursing home," I answered.
"That's too bad. What else do you have to share with me?"
"I was thinking of asking her to be my wife."
"You've been wanting to do that for a long time, Doug. You should've done that a long time ago," Skeeter pointed out.
"I know, but I never got around to it. I guess this is the perfect time to propose to her."
"I'd be happy to go with you and decide on a ring together. How does that sound?"
"I was thinking the same thing. When is your next day off from work?" I asked.
"Tomorrow. I can help you then."
"I'd appreciate that, Skeeter. What would be the perfect time for shopping?" I asked.
"Let me get back to you on that one."
"Okay. I have all day to decide on it."
"And you have enough money, right?"
"Yes," I answered.
"That's good. Maybe we can do lunch afterwards."
"Great idea, Skeeter. I don't have anything going on either."
"When you're next day off besides tomorrow?" he asked.
"I'm not working right now. Just going through those journals I kept from a long time ago. Remember I used to do that?"
"Yeah. Do you still have them?"
"Some of them I do. I thought of try writing a story about Quailman in a novel or something like that."
"That's a great idea, Doug. Have you done anything yet?" he asked.
"Nothing yet. I still need to go through them first."
"You've been writing as long as I can remember. I guess that's not going to stop anytime soon."
"Of course not. You know how it is when you are full of ideas for journaling."
"True. What gave you the idea to journal?"
"I don't know. I just somehow came up with the idea of writing stuff down. Mostly what happens in the day is when I'm more creative. I have a journal I am just starting."
"You don't date them right?"
"No need to."
"I'll call you later and we'll decide a time for lunch and shopping."
"All right, Skeeter. Thanks. I'll look forward to your call. I'd better let you get back to work."
"I'm on lunch, but time is almost up. I only get twenty minutes."
"That's not very long."
"No."
It didn't take me very long to hear back from Skeeter, which I didn't expect to hear from him right away after the phone conversation about getting a ring to surprise Patti.
I can't wait to see her expression.