New Friends XXIX

I sat with my feet up and on his daughters nebulizer for three days trying to rest and loosen whatever was attacking my lungs. I could barely breathe without coughing or having a coughing fit. My chest felt tight and my head felt swollen from pressure, either from the flight or from the sickness but I was uncomfortable and worried about my 4am wake up to get my bus in midtown. I was starting to smell like a medicine cabinet and Joseph was in the kitchen like a mad scientist trying to whip up some old family brew to try and help me sleep...I hope it has whiskey in it...he's Irish, of course an old family brew has whiskey.

The last thing I remember was listening to Joseph tell me about his cousin who is also running the race and is hoping to run with someone. I think I agreed because while I was getting dressed he was telling me her name and looks so I could spot her...amongst 50k other runners. I sat on the edge of the couch and laced up my shoes...this is my last one, I'm not falling for the runners high this time and signing up again...I hope. He handed me a warm tea, grabbed my bag and opened the door to the brisk morning. The drive was easy, I don't know that I have ever seen the streets this empty and I can remember seeing traffic jams at 3am going into the midtown tunnel...but this morning everything was still and quiet. My friend from back home was on a different bus than me and Joseph's cousin is taking the ferry across and somehow we will all meet up. I leaned across and kissed him on the cheeks to thank him for getting up at a god awful hour just to take me into the city. "I'll be on the west side to pick you up but I'll have to be two blocks over because of security". Oh yeah, I almost forgot how awful it was last year after I finished the race and had to wait for a taxi while trying to hold myself up. My son was with me...how would I have done this alone? "No problem, I'll text when I pass through the Bronx and have less than five miles to go". He smiled and tossed me a gluten free bar, "See you at the finish". Fuck I hope I finish...