Singing in the Rain

I waited only one week after my last chemo treatment to try camping in the Sierras. I went to Strawberry Music Festival. Five thousand people camp for four days to hear great music.

But I forgot my pain meds. My body had cooled quickly in the cold night air and the rain made it difficult for me to stay warm that night. I wore every piece of winter down clothing as I climbed into my sleeping bag. I didn’t get much sleep, too much back pain.

“Hey Doug are you awake yet? I saw the tent move and thought you might be awake.” Lauren whispered next yo my tent.

“Yeahaaaaaaaaaaa. I am ready to get up, can you drag the tarp away from my tent?” I asked Lauren.

The night before I had left a tarp over my tent to protect me from the rain. Now the tarp was a small lake that needed to be drained before I could leave. My guardian Angel was Lauren. Thank you God.

“Did you pack an umbrella Doug it’s raining out here.” Lauren asked as he moved Lake Erie away frommy tent portal.

“I need an umbrella Lauren, thanks.” I replied. I unzipped the door of my tent. Slowly like a banana slug I crawled out of the tent door on my hands and knees thru mud then stood up and gladly grabbed the open umbrella.

“Please walk me to the dining hall and I will buy you breakfast” I told him. Bribes work. Can't leave my muddy home with chemo brain unless I have a buddy.

Lauren was a teenager. It was customary for me to buy a big breakfast with sausage and eggs for one of the boys in the Rogers family. If Lauren stayed back at camp waiting for mom and dad to wake it would mean cold cereal for breakfast. Yuk I thought. I needed coffee and protein to get my body moving this grey rainy morning.

“I am hungry for breakfast!” Lauren replied.

He looked like Roger Daltry, the lead singer from The Who with dreadlocks under his rain hat.

“Lauren I have chemo brain." I stated.

"What's Keemoo brain? He asked.

" I can’t remember things like what just happened a minute ago. I may get lost because I can’t remember how to find my way back to this camp. I need you to take me to the dining hall and get me back to this camp, OK?” I asked Lauren.

“Oh ready to go now? He asked. We both were hungry. We hit the road.

"I need a portapotty first." I added.

We began our hike to the dining hall about 7AM with drizzeling rain each holding umbrellas. The smell of wet pine trees ozzing sap filled my nostrils.

Tina Turner’s song lyrics fired off in my chemo brain and I started singing:

"I can’t stand the rain
Against my window
Bringing back sweet memories…"

Lauren could help stimulate my chemo brain! He told me last night he had just appeared in “Music Man.” I memorized that musical forty years ago. Now we could sing a song we both knew. Maybe. Lets give it a shot I thought. I asked Lauren, “Can you sing a song from Music Man” and I will try to keep up with you?”

“Which song?” he inquired.

I began singing missing a word of two as Lauren filled in the blanks,

“Ya got trouble my friend
with a capitol T and that rhythms with P
and that stands for Pool
….Think my friend how could any pool table.....”

We were off to breakfast singing in the rain. We both stomped our feet in the puddles getting really muddy. Lauren guided me to the dining hall. We got in line.

A young mother with childen dressed in trendy rain gear stared at muddy Doug and dreadlock Lauren. We were singing, "Lina Rose" each of us filling in the lyrics for the other. The people in line let us move to the front of the line so we would be gone sooner and they could enjoy the morning again. Maybe