I've posted this backwards, so it would be easier to read. This story is not about me ...though I am a bit backwards at times.

Like I said, "This story is not about me ...it's more about Eddie, but it's about a lot of other things too!"

Names can certainly be confusing! If you read my blog profile, you can see two stories about Eddie ...but one Eddie has a wife named Doreen and a daughter named Mindy. The Eddie you are about to read about has a daughter by a different name, as you soon will see; and the character "I" is married to a Doreen.

And I am not the "I", my name is Stephen, not to be confused with this story's nickname for Eddie. My last name, me being the storyteller, is "Meiner". It is pronounced the same as "minor" or "miner". So I'm no stranger to the name game; and I've been the recipient of many jokes and much teasing. But that is a minor issue! And I certainly hope this doesn't provide major problems for you .....

As I said, "This story is not about me!" This story is about life in general ...and life is certainly not all about me! But since I am the one blogging, I do really need to begin ....so, here goes!

Often parents name children after TV characters. Eddie is one of those parents. Early in life, he and his wife had three children, and they named those three boys: Robbie, Chip, and Ernie. From that point on, he was no longer referred to as Eddie or Ed. They teased him and called him "Fred", from the sitcom "My Three Sons", starring Fred MacMurray. Then they called him "Steve", after the father's character on the show. So, to this day, he is mostly referred to as "Steve" ... but I still try to call him Eddie, though I do slip up once in a while.

Those three sons are now all married, and have wonderful families of their own. Then came the unexpected surprise. Steve, I mean, Eddie and his wife, had a precious little baby girl ...and yes, they named her Dodie.

Dodie is now ten years old. Her obviously proud parents brag about how well she is doing in school, especially Creative Writing. And I am amazed at how Eddie talks to his daughter. He doesn't even talk to me that way ...and I never talk that way.  And she's just a ten year old!

I've heard some college professors talk somewhat like that ...and I wondered how they ever got a job. People don't usually listen unless you talk on their level ...and how can you teach if they don't listen?  I guess, he must think if he talks above her level ...that she will aspire to it, and perhaps exceed even a dad's expectations.

During a visit last week, the four of us adults were in Eddie's living room, when little Dodie's voice emerges from the doorway of her bedroom, "Dad, could you please help me with my Science?"

I remember it so clearly. The proud Dad smiles, "The only subject she struggles with ...Science."

I can relate ...because I wasn't very good at Science either, especially that evolution stuff.

Eddie excuses himself. I am glad Eddie is the type of father who doesn't believe that it is forbidden that adults be interrupted. He does not hesitate ...he goes right in there!

So I am with my wife and Eddie's. They are talking about clothes. That is usually a closed subject with me, so I listen to the conversation in the other room ...about clouds. I look out the window at the clouds ...and my thoughts begin to drift.

Eddie is lovingly speaking to Dodie, "Our lives are a lot like that! We need to overcome obstacles ...to soar above, to accomplish what needs to be accomplished. The bar-headed goose does that ...it flies over the Himalayas, the tallest mountain range in the world, to build its nest in Tibet. Has it ever been said of you that you have your head in the clouds? That may be a good thing if you are a bar-headed goose. But what about you? You are our future generation. Many of your teachers will tell you to reach up and dream. I doubt many of them would tell you to keep your head in a fog."

Dodie confesses, "But I've always liked the feel of the fog?"

Eddie confesses too, "I have to agree with you there. I've always enjoyed the feeling it brings ...but I don't like to drive in it. The fog greatly diminishes your sight. You may have no real clue where you are. The next lowest classified cloud is the stratus family. It is a low cloud ...we consider it low grade. You know how you feel when you get a low grade!"

Eddie is a good family man. He is so interested in the small, but significant details of life. "I think most people like the next family, Dodie. The cumulus cloud family is a happy time, representing good weather and prosperity. With a little encouragement, it can be a bit puffy at times, not realizing that what may be considered weathering the lower times often produces more fruit ...with rain. We mostly think of encouragement as a good thing, but it is the direction of that encouragement that is of utmost importance. We should not be encouraged to bask solely upon our own favor. We need to look higher than ourselves. That brings up the last family. The cirrus clouds are elegant wisps ...soaring above all else."

Eddie personalizes it, "If we have our head in a fog, and really have no clue, we at least recognize that others have it better. But since we have our head in a fog, we may fall for the lies and temptations that are offered in the world. We must be aware and beware of such things as drugs."

I'm thinking, that's kind of young to be teaching about drugs, only ten years old! Yet, maybe not!!  

Eddie continues, "We feel others are on cloud seven, and the drugs help us reach cloud nine. But after the 'high' we find our head in the dirt. We turn to drugs again, and this time we reach up to cloud eight. The cycle continues, each time experiencing a 'high' and a 'low'. We seem to climb so high, but only in relation to where we've been ...and since we go lower each time, our highs become comparatively lower in relation to our previous highs. And as time goes on, we eat dirt over and over again ...and our high is even lower than our low used to be. It is called an addiction; and the drugs merely lift us to the fog, which we had previously considered an intolerable place to exist. But now it becomes the precise level we aspire to ...to survive! We feel we can no longer sustain life ...and we must rise up to merely breathe."

It's easy for Eddie to teach his daughter ...she knows how much he loves her.

"Dodie, let's go back to the mention of weathering the lower times, which often with perseverence, brings about more fruit. Let's go to a place where fruit is in abundance. In this place, only one fruit is forbidden, of course, the fruit that is most desirable ...the one most would likely be attracted to. Attraction takes on many forms. We may be attracted by appearance, or merely to a form of affirmation."

It is no longer Eddie speaking at this time. My own mind begins to speak to me. As Eddie had said, attraction does take on many forms.

As eleven o'clock approaches and I call it a night, my mind is still on that, as I crawl into bed.  The clouds still drift in the darkness overhead ...as I drift off to sleep.

I've worked for my company for over 40 years. I've moved up in the company, but the demands at times seem to outweigh the benefits.

Aside from the pay and apparent prestige, it appears I have no benefits at all. Sure, the increased pay has granted much allowances for my family, but now they are involved in so many things they were unable to do before ...it leaves us little time for each other; the precious commodity so often overlooked.

The workers that I am responsible for must constantly strive to achieve the high expectations I demand as the result of my own boss. This doesn't make me popular with my workers; and the only way I can satisfy my boss is by becoming a more unpopular boss with my crew, whom I have to constantly convince to perform at a more productive level, that will bring the company higher profits.

And now I have to accept this transfer to another state. I am promised that it will only be temporary ...only until the company gets on solid ground. But I know of others who've been promised the same ...and their families eventually had to uproot and move. Still, I must have hope. I will relocate while my family stays behind ... with the promise that it will be temporary, of course.

It has been a busy day. I attempt to settle in, but I can't!

Yes, I should call home.

I call ...but, of course, no one answers. They are busy.

As I unpack a few boxes, I try to situate my office ...when the phone rings!

I hope it is the family, but it's the boss. He informs me that he has set up for me the most dreadful of all ...the interview process for my office personnel. I must interview tomorrow!

I do not sleep well. When I first had started with the company, I just did my work and kept to myself.  I had little desire to interact with anyone. I worked to provide for my family. My boss recognized my work ethic, and promoted me. I was able to provide more for my family ...at least monetarily.

Now, I provide so well, I am all alone. What I really provided them was countless distractions, and now I've provided myself  ...isolation.