Here’s a little recording I just stumbled upon. Patrick, Christine, and I were enjoying breakfast at the Busy Bee Diner in Ventura so there are occasional interruptions from our server in the audio.
It was 8 October 2014 and Patrick had just finished his visit with me. We were on our way to the Santa Barbara airport so he could pick up a rental car. From there he drove north to visit Gretchen.
John: So Christine, what’s been the best part about having Patrick visit?
Christine: Hearing his stories…. and his sense of humor.
Patrick: And knowing that I’m going to leave pretty soon? [laughs]
Christine: No, actually I wish you were staying.
Patrick: [restaurant noises] Ah.
Christine: [noises continue] It has definitely been an interesting experience for me.
John: A lifetime worth of stories takes a lifetime to retell. Even in the Readers Digest version.
Patrick: Yep.
Christine: [to John] What’s been, what’s been the best part as far as you’re concerned? Other than the obvious, spending time with your dad.
John: I think hearing some of the stories–sometimes I hear them a little different this time than the last–and the many new stories, and … [waitress interrupts]
John: Getting a chance for him to share the things that I care about, like obviously rally and stuff, but also just the friends that I’ve got.
Christine: Great.
Patrick: Can you reach your toast?
Christine: I don’t have enough room over here for it though.
Patrick: It’s a crowded table, isn’t it?
John: I’m suddenly reminded of a Mel Brooks film. [High Anxiety] The camera angle is up from beneath a glass coffee table while they’re having a meeting of the staff. You see them, all these different people, and then they set down their coffee cups… someone sets down a coffee cup and then the Danish. Pretty soon the camera is trying to move around the obstacles but the table is completely covered.
(Transcribed by Christine)
I’m the son of Patrick of Meadows.