Dances With Tripods

My son, Erik, thought pennies were useless and always threw them on the floor. I used to find pennies all over the floor in his room when I vacuumed and we were always joking about them. I was thinking about him and looked up and told Erik if he was near to show me a sign. I walked out front (as I often do when I am outside smoking) and there was a penny in the driveway where Erik used to stand while he was smoking. That penny is now in his Bible.

Pop and I would always buy Pepsi at the grocery store for Erik, and the first time we went shopping after Erik passed, I lost it when we walked past the soda section and didn't stop to pick some up. When we got to the car in the parking lot, there was a penny on the ground near the rear bumper of his grandpa's car. We always put the groceries in the trunk. I have found a couple of other pennies in strange places after talking to or thinking about him.

Yesterday, I sent a traveling balloon on Facebook which was in memory of Erik. Just after I sent it, I was going to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and there was a penny on the floor in the hallway right outside Erik's bedroom door.

It seems as though Erik found a use for pennies.

My dad has been in the hospital all week. I had to call 911 at 1am a few days ago, his heart rate was way too high and his blood pressure was about double what it should be.

After a stress test, the doctors say he has had a mild heart attack but they don't know when, and one of his main arteries was 80% blocked. They did an angiogram and inserted a stent, but his heart is still very irregular and rather fast. He is 84 yrs old and a bit frail, so I don't know if bypass surgery is an option, or if he needs it. I only hope and pray he will be ok.