Me: Glaucoma man is here.

Jim: What’s his name?

Me: Glaucoma man … I don’t know.  I don’t name them, then I won’t feel so bad if I lose one.

Immediately upon introducing the two, Jim got his name.

Dammit!

So, now you do too.

Glaucoma man is Roger.

And he’s sporting some serious shorts today.

All this time, we shared our lives, but never our names.  He still doesn’t know mine.  Oh!  I ran into him at the grocery store last week!  It was bizarre.

I was getting groceries the morning I was to pick up Jim at the airport, and I heard a familiar voice in the cereal aisle.

It’s like seeing a teacher out of school … or a co-worker in an unexpected place.

He showed me his new haircut and asked why I wasn’t at work.  When we parted, he said “Don’t work too hard.”

I found that odd.  Well, the whole interaction outside of the laundromat was odd.

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It’s been a great weekend.  I would say it’s been weird adjusting to having a roommate, but it hasn’t been.  At all.

What we ARE still adjusting to, is the integration of my dog and his cat.  It’s going well.  But Butters (as Jim so appropriately described her) is like a bowling ball with legs.

Her eagerness might end up causing Draper an injury.  So we’re very watchful when they’re together.

And yes, they’ve reached the point, after a few nights of pining and sniffing and exploring – of being in the same room.

We followed the SPCA’s advise and rewarded Butters for calm behavior walking past the baby gate divide.  Draper was on one side, leashed and Butters leashed on the other.  Each with their person.

We were determined not to rush it.

Needed it to be a positive experience for each of them.

We still have a lot of work to do … but making great progress.

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So many new people here today – people I’ve never seen before.  Glaucoma man is leaving, I feel a little out of place now.

Then I glance over at my honey’s seat and he’s been drawing as I have been writing …

And now I don’t feel out of place anymore.

Everything is as it was meant to be.

Roger that.