Episode on a New Jersey Island

Waking from a long sleep has been known to render Charlie disoriented, out of sync. He woke at 7pm, wanted to go for a long bike ride on the Jersey horse trail, settled for a short one due to darkness, we thought we'd get his habitual burrito and then try the Ferris wheel again. In the car, Charlie called out the name of a highway we sometimes took to get to a now-closed location of a certain Mexican fast food place.

At a near-to-our-house, still-open Mexican fast food place as I stood in line to order, Charlie and Jim went out the door back to the white car, only Charlie zoomed away and, Jim racing behind, stopped just short of heading into endless streams of Saturday night New Jersey traffic, this Mexican place being located on an island between four very busy lanes of what is officially a local state road but, due to how people drive, is for all intents and purposes a highway.

Charlie did the backwards flop he's done since he started to walk. Jim got him into the car and called me and a half hour passed, Charlie in full panic mode in the car.

When he was calmer (and still extremely distraught), I went back in and got him some food and a drink. We got in the car and Jim drove home. Charlie was thirsty but only ate a little.

We got home and Charlie did hyper-paced-pacing, iPad locked to his ear, after we'd cleaned up his forehead. I made Jim a sandwich. Charlie went to his room, smiling; came down to get a hug from Jim. I ate the rest of the burrito.

I expect Charlie to be up all night after that long sleep.

I had been reading a novelist's pronouncements that he has students read only writing by "serious guy authors" to build strong stomachs. For sure, there are other ways to acquire such.