Our Bill....

Throughout Antigua there are these Mayan women selling all kinds of "stuff"; rugs, fake jade, blankets, tablecloths, scarves, flutes, and more. If I didn't keep an eye on Bill he would have needed another five suitcases for all the shit they would have sold him. They knew a soft touch when they saw one. We would sit in the park and I would tell Bill you hang out and I'll get some coffee or something to drink. I would come back and see some woman with her kid on her back giving Bill the hard sell. Bill felt bad and engage every person is some form of conversation where he told them how wonderful and beautiful their wares were but he was not interested. The woman even knew him by his first name and would call him, Bill!

One of their sale pitches was to say "Something nice for the wife, secretary, or for your children." We are sitting in the park one afternoon and a woman comes up to me says "Something beautiful for your wife", I said No Wife, then she says your secretary, I say, No Job, finally she says "for your lovely children", I say, The heck with them, she goes, "You mean, I talk to Mr. Bill", and proceeds to get him to buy something. It was amazing how when we took a walk, she would find Bill.

Our Bill can still read up a storm but boy can he sleep. I counted 18 hours one day. now I know the reason I can rarely and I mean rarely get him on the phone in Portland. He is sleeping in bed or on the couch.