or, maybe not

So I wrapped up all my loose ends, finished my work, came down the mountain and back to the city, just in time to ask my friend if I could hit the road with her. And found that she had already left for Mexico last week. So. Back in Albuquerque once again. Now what? The closest words, perhaps, that I have to a prayer these days. When I can say them sincerely, that is, instead of with sarcasm and disbelief: "Now What?"

The week's most recent odd and maybe-meaningless occurrence: I cannot dial the number 5 on my phone. It seems to be some electronic malfunction (it is an old phone), where if I press any other number it works like it should, but the 5 key instead activates the volume control, louder-softer-louder all at once without a pause. This is not only a problem because my passcode for voicemail has a 5 in it (don't leave me any messages!), but so does the code that I use to pay the phone bill electronically. But 5 is also associated, in the numerology I remember, with travel and adventure. Ha ha. The number you have dialed is out of service, please try again at another time...