a day remembered

The year was 1980.  It was mid-May.  Kabuki's family was all away for a wedding.  Kabuki's friend from college had just returned to Boston.  Kabuki was due to graduate from computer school in just a few days, and was not allowed to miss any more days of school or was threatened with NO DIPLOMA.  Kabuki was also sick as a damn dog.  Two days prior kabuki has visited the local emergency room, because he had the pnuemonia.  His grandmother had told him this, and he knew her to be a wise woman.  The ER Doctors disagreed with her, took chest x-rays, gave kabuki some cough syrup, and sent him on his way.  All in all it was a shitty day.  Did kabuki mention it was his birthday?  Well it was, and kabuki was feeling DOWN.  All alone and sick, kabuki started to feel warm.  Kabuki's temperature was rose quickly - puzzling.  Kabuki called his Auntie - another wise woman.  "Auntie, my temperature has just hit 102, que pasa?" "For crying out loud, go to the Emergency Room before you drop dead" Auntie suggesteds strongly.  "Again - well I am not going to be pleasant when I get there" kabuki warned.  Kabuki hopped in his 1973 Mustang convertible (red with white top & Interior!) and proceeded to the Emergency Room.  Same nurse checked kabuki in, same intern got him settled, same Doctor walked in.  Kabuki said "I am SO not paying for this return visit, do not even mail me a bill".  kabuki then put his head on the Doctors' shoulder and burst into tears.  Doctor threw several little white pills down kabuki's throat and sent him off to X-Ray.  Same guy pushed the wheelchair, same X-Ray tech - it really was all too much.  Doctor then announced "Why, you have double walking pnuemonia" like he had just discovered the disease himself.  "My grandmother told me that several days ago, might I remind you" kabuki was feeling slightly bolder, probably those little white pills.  "I see" said the Doctor, and although he was obviously not cut out for medical work, he was as cute as he could be.  Afraid kabuki was going to cause him bodily harm, Doctor quickly gave kabuki a prescription for some meds, a quick shot in the ass, and sent him on his way.  (side note: kabuki was rather thin, and every Doctor kabuki saw during the 80s used this as an excuse to give me a shot in my ass.  The medical community should be ashamed)  So properly diagnosed, kabuki returned home, feeling better than he had in weeks.  Physically anyways.  Still an emotional wreck (it was the 80s emotional wreckedness was in), kabuki settled in for a night of 'no birthday cake for the horribly alone and still sick as crap' fun.  As was the custom then kabuki tuned his radio in to WHUR Howard University Radio.  It was home of "The Quiet Storm", a nightly musical oasis of all things wonderous and wonderful.  Kabuki dared a call to the request line, and it was birthday magically answered.  "Hi, its my birthday, I just got out of the ER, I am alone and sad, please play me a tune".  The DJ created that perfect moment in time for kabuki, that moment kabuki shares with you know.  He played Patti Labelle's "Come what may", like he knew kabuki.  I put my head down and cried.  I may have cried for hours, but somehow I knew the universe was finite, and that somehow I mattered.