dear kali,

i'm not sure if i ever apologized for that day, but today's circumstances brought it to mind and i thought it would be alright to blog my sincere regrets for that summer afternoon  when we spent a few hours at your house. 
i know you don't see us often - and so your short impressions once a year or so must have significant impact on how you imagine our family to be.  That's why i was so surprised when Neil fell asleep at the table in the middle of our conversation. 
If you were wondering... yes... i believe that was the dull buzzing sound of a snore you heard while we snacked on eggs and toast.
i tried to ignore the trail of drool down his face, and his bloodshot eyes that barely opened, even when he was asked a direct question. 
 Frankly, i was as puzzled as you might have been by his bizarre behaviour.
He told me later that he had taken allergy medication and it made him feel 'strange'. 
Thing is - i'm pretty sure he's allergic to benadryl. 
My 200lb man took some today for his seasonal allergies - itchy eyes; runny nose. 
That was this morning.  It's almost 8pm and he has been sleeping all day. 
It's kind of funny to me, seeing a chink in my knight's armour; like, 'really babe?  Brought down by a tiny pink pill?"
This could be valuable information. 
He begged me to please remind him not to take anything the next time his allergies flare up. 
i might. 
Or i might crush some up in his coffee the next time he goes golfing on my birthday.  
Anyway - thought you might like to know, Neil really is an articulate, intelligent human being.  He does know more words than the one syllabled, "dooohhhhhh" that encapsulated his side of our conversations today - and that day a couple summers ago. 
He'll even prove it. 
If he ever wakes up. 
Much love,
your cousin paige