How it was supposed to go.

* My friend Robbie was supposed to visit me in San Francisco, where he'd have a wonderful experience of seeing the city for the first time, and we'd strengthen our decades-long friendship for this new era in both of our lives.

* This summer was supposed to feature grand daylong adventures in running, swimming, video-gaming, and reading--a great time of transition toward school during which I'd shed a few pounds, get a nice tan, and increase my piano skills.

* I was supposed to do a 20-mile run this week--the culmination of my training and the lynchpin of my preparation for the SF Marathon.

Well, none of that has happened. I guess my expectations were too high.

* Robbie visited me, but we basically argued the whole time, as he revealed opinions that were shocking to me, coming from him, and as he seemed seemed entirely unmoved by--even hostile to--what San Francisco had to offer.

Often, it was clear that he wasn't listening to anything Cody or I were saying...I mean literally. As if he couldn't hear. Maybe he couldn't. I don't know. He seemed disjointed and confused. He'd stay up all night and oversleep through any plans we made for daytime activities.

And I was so annoyed at him for not being the Robbie that I knew that I forgot to be concerned for him, which is what I am now.

* My grand daylong adventures have, for the past few days, been in the categories of puking and sleeping.

* And my work toward running the Marathon is evaporating before my eyes. According to everything I've read, this is the time when my training should be at its peak. As it is, I can't imagine running anywhere but to the toilet.

Am I sharing too much?

It was this sudden stomach virus that came out of nowhere and just seemed to wreck everything. Truth be told, these are all temporary setbacks. I am capable of running distances and times that far surpass what I could have done in April. My piano skills are improving. And the reading and tanning are just fine. But this temporary setback happened at a bad time, since school starts on Monday and the marathon is definitely a big question mark now.

As for Robbie, I'm going to give him some time to reflect and I'm going to call him and apologize, and approach him with a spirit of concern for his well-being, not just desire to have my friend by my side at this time.

First class starts on Monday! More on that later.