Her fear was a sign of her caring. I got a note from Alice, an old friend. I am trying to be less ashamed of my weakness, a tremor in my hand that I can't control. I feel like I'm letting them down. She disclosed that she was coming out with her problem.
People can have very unusual reactions.
I tried telling her it was all right, but she was unconsolable on my behalf. But the strangest response was my writer buddy Erv's. We were out playing pool a month after the stroke. I sipped a beer and filled him in on what was going on with me, that I got these bad headaches, and nighttime convulsions, and my weakened circulatory system meant that certain activities, like having sex, caused me to be in a lot of head pain. I never thought twice about telling him that.