The Tide Is High

Well here I am again, sitting in front of the computer screen, writing yet another entry in the blog. Things seem low key, more low key than the usual weekend ennui. Spoke with Bill a few times last night while he and his mother and his cousin were going from St Albans to Stuyvesant Town with a stop at Bill’s office so he could get some paperwork. He’s basically in the zone, where you don’t think, you just do, sort of like an out of body experience, but I guess it’s actually shock. He says he’s doing ok, a few crying jags here and there. I asked him a few times if he needed anything but he said he was fine.

Talked with my siblings last night to tell them the news, perhaps they could send a card, I doubt if Brian and Frank will make it into the city for the wake. Also talked with Rand who expressed his condolences. He’s a good one to talk to in times like these. Not that he has any comforting words, but he has a good presence. Everyone was sympathetic to Bill’s plight. It’s been coming for a while, and still it is a shock. I watched some of Company on PBS, the Sondheim show. My brother Frank and I had planned to catch it at some point, but it didn’t win any Tony’s last year and it closed very soon after, then there was Frank’s stroke.

I was recording Company so I switched over to Law and Hors D’ouvres, but I really wasn’t paying attention to it. I did find out that Jesse L. Martin is leaving the cast and is starring in a Marvin Gaye biopic. Went to bed around 11:30 but I didn’t turn on the heat and it was 50 degrees in the bedroom so I watched Scrubs until I thought it was warm enough. Woke up and got myself ready and headed out into the 22 degree morning. Uneventful all around. Once again I went to Smiler’s on Fifth Avenue and once again West Indian Tony asked how my boy Bill was doin’. I told him about Bill’s dad passed away the night before and he threw out some stuff about god giving and taking or something like that.

I got my sandwich and was soon at my desk, rescheduling the afternoon’s dental appointment. That was easy. Spoke with Bill a few times. Money woes with regards to the funeral. The funeral company wants the money up front, so Bill is scrambling since he just paid some bills. I’m pretty tight myself so I couldn’t afford to give him anything. In a week or so it’s no problem, but right now on February 21, it’s a problem. And since he is a part time employee he doesn’t get any bereavement pay, so he was at his desk this afternoon and plans to be there again tomorrow. Bill knew there are no benefits being part time, and being part time allows Bill to go to auditions and whatnot.

So he knew the situation. Hopefully his church could loan him some dosh. I took the day off so I could run errands for Bill while he works. Supposed to be a crappy day, snow, sleet, crap like that and half the office was going to be out anyhow. Since the funeral is Monday I’ll be out that day as well. I need to call my cousin Neil to tell him that Bill and I will be unable to attend his wedding. With all the money problems Bill is going through we can’t afford it. That sucks, but I’m sure Neil would understand. That’s about it for now.

This jerk cut in front of me on line at the bus terminal, so I stole his soul. I was stunned by his ignorance and didn’t do anything about it.
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