Tag Archives: Airwalks

I Met Him On A Sunday (Ronde Ronde)

Well it’s been an interesting 24 hours I think. Last night I wound up DJ’ing at local tavern Louise and Jerry’s for about 4 hours. It went fast. It was a reggae thing in celebration of Jamaica’s independence 50 years ago. That enabled me to go back to my reggae roots in the 1990s and get down to it. Rand joined me and we ‘spun’ records with the bartender Brian. Of course I wasn’t there, it was all done via the internet. My choices as well as Rand’s were queued up with Brian and it was all playing live at the tavern.

Bill enjoyed it but went to bed really early due to exhaustion. I picked tracks from around 6:30 until 11:00. Both Rand & I quit at the same time, which means we might have left Brian high and dry. I did hear the Easy Star All Stars version of With a Little Help from my Friends and Radiohead’s Karma Police which was a real treat. So much of a treat that I snagged both the Sgt. Pepper and Radiohead dub versions. Very cool I think. At 11:00 came the news and of course it was mainly all bad.

I slept fairly well, under a sheet with the air conditioner on. Bill was out cold of course by the time I joined him in bed and I had to make sure he was alive since his skin felt a bit cold. But he lives and I was greatly relieved. Once again he kissed me goodbye in the morning, leaving me with a smile on my lips and words of encouragement in my ears. I of course was grouchy. I made up for it hopefully by getting Bill his unsweetened Almond soy milk which isn’t cheap by the way. Plus Bill knows I am not a morning person.

The Airwalks I bought a while ago have finally bitten the dust. At least I could feel the dust through the hole in my sneakers. I guess I wear them often enough and they served me well. The only place that sells Airwalks these days is Payless and luckily there is a store in the Newport Mall about a mile or so away. I was going to go yesterday but decided not to, so it had to be today. I walked over to the mall around 11:00 this morning after sending out the resumes once again.

I listened to the Easy Star All Stars on the iPod and picked up a few cigars at Hoboken Cigars by the Path train. It was a lovely morning as I walked and inside the mall it was not crowded at all. I was the only customer in Payless and picked out my new Airwalks and after I bought them, I put them on, throwing out the older pair in the garbage bin. They served me well. Some window shopping before heading back to Hoboken on a lovely afternoon.

I came home and had some lunch before heading out for some busking. I walked over to the promenade and saw Tariq with another dude. Tariq’s guitar was in his gig bag and I set up next to the other dude’s bicycle. Tariq is fond of playing songs that all the other buskers play, I am not. He’ll see a kid in a stroller and play for them Guns and Roses, Sweet Child of Mine. I play Roadrunner by the Modern Lovers.

Some toddlers made their way and I dutifully played for them. They were soon on their way and I decided to pack up my stuff and move to a location where I could be alone. I didn’t want to infringe on Tariq’s space since he was there. And some of Tariq’s friends came by with a guitar and a conga and a fifth of vodka which was passed around.

I declined and started to make my way. Tariq and the others said I didn’t have to go but I lied and said I needed to practice. The guy with the vodka said there’s no rule that says I had to move to practice, and I said I know and I don’t play by the rules anyhow and headed farther away. I don’t think it went over well but why would I care what a bunch of drunks think?

I walked away from Pier A to Pier C and found it sufficient enough to play there. And I made some money while playing so I was happy. It is a nice thing to make a couple of bucks and seeing people enjoying my playing. I think my time spent with Tariq is dwindling. I don’t like the crowd he hangs out with. I certainly enjoyed my playing and I think I will spend more time at my new spot rather than the spot where the other buskers usually play. Perhaps I will play on Washington Street eventually.

Perhaps.








02. With A Little Help From My Friends

Walking Spanish

It’s Adequate Friday. And not for nothing, it’s been a good Friday. The day started with Bill kissing me good bye as he roused me from my sleep. Quiet nice to have that done. I stayed in bed a little bit longer, eventually getting up and starting my daily routine.

Usually I am out on the street getting bagels but forgot all about that oddly enough. It’s part of the Friday thing you see. I had cereal, made some coffee and took a shower. It wasn’t the usual day, not the usual Friday at least.

During most weekdays, I catch the Today Show and then in order to avoid the Belle of Bala Cynwyd, Kathie Lee Gifford, I switch over to MSNBC, then I usually catch the last minutes of the 700 Club with Pat Robotson or his ill begotten son Robotson Junior saying prayers for their viewers who are being cured as they end the show.

Then come the Gilmore Girls. Today was the introduction of Jess, played by Milo Ventimiglia. He was such a brat that I decided not to watch the whole episode and walked over to the mall.

I needed a new pair of Airwalks and Payless is the only place that carries them these days. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed walking over along the river walk from Hoboken to Jersey City, through the Newport complex were my friend Robert Risotto lives.

Not his real name and I had to change it since I accidentally outed him in December. His parents Googled his name and up came my entry about his holiday party that he threw with his partner Gregoire.

Walked through the mall, which was deserted last time, but today being a holiday of sorts it was a little more crowded. Went to Payless, found my Airwalks, showed a text message from Payless to the cashier and got 20% off. I needed some socks too and oddly enough they didn’t offer to sell me any. I went to Kohl’s where they did have some socks and soon was walking back to Hoboken.

Walked by Pier A, thought I might see Tariq and his guitar but there was no sign of him. Ran into Rand and Lisa on Washington Street and chatted with them before they went off to lunch with Rand’s cousin. I came home answered emails and put on some new socks and my new Airwalks.

After a quick lunch I decided to head out and do some busking. My sister sent me a link in the comments last night about what to do when your arm cramps up when playing guitar and what to do to prevent it.

So I did some of those exercises and played a bit, mostly the same songs from yesterday, added Brand New Cadillac by the Clash. Rand and Lisa stopped by and sat on the next bench and made out. It was the first time anyone I knew stopped by and I found myself singing.

Usually I strum and don’t sing but somehow I felt confident enough to sing. Rand sang also and we sang together somewhat Dirty Back Road by the B-52’s and Whatever Gets You Through the Night by John Lennon. Lisa took some pictures which I lightened up and posted below.

Lisa had broken her wrist a few weeks ago and was off for some physical therapy now that the cast was off. Rand walked Lisa to the bus and came back with a bottle of water for me which was nice. We talked a bit while I took a break.

Dogs and babies seem to be the most interested in me while I play. Rand said ‘Hunka Hunka’ a few times, as in ‘A Hunka Hunka Burning’ Love’ by Elvis Presley. Rand mentioned a guy on Chat Roulette who plays piano and improvises on what he’s seeing from other people’s cams.

All of a sudden I found myself playing some chords and commenting on what I saw before me. Then I started sounding like Tom Waits and sang about a ‘black dog on a red leash’. Or that woman buttoning up her overcoat and me singing ‘Better button up that overcoat’.

A jogger about to take off and I sang ‘You better run’ He smiled and I sang ‘keep running’. A few young people, one of them carrying a baby and I sang to them ‘Don’t drop the baby’. They stood around laughing a few benches down, one of them smoking a cigarette and I sang ‘Does your mother know you smoke? You shouldn’t smoke so close to the baby’.

All in a Tom Waits, or as Rand later mentioned Will Farrell doing his impersonation of the late Harry Carey. Two boys walking behind their father hitting each other, I sang ‘Don’t hit your brother, you’re gonna need him later in life’ which got a giggle from the father.

A woman pushing a stroller and me singing, ‘She’s pushing a baby in the stroller. In 20 years that baby will be pushing her’. ‘Don’t I know it’ she replied.

Oh my, it was a blast. I had so much fun. Rand was laughing and also kept me in check, reminding me not to be mean. Don’t say someone should lose a few pounds.

Hoboken hat, Orange Syracuse T shirt, Yankees apparel all got a mention when they walked by. I didn’t make any money at all but I had a great time and people laughed when they saw I was singing about them.

I have found my niche.

Rand & me, 'Whatever gets You Thru the Night'

Rand & me, 'Dirty Back Road'


John Ozed Guitar