Posts Tagged ‘Billie’

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Gentle Hours

Monday, October 12th, 2009

October 11, written October 12. And now Phase 2, in which Doris gets her oats.

12 hours later, a splendid day in DC. Bus got to DC a half hour early and the weather was pleasant so I didn’t mind. Billie showed up on time and we started for the march after we had a quick bite to eat. Billie picked up the tab despite my protestations.

The weather was gorgeous as we walked around. We decided to catch the parade between the White House and the Capitol building. It was quite a sight to see, thousands of LGBT marchers coming towards us.

It was bright and sunny as expected and after joining the march towards the Capitol, we sat for a little while and rested and chatted about what as going on. Hard to believe but there is almost 30 years of history between Billie and myself. We have the type of relationship that we might not talk to each other for months, then when we do it’s like we had just talked an hour before.

Tons of people milling about, helicopters flying overhead, taking photographs, or perhaps a headcount for the National Parks Service. We heard the Gay Men’s Chorus of DC sing songs ranging from the Sounds of Silence to Blowing in the Wind to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, all performed beautifully.

Dan Choi, Cynthia Nixon, Judy Shepard and David Mixner among others gave compelling speeches. All over it was great to see the LGBT community in all shapes, sizes and colors united for equality.

I was wearing my Obama Superman shirt and one of the volunteers said that I might be booed for wearing it but that never happened. The volunteer and I agreed that the LGBT community would have to be patient.

Obama has 2 wars and a shit economy. Not to diminish the LGBT struggle but things might be easier for all concerned once the wars are finished and the economy gets better.

As Billie and I wandered around I spied John Oliver from the Daily Show who stood next to me for a snapshot. Nice guy and taller than I expected. Billie and I headed back towards the White House where a stranger gladly took our picture in front of the President’s house.

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It truly was one of the best days of my life. Everything went so smoothly with no hassles for me at least. I did have to get back to the bus at 6:00 so after a quick jaunt to Chinatown where Billie purchased a stand for a vase, we waited around where I was initially dropped off.

As we waited a young man and woman came up to me asking for a smoke. As the four of us stood around, we found the young man James, to be a straight ally of the young woman Alex. Billie and I playing the role of the old timers, thanked James and the other straight allies everywhere for being so open minded and compassionate for the LGBT community.

It seems each generation becomes more relaxed and doesn’t understand the big deal about being LGBT, which is how it should be. For some reason, my generation and generations before me, sometimes find LGBT people to be abhorrent.

That we’re all about sex (or that is what they envision) and if you have them over to your house you know they will start screwing no matter what. Of course it’s not like that at all and in fact most of us are quite boring. As boring as most non-LGBT people.

Of course it’s not the boring ones who make it on the TV news.

This is why it’s important for everyone to come out of the closet. To show that we are your friends, your brothers, your sisters, your children and yes, sometimes your parents. Much like Harvey Milk said all those years ago.

The bus ride back was quiet. I wound up having Alex sit next to me. Her dad is a GE big shot. No last names. She lives in Williamsburg. I told her I couldn’t tell since she wasn’t wearing skinny jeans, nor an ironic t-shirt and no fedora rakishly worn.

We parted ways in Manhattan, no emails or phone numbers exchanged. I probably talked her ear off. But I wished her a safe trip home and headed towards the Path train, an hour earlier than was scheduled.

Once I got to Hoboken, as per Billie’s request I called him to let him know I got home safe and sound.

Bill was home sitting in the apartment, which was cleaner than it was when I left. Though it was dark when I left, I’m sure it was cleaner on my return. Stayed up and tried to upload photos but it was a pain in the ass and went to bed instead, where I slept quite soundly.

Woke up long after Bill was off to work. Manually loaded 50+ photos onto Facebook. Don’t have the program I usually use on Bill’s Mac so I will have to upload those at a later date.

I did go out and buy the newspaper and had a nice breakfast. Later I read in the paper of a 49 year old man named Jack Price in College Point, Queens was beaten.

All of his ribs have been broken, his lungs have collapsed and a metal plate had to be placed in his jaw after being beaten by 2 young men, when he went out to get some smokes at 3:00AM Friday morning.

Unfortunately the 2 young men aren’t on the same evolutionary scale as Alex’s friend James.
Douche baggery is too polite a term to describe the 2 gay bashers.

This is why I march for National Equality.

For full protection under the law and the Constitution.

Sometimes it’s difficult to be patient.

IMG_3660

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Hallogallo

Monday, October 5th, 2009

10.4.09 Hoboken 038

Yesterday turned out to be quite an alright day. I wandered around Hoboken, which is more crowded on weekends now that no one leaves for the Jersey shore on weekends after the summer. That makes the waterfront which is usually not that crowded, densely populated on weekends.

And with the piers falling into the river, a quiet spot to sit and read the New Yorker and have a cigar isn’t as easy as it is Monday through Friday. But I persevered and found a bench in the shadow of Steven’s Tech, across from Sybil’s Cave and sat there.

I talked to Billie from DC for a while and midway through our conversation, a couple walked by, the guy in the couple said, ‘That looks like John Ozed’. That caught my attention and told Billie I would call him back.

The couple walked closer and I said, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’. The guy knew I didn’t know who he was, the woman had no clue. He came up and introduced himself. It was Jason Stasium. Jason was a guy I worked with at Right Track Recording in the 1990′s.

We were friends then, I brought him to a taping of the Letterman show back in the day. Elvis Costello and Toshi Reagan performed. I liked Jason and used to make fun of him. He was a Deadhead then, following Jerry & Co around the country.

But after Jerry died, Jason settled down in New York and started working as an assistant engineer. It was funny the other day I was walking down Garden Street and saw someone who looked like Jason in the 1990′s and I thought about his then girlfriend who worked at Angelica’s Kitchen in the East Village.

She was nice too and got me some discounted gift certificates that I gave to my vegetarian roommate William and Julio who was a vegetarian at the time.

We did some catching up, Jason introduced me to his wife, who’s name escapes me at the moment. Where was so and so that we worked with? What’s going on with Right Track? Where is Joe Lizzi? Gian East?

Those are the only 2 I know and that was via Facebook and Jason doesn’t want to join Facebook.

I remember a few years ago I sent an email to him, congratulating him on either winning an award or being part of a Broadway show that won an award. His response was ‘who the hell are you?’ So I dropped the subject and expected never to hear from him again.

I wasn’t hurt or anything. Just felt that door had closed.

It wasn’t like on September 11, 2002 when I contacted a former co-worker Derry Jelaney who witnessed the previous years events next to me. I called her to see how she was doing that first anniversary and basically got ‘Why are you calling me?’.

Now that was awkward. Awkward enough, especially on that raw anniversary to cut contact. A few years later she somehow got my name and called me when I was working on the Titanic. It was all, ‘Hey! How’s it going/Let’s have drinks’ I was noncommittal and did write her number down before eventually losing it.

I did see her once when I was walking out of Grand Central Station and she was entering it. I was in a suit and tie so I looked like most of the other men passing through and she didn’t make the connection and that was fine by me.

Just a few weeks ago, while waiting for Brenda, yet another former co-worker, I stood around waiting when who walks by but Derry Jelaney. This time I could have sworn she saw me, even passed by looking at a menu near by, so as to steal a second glance. I just turned and looked the other way.

I did exchange phone numbers with Jason so perhaps we will meet up for dinner like he mentioned. I also made plans and bought tickets for a trip to Washington DC this weekend. Just a one day trip, get on bus, March on Washington, listen to speakers, get back on bus.

I should be seeing Billie, if only for a few hours so that should be fun.

10.4.09 Hoboken 039

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The Wait

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

It’s Thursday again. Not such a bad day though I didn’t sleep well last night. At the movie with Lois I got popcorn and a diet coke. It was the diet coke that kept me up. Way too much caffeine. I should have known better.

And of course I don’t follow my own advice of getting out of bed if you can’t sleep, but being awake at 2:30 makes me feel guilty about being up so late. I mainly go to bed not because I’m tired but more from thinking that ‘I should be asleep by now.’

Still I got some sleep though not as restful as I had hoped.

Inglourious Basterds was a good movie. Not a knock out but worth seeing. Good revenge on Nazis movie. It veers sharply from history but seeing Hitler getting shot in the face was worth a smirk. It’s more of a fantasy than anything.

If you haven’t seen it in a movie theater you might as well wait for the DVD. Overall I would give it a ‘B+’.

I’m just hanging out right now. I got a phone call from Billie in DC who was just checking in. He asked if I got the birthday card he sent and I said I did. I didn’t really, but it seemed like the thing to say. It was a short phone call and Billie mentioned before it ended that he hoped I could use the money.

I hung up thought to myself, ‘Why did I say yes?’ I didn’t mean to upset Billie basically. I eventually went out to the supermarket and saw I did get a birthday card from Billie, so I did tell the truth though I didn’t know about it initially.

Heard from Juan, nursing a broken heart. All I could tell him was that perhaps Time heals all wounds. He’s truly heartbroken though. Sad to hear him that way.

And now I’ve just gotten back from the world famous Apollo Theater on 125th Street in Harlem USA. Brought my brother Brian, always good to hang out together like this. Lot’s of laughs, no beer. They sold it, much to my surprise but we didn’t realize it until we were in out seats.

Elvis was great, looking like a Beauregard or rather Rhett Butler with a hat like Gable’s and from where we sat, a moustache? Perhaps it was an homage to the Band. It was a taping for Spectacle with… Elvis Costello, with Allen Toussaint, Richard Thompson, Levon Helm and Nick Lowe.

Larry Campbell formerly with Bob Dylan sat in with Elvis and the Imposters (the Attractions sans Bruce Thomas) and Ray LaMontagne sang the Weight at the end.

It was an enjoyable evening, certainly out of the ordinary. Brian had never been to the Apollo before, I was there in the 1980′s to see Boogie Down Productions with DJ Red Alert and Rob Base. It was a Christmas night show, went with Rand and Maurice Menares.

We were at the early show, sitting in the balcony, the negative image of the ants in the sugar bowl. People around us wondered what three white boys were there and we simply told them we were into rap. And we were.

That was a good show and our timing was good since at the later show there was a shooting.

Tonight was good timing as well. Brian made it to Hoboken, caught the Path then an uptown express. Had to wait online outside the theater for a while but that was fine, good to catch up with Brian. The show was entertaining and an interesting look at how a show like Spectacle is put together.

One can only imagine Victor Spinetti in the control booth.

Since Ray LaMontagne suddenly appeared and sang The Weight, they had to redo it with a proper introduction for LaMontagne. Brian and I split, caught an express back downtown where we found a Path train back to Hoboken waiting for us.

As soon as we took our seats the doors closed and we were en route. Good karma. Saw Brian off on a train to the hinterlands of Bergen County.

A good night with a good friend, my brother Brian.
Apollo Marquee

photo by Brian

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Yalla Yalla

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

It’s been another quiet day, especially since Hoboken kids went back to school today. Even though there are 2 schools within 100 yards of my apartment I heard nothing.

I was so tired from going to the museum and walking downtown afterwards that I slept really well which may have helped not hearing the kids on their way to school.

Oddly enough, I’m not feeling the pit of despair that I would feel for the first week or two of September. That sinking feeling of the beginning of the school year followed me throughout my life.

But apparently not this year.

Last night I watched Weeds with Bill. Well he was partially awake and only watched part of it.

What a surprise ending. Blew me away enough that I might have ruined the season finale with my reaction of the Facebook.

I certainly would not have expected the HBO/Showtime crossover with Eric draining Esteban of his Mexican blood, and neither should you.

Then I watched Letterman and Conan, alternating during commercial breaks. The Dirty Projectors were on Letterman and Pitbull, a reggaeton singer was on Conan. I opted for the Dirty Projectors.

Today, like I said, was quiet. The streets of Hoboken were devoid of kids. I made tentative plans to go gallery hopping next week sometime. There will be different shows than those that were hanging in July when I went with Annemarie and Earl.

Juan has extended me an invitation to visit him in Trenton but with his schedule he will have to tell me when it would be good since I have no set schedule to speak of, really.

And Pedro mentioned a visit to Otisville again this Friday but I am waiting to hear whether or not that’s still going on.

And Billie in DC has invited me down to Washington DC, perhaps in October if I’m not working, and I might even be able to go down there for the march on Washington. But that, as most everything else remains to be seen.

So things are low key and percolating along nicely.

Bill is at rehearsal tonight, getting ready for a reading in a week or so. He’s also singing at a NY Liberty game a little ways down the way, I think on the 14th. The play is the 14th, NY Liberty is the 8th.

Weather permitting, it would be a good reason to doff the suit and tie. Believe it or not I’ve been jonesing for it.

When the weather gets cooler and things start happening, I’ll be going out on interviews wearing a suit and tie.

I don’t know how guys do it during the summer. I think they really don’t spend any time on the street. They go from air conditioned apartment or house to air conditioned Town Car to air conditioned office. Maybe an out of office air conditioned lunch and then back to the air conditioned office.

Me, I like to walk and that makes me sweat like a horse.

That is what you get for shank’s mare I guess.

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Here Come July

Friday, July 31st, 2009

And it’s raining again. There is no surprise in that. I just got back from Manhattan, this time I was prepared. I wore a full body wet suit, pinstriped of course.

I did finally hear from Vivek. He made it in long enough to fill a basket full of rice pudding pops. He actually called me letting me know that he was going into the office to do it.

Presently on the phone with an irate Julio who is trying to use his credit card points to rent a car while he’s in Spain and he is meeting with tremendous difficulty. Of course I hear all about it. I don’t mind. He’ll have to listen to my tales of woe eventually. Took a lot out of me to listen to his aggravation but that’s what friends do.

Last night I heard from Billie in DC and he had his own tale of woe. His car was stolen a while back. That worked out fine, the insurance paid more than what the car was worth. He also invited Bill and I down for a weekend in the autumn which was nice. We’ll have to work that out somewhere down the line.

Today I headed into Manhattan, wearing work boots and carrying a big umbrella. It didn’t look like rain as I waited for the bus, and it was 91 degrees and quite humid. As I walked across town I ran into an old friend, Corey Williams who I used to work with at Arista Records.

Hadn’t seen Corey in a few years. He and his wife Ann Marie had a baby boy a few weeks ago, named Corey. He’s still at Atlantic Records, been trying to get out of there for 6 years. He’s still looking though.

We talked for almost a half hour by which time it looked like it was going to rain any minute now. We parted ways, I wished him and his family well. He’s such a good guy. Hard to believe I’ve known him about 15 years.

He’s also friends with my friend Miriam who just had a baby girl a week or so ago. Baby crazy these people are.

I made it to the office, collected my mashed potato dances and was soon outdoors again just as it started to rain.

I did have a tentative plan to meet an online friend that I’ve chatted with for years at the Cigar Inn on Second Avenue so that’s where I headed. Nice lounge for smoking cigars, I used to go there with a former co-worker when times were better.

Tom was the friend’s name and it was finally good to meet him in the flesh after years of chit chat. He was in town running around and while doing that got caught in the rain storm. We sat and talked for an hour or so, about music and cigars. We like them both.

After that I walked him over to Grand Central Station since I had a big umbrella and he didn’t. I’m pretty sure he appreciated it, plus it was on my way anyhow.

Walked over to the Path which wasn’t as crowded as I anticipated for a Friday afternoon. Had a seat and read The Low Side of the Road by Barney Hoskyns. It’s an unauthorized biography on Tom Waits that I got from the Hoboken library.

I was reading Transformer: The Story of Lou Reed by Victor Bockris but Tom Waits is a much more interesting character, and I much prefer Barney Hoskyns writing to Victor Bockris.

So that’s about it, I’m spent. Tomorrow I’m going with Meghan, Lily & Ruby to All Points West. That should be fun. I’ll tell you all about it, either tomorrow or Sunday.

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Little Fishes

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Last night was mellow. Called old friends, Billie and Connie. Billie is in Washington DC, Connie is in the Highlands of New Jersey. Haven’t heard from either of them in a while and since both were in my thoughts I gave a call.

Spoke with Billie first. He just got back from a Mexican vacation. I left a message for Billie a couple of weeks ago, mentioning that Bill and I might be visiting DC in the autumn if there was a March on Washington again.

Well so far no progress has been made on that front and right now it looks like we’ll be staying in Hoboken.

It was a good talk with Billie though. Both Bill and I miss him, having had a good couple of weeks a year or so ago when he was up in Manhattan training for his now defunct job at Chop’t, a way over priced salad bar.

Then I spoke to Connie as I sat on the front stoop, enjoying a Saint Luis Rey Rothchilde. It was an enjoyable talk, interrupted by a network failure on my end. She’s always a joy to talk to.

I can’t believe it’s been years since I last saw her, despite driving past her street in the Highlands some summer days. I’d love to see her again but it all depends on how she’s feeling. One of my favorite things is to make her laugh and I often do.

She’s a real sweetheart. Many a time I spent with Connie involved dancing around her house and I look forward to many more times I can perform a pas de deux with Madame Constance. Or stand out on her ledge, playing her wind chimes and making the neighbors think I’m doing tai chi.

Last night David Byrne was playing a free show at Prospect Park, opening up the summer season of Celebrate Brooklyn. Years ago I would have been there at a moments notice. But the threat of rain and the hassle of Brooklyn proved to be too much to consider.

If it were Talking Heads I would have been there for sure.

But last night was a Monday night and I do have to consider my state of mind with regards to work the next day. It’s not like when I was working in the music business where going out and coming back the next day exhausted or hung over was expected.

I stayed home and Bill came home just in time to catch Weeds which was very good. I love Justin Kirk. He rocks. Ever since Angels in America I’ve loved him and on Weeds he is most excellent. After that we watched Nurse Jackie, starring Edie Falco and that was really good, perhaps even better than Weeds.

Bill was trying to upload the still image from the TV of his appearance as a Saudi king on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He stayed up until 2:30 which around the time I sort of woke up from the very loud thunderstorm going on outside.

I crept through the apartment closing the windows, which were left open just a crack. Didn’t want to take any chances. And it came down in sheets this morning.

I was able to swim on over to my polling place and place my vote for Dawn Zimmer as some Cammarano cronies lurked nearby. The old school political machine of Hoboken churns on.

The other night while Bill and I watched the Tony’s it seemed that the show was sponsored by Big Pharma. One commercial that had some macabre chuckling was for some anti-depressant.

Shots of various actors in black and white, looking into the camera with sad expressions on their faces. What is depression? Who does it hurt?

Then they push the drug with the side effects of suicidal thoughts. If you’re depressed, take this drug and it will probably make you think about suicide if you weren’t thinking about that to begin with. Ridiculous.

And it will probably make you constipated, so you’ll have something to think about while you’re on the bowl.

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