I left the fruit stand on Friday afternoon, feeling good. A natural high. It brought mehome and when ZBill opened the door I surprised him with a hug. I was genuinely feeling good and I took note of it and shared it with Bill.

Mike was supposed to come over but said he had a call from PSE&G asking him to be available for a meter reading on Saturday morning. So he was not coming over on Friday. That was fine, no big loss. Bill and I watched the Hannah Waddingham and Olivia Spencer show Ride or Die. They’re best friends, and Olivia did not know that Hannah was an assassin.

It’s funny and has some good lines. One of the students from the History Boys plays Olivia Spencer’s husband, who is a cad. One episode was all we watched, figuring we’d watch the others if & when Mike arrived. The usual routine happened, Bill going to bed and me joining him about 30 minutes later.

Saturday was a gorgeous day, Bill and I made the trip to the supermarket, Mike’s PSE&G appointment was pushed back. It all seemed rather sketchy. I figured Mike had a play date since PSE&G doesn’t usually play those scheduling games, at least not with me. He showed up later in the afternoon.

The St. Ann’s feast was going on, and the plan was to go to that on Saturday evening. I was hesitant but relented since Mike wanted to experience it and Bill and I last went there around 22 years ago. Around 7 PM we headed out. And it was as I expected. Not much fun, people were walking in baby steps since it was so crowded.

Mike and Bill rolled the dice and got sausage sandwiches. I love the smell of sausage but not much of a fan of how they taste. I opted for some pizza from across the street from our flat. We’ve been watching Ted Lasso again, for a recharge of positivity as well as the anticipation for the return of the show.

Bill was off to bed early since he was getting up early in the morning. Bill packed up his gear, and Mike helped bring it down to the first floor so as not to disturb the neighbors at 4 AM. Then it was Mike and me and I was soon horizontal next to Bill as Mike stayed up and made his videos.

I did the bike ride, 12.88 miles. It was a pleasant ride, I complimented a few people as I pedalled past. I took the usual photos and after my break, was feeling so good, riding without my hands on the handlebar. Just staring into space, hands free and I hit a pothole which ended that reverie. Nothing happened and I quickly gathered my wits.

The past week or so, there have been a few videos on social media, mainly men who have jumped a few steps on a staircase, then they wind up dead. It’s not as ghastly as it sounds, they’re generally pretty funny, if not silly. It’s so ingrained in my consciousness that I actually turned my head to make sure I was not laying in the street next to that unforeseen pothole I had just rode into…
Spoiler alert- I am still alive.

I was feeling good throughout the weekend, going to work was not a bad thing. I got to work at my usual early time and set about starting my day. There were some fruit stand requests from over the weekend and I took care of one of them. I read the request as it happening tomorrow, Tuesday and when I sent it out, I saw it was actually for Thursday.

This is what upsets Yancy as well as upsetting me. I was hasty and immediately took measures to correct the date for the request, all within a minute but that is all it takes: one minute that didn’t have to be if only I was not so hasty. And it was a dumb mistake that I regretfully made.

After that, all was quiet at the fruit stand. I did not have my lunchtime cigar with me and felt it was just as well since I may have been smoking too much. But the addict crept forth, and I walked to get a cigar that would have been cheaper in Hoboken.

As I sat and puffed away, I started getting anxious and saw sadness on the horizon, thinking about the mistake I had made earlier. I did some breathing exercises that I do every night. They’re also mentioned in Ted Lasso so I felt somewhat validated. The cigar was good; too good to rush through, and it was on the strong end of the scale.

I was soon upstairs at the fruit stand taking care of what needed to be done.

A million miles away, the Plimsouls. They are in the Valley Girl movie which I saw over 40 years ago. It’s a good song and it popped into my head as I walked from the big fruit stand to my desk at my fruit stand. The sun was beaming and I am always amazed at the sun being 93 million miles away and the rays of the sun are still so strong that I can feel it cook my skin.

I was told the other day I would more than likely be moving from the little fruit stand to the big fruit stand. It bummed me out, but I realized that it would still be a good job. It would be the change of neighborhoods that was upsetting. I made relationships with various people in the area, from the people that sell me my large hot coffee with milk on my way in, to the guys selling halal food.

This morning I heard that I would be staying at the fruit stand that I really like since things are going on and someone new would have to come on board. Janis told me the other day that they probably would not be hiring someone new, and Yancy spoke saying that someone new would need to be hired. Of course, this is all subject to change. My mantra remains the same: ‘at least you have a good job’.

I left one meeting and walked from fruit stand to fruit stand and when I got to my desk I found myself in another meeting, this time online with Yancy, Violet, Janis and Kimberly with a bloke named Steven. Steven is an IT guy and is working from home. The meeting started without me, so I had no idea what was being talked about.

While the meeting was going on, workers in fluorescent shirts were going about pulling wires from the ceiling and setting up a camera for the back door of the fruit stand. Perhaps another inkling that I would not be moving after all.

Someone IS moving though. Someone is pulling up stakes and starting fresh, starting anew at a location and culture wholly different from the fruit stand. She’s young enough to start over, whereas I would rather not. But youth does have it’s advantages and this is one of them.

So, after yesterday’s mishegas regarding Mike, it seems that a new perspective came around with the new day. I know Bill spoke with him and his beloved might have said something too. My chocolate sister in DC called it a while ago, that some people do not like to be held responsible for their actions, they tend to avoid accountability whenever possible.

I don’t think Mike was hearing what he wanted to hear. He is expected to come over tonight, so that should be good I hope. He does want to attend the big Italian feast of St. Ann’s in town this weekend and though I had begged off last year, this year seems like it’s a ‘go’.