All The Things She Said. A Simple Minds song featuring Robin Clark on backing vocals. I wasn’t too fond of it when it first came out but I have to say Robin’s voice drew me in, 40 years later.

Fructose on the mainstream. Just a sentence that popped into my head earlier today. It means nothing, or does it?

Right now I am participating in a LGBTQ+ zoom call from the agency that placed me. They are an earnest bunch, clearly dedicated to the agency and clearly so young. I am the old guy I guess. They’re comfortable being queer, where when I hear the word the hair on the back of my neck rose a bit. I am trying to embrace the word but the negative connotations are still in the back of my mind. Fight or flight.

They’re in a different world than the fruit stand. And speaking of which, Marcus dropped the news that he will be leaving the fruit stand. I am not sure if he knows what he’s getting into. I know the world where he is going to but he will have to find out for himself.

I will miss his passive aggressive abrasiveness. Or maybe I won’t. He is a difficult read.

The meeting ended and I applauded and threw hearts up when I felt the kids deserved it. They were earnest for sure. Now I am killing time. Not much going on. I have a few errands to do before I get home. Food, a cigar and a stop at a dispensary.

Mike is in better, not bitter spirits. I am looking forward to enjoying a cigar when I get home. Bill is still in New England. I had to get over my non vacation, not much I can do about it. I know I can take a trip somewhere by train or subway. I used to do that back in the day but those days are over 20 years ago.

I also flew through a very easy crossword during the LGBTQ+ meeting. I was on camera, the crossword was off camera and as far as I know, no one was the wiser.

Mike and I watched The Devil Wears Prada 2. It was entertaining, a mild summer comedy. It certainly picked up while Emily Blunt was on screen. Stanley Tucci was understated, and Meryl Streep nibbled on the scenery. Anne Hathaway was enjoyable. Mike did get a kick out of it since he does quote the original movie from time to time.

And speaking of time, there is a little over 30 minutes to get through. I can do it, I’ve done it before. I usually get a seat on the Path going home since I like to read but I think tonight I will stand.

Yancy called. I hadn’t heard from him in a few days. That was why he apolgized, his absence. Things puttered along nicely in hhis stead. He talked about Marcus’ moving on and that instead of having me go to the big fruit stand every two weeks, I will be staying at my more desirable fruit stand. Things are going to start getting hectic and I would be better off where I am. And he’ll be taking some time off to tend to matters familial, but that’s rather here nor there. I did wish him safe travels.

Now home, Bill is in Margaritaville and Mike, having eaten dinner, is fast asleep on the couch again, while Ted Lasso streams on the telly.

I had a few dreams last night but I only remember the last one. I was in a car being driven by Lily Mastro with her sister Ruby in the front seat. I eventually rode in the front seat as Ruby splayed out and was reading something aloud. My sister was in the back seat as was Bill. We approached the area where the Century Theater used to be and it turned out to be a road hugging a cliff. I was worried that Lily would drive over the edge, but she was driving slow enough on the highway that it was not really anything to be concerned about.

Then there is the drama that is Mike. He is out of work, and I have been helping him out when I can. Sending him job postings, things like that. Also paying his phone bill. He does pay me back but sometimes his timing is awful. Yesterday he was supposed to meet me at the train station and we would go pay his phone bill.

But it was raining, and the bill did not have to be paid until today. So he stayed in while I walked home in the drizzle. It really was barely drizzling. So today he called me at work, asking for the phone bill assistance once again. I mentioned that this could have been taken care of yesterday, but he did not want to hear it. This happened, that happened. He gets belligerent when I try to explain my side of how I am feeling.

He is a narcissist after all. I pay his bill online once more and mention that I should not have to deal with this at work. I am not flush with cash, and I am trying to keep it together myself. His beloved doesn’t have any money and lives in California. The Beloved quit his job and took a job that he does not like, so I think he left that job as well. He’s relying on a government check for being a veteran. And who knows when that will come in? The Beloved does not know. It’s always just out of reach it seems.

Then I get a text from Mike. He’s leaving. He is going home and sorry he upset me. It was rather guilt-trippy; how dare I get mad at him and say all this could have been taken care of YESTERDAY. There was a plan that he did not want to do. He can be quite a brat.

So he was leaving. I called him and had heated words, telling him he was biting the hand that feeds him, which he said hurt to hear, but what else could you call it? I got back to work and, being me, asked if he was still at the apartment. If he was leaving, he should take one of the frozen lasagnas, but he replied he was not going home. He did not want to leave me alone, and he did not want to be alone.

Jim Kendall is a name that floated to my head as I walked home. He was in a band of sorts back in the 1980s/ I think he played keys. Jim DeRogatis was on drums, I played guitar and there might’ve been someone else involved. Jim Kendall was a nice guy. I think he was gay. The ‘band’ lasted one rehearsal if I remember. I saw Jim Kendall a few times after that. Jim DeRogatis I saw a bit more, he was a Maxwell’s habitué.

Once again Mike is asleep on the couch. I am in front of the PC. Bill is on Cape Cod. I need a break. This would be the time Bill and I would be in Ocean Grove. This is the second year in a row we have not gone. It’s a disappointment.