Monthly Archives: March 2006

Flowers in the Rain

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A better day today than yesterday. Though a bit under the weather and the weather is quite gray, the Piper’s Union Local 154 have finally departed. I was able to be more productive and able to mix with society with no ill will. Juan has gone back to school, Bill’s coming back from Mohegan Sun sometime tonight and Julio should be up to watch the Sopranos in a little while.

Back to work tomorrow. Don’t have the usual dread, no knots in the stomach. I’m sure they’ll arrive in time for counseling tomorrow night.

I neglected to mention that Song gave me a set of coasters with Aboriginal art on them. Very nice.

Right now the NCAA is on. A few years ago when I was somewhat more interested in basketball, I was watching a very good, fast moving game. I don’t recall who was actually playing. There was some fantastic move and then they went to commercial break. I picked up the phone and dialed Julio.

The other end picked up and I said, “Yo, can you believe that? That was incredible!” He replied, “Man that was unreal. Hope they replay it” I thought for a second and realized I might have dialed the wrong number. The other end started to realize it too. “You’re not Julio are you?” “ Nope” “Well that was some play though” “Yeah, sure was,” we said to each other while laughing. How often does that happen? You dial the wrong number and start talking and the wrong number knows exactly what you’re talking about.

I still get a kick out of that.

So the Sopranos will be on tonight and after last week’s cliffhanger Julio and I are on pins and needles. Most everyone who saw it was surprised. Many different scenarios from a few of my friends. I do love the show. I saw guys like the Sopranos crew growing up. And its gets weird for me sometimes because they do film certain scenes in Lodi, where I’m from.

A few years ago I scammed tickets to the Sopranos screening for the second season at Radio City Music Hall followed by a big party at the Hilton up Sixth Avenue. It was a very cold night. I had taken Susan from Farfetched and Bill and Julio. We all dressed as nicely as we could and fit in quite well. Saw the first two episodes of the second season, then everyone trooped up Sixth Avenue on carpeted sidewalks.

Susan blagged off saying she was too cold. Bill, Julio and I soldiered on, prepared to eat and drink and mingle with the cast. I don’t recall seeing James Gandolfini or Edie Falco, but creator David Chase was there. Aida Turturro took a liking to Julio, Bill and I took a liking to looking good, smoking cigars and hanging out with guys that looked like made men. The pinkie ring set.

Great food, much wine, a few cigars. A perfect evening. I even told Jamie Lynn Sigler that she was great. Also told Steven Van Zandt that his Sun City record was life changing. Didn’t want to go the obvious route of bringing up Bruce.

I hope to have lunch with Song, hope to go to the gallery with Roda and Tony next weekend, and I hope Juan has a splendid time at school.

“That was intense.”

Coin Operated Boy

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Oh the prices one must pay for St. Patrick’s Night. Oh how I paid. The pipers union Local 154 was replaced by a fife players union for the holiday. I was relatively functional, doing chores and whatnot at my own pace, intersped with long bouts of napping.

We hung out Julio, Bill and I mainly on our own computers. I was drinking quite a bit of Guinness. Bill had a pint as well, with Julio drinking his Stella Artois. We unplugged to watch Bill Maher. Got to get some fuel for our leftist beliefs, even if we have to get it from Bill Maher. I admit I am tainted in my regard for Bill Maher, thanks to Rita who met him once at a comedy show and found him to be so Hollywood.

The plan to go to the galleries was postponed due to the fact that Juan and RoDa both were in recovery from the previous night’s festivities. Unfortunately Juan goes back to University tomorrow. Unfortunate in the sense that he won’t be able to join in the art house visit. But Roda’s cousin Tony will be his replacement. And Tony owes me a few cigars, which could definitely be in my favor, whatever that means.

Juan is here tonight. Always good to have him over. We’re watching the Martin Scorcese documentary on Bob Dylan. With a bit of the hair of the dog for the both of us. Last night as I surfed after Bill went to bed, Juan instant messaged me. He had just gotten home and we both chatted hazily online.

For much to long perhaps. Into the wee hours. But he’s such a good guy I didn’t mind and enjoined him in chat for as long as my eyes could remain open.

I also had a good conversation with Bill about going to the gym with him. I had to keep reminding him that I was relatively drunk and what I was saying I shouldn’t be held to in the light of sobriety.

Amazingly enough, this afternoon Bill asked me if I remembered what we had talked about and I was able to recall most everything, not word for word but more like subject by subject. I was impressed, and I think Bill was too.

Does that say anything in particular? Probably not. It was St. Patrick’s Day night, I was hanging out with my boys, i.e. Bill and Julio. Juan provided the bookends. St. Patrick’s Day eve and St. Patrick’s Day post mortem.

Bob Dylan blares on in the background. Just put on Saturday Night Live so Juan could satisfy his Shakira jones. Alec Baldwin is hosting and both Juan and I find him appealing. Bill would too, but he’s asleep. Perhaps dreaming of Alec Baldwin.

Alec Baldwin is pretty funny. Doing a retrospective of sorts of his hosting the show many times, with clips. And Tim Meadows. Juan is nostalgic for Mean Girls, a movie he has yet to bring over in his visits, despite saying that he would.

Perhaps in May.