Today was an average day, only with nonstop rain. It was a drag to wake up to, to brush your teeth to, to eat a bowl of raisin bran to. But I soldiered on, carried a ton of newspapers downstairs that need recycling. Such drama. It was cold enough to warrant wearing the leather blazer, but warm enough to make me drenched by the time I got to the Path train. Humid and wet and sixty degrees. I mean really, WTF? I was wet and sweaty by the time I got on the Path train and of course it was crowded and more humid in there.

Got off the train at Ninth Street, got a bagel at that bagel joint. I’ve been tired of looking at Plantain Man so I’ve been avoiding the banana scene. I know I could bananas just about anywhere, but seeing Plantain Man’s morning wood was enticing, but you get tired of it after a while. He talks the talk, but no walking of the walk. At least not anymore. I got to the office even wetter and sweatier than I was when I got on the Path train. Luckily I have an extra t-shirt stashed, and surprising to me, a Bill and Ted moment. At some point in the past I had the foresight to pack an extra pair of socks in my bag. They came in handy since one of my feet was soaked.

The usual asylum patients wandered in and I set about doing my chicken dance after changing my t-shirt. It was busy and there was a consultancy going on tonight that I was able to get William and Charlie Charas in on. Next time, I should get Harpy. They could all use the dough I’m sure. I could use it too, but being behind the scenes I’m not allowed to participate I think. No big deal, I was able to leave work at 6:30, a little later than usual and strolled down to the Path train, smoking one of my birthday cigars. It wasn’t raining finally though the skies were talking the talk. It was quite humid out though and once again I was drenched. The cigar was good though, perhaps the humidity had a part in that.

Once again the train was mad packed. It’s usually a short hop back to Hoboken, but it seems to take forever when sweat is dripping off your glasses, your earlobes and down your neck. No fun and crowded. I was playing the Neville Brothers ‘Yellow Moon’. A perennial favorite, been almost twenty years since I saw them opening up for Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers at the pier by the USS Intrepid. Great songs, atmospheric production. Eno’s on it too. Got back to Hoboken, walked up Washington Street, bought some soda and a lottery ticket. It’s up to 165 million. How could I lose? I’d include you in a cut, not a problem. You know who you are with all the comments.

Last night was a lovely romantic evening, just me and Bill and some steaks and some pints. We came home, and watched TV, going to bed after the Daily Show and falling asleep in each others arms. He’s good for me and I’m good for him and that’s that. It’s definitely 180 degrees from where we were this time last year. No more tears, no me llores. No me llores mas.

Just off the phone with Christina, my former coworker at Wanker Banker. She’s at wit’s end and I was the ear she poured her gripes into. Apparently they’re putting the screws to her and using almost the exact same screws that they used on me. She’s up against the wall, and they’re using the old, ‘Three people have complained about you’. They tried that line on me but instead of coworkers, they said I insulted clients, which was not true at all. And I called them on it and they backed down. Christina doesn’t have the balls, but she is a Puerto Rican from the Bronx.

Jamie who plays both sides of the fence while being caught in the middle is breathing down Christina’s neck. And she has to work alongside the dipshit from the 31st floor. The dipshit who called me up one day and told be I had a package from Office De-Pot. Not Depot, but actually said de-pot, as in ‘de pot calling de kettle black’. And she receives praise and admiration while Christina toils and gets written up for invisible infractions. To be fair, I did warn Christina before I left that they were going after me and I did a great job, and she had better be prepared and step up or else they’ll be after her. Well she stepped up and still the knives are out. She’d quit but she has a ten year old she has to support.

Meanwhile, back in Soho everything is copasetic. A nice day, everyone wanted to know what I did last night for my birthday and I told them most everything that I wrote in the first paragraph. Most everything. It was a busy yet quiet day. I’d like to think I’m getting a handle on the various personalities that I work with, but feel a bit apprehensive, lest I jinx the situation. Some things are better left unsaid, or in this case, unwritten. There’s a panel discussion tomorrow and I was able to get Charlie and William Charas in on it.

Charlie is going to Greece this weekend and William is, well, William. Self employed, an extra hundred dollars can’t hurt. After living in Weehawken with William for eleven years, there are no hard feelings. I’m glad I was able to hook them both up with the panel discussion. I, of course can’t take part in the discussion so no hundred bucks for me. Plus I like to leave at six, and the discussion is going to eight which would mean being at work for twelve hours and I simply don’t want to do that.