Monthly Archives: October 2007

Riding With Mary

Monday and not a moment too soon. Last night, came home a zombie and wrote last night’s blog. Bill and I spoke, he was taking his mom to see his dad across town at the Village Nursing Home. Nothing out of the ordinary, everything going nicely. I spoke on the phone with my sister Annemarie about our brother Brian, being Mr. Tight Lipped. I also told Annemarie that Brian’s old friend from the seventies, John Monetti was living up in Brian’s neck of the woods, helping Brian out with some odd jobs, here and there. John used to be quite the hottie when we were all growing up, beefy, swarthy, the right amount of testosterone which stirred something within me but I didn’t know what then. He now weighs 360 pounds and can’t wear a seat belt properly. Too bad, though I still have some photos somewhere of guys that vaguely remind me of John in his prime. Guys that I imagined incorrectly that John had grown into.

As I was talking to Annemarie, Bill phoned in. As he and his mother were leaving the nursing home, she complained about feeling ill, then she collapsed. Luckily they were in a nursing home and the staff were able to spring into action and dial 911. There was a lot of commotion so Bill got off the phone with me and dealt with his situation. I got back on the phone with Annemarie and told her what was going on. I figured they were going to take Bill’s mom to St. Vincent’s hospital since that was the closest hospital from the nursing home. I feel so bad for Bill, I wish there was something that I could do, but apparently just staying around, waiting by the phone and lending whatever support he might need.

I was fortunate when my father was fading away, I had my brothers at the front line which made sense since they were closer, both in regards to distance, and they got along with the old man a lot better than I did. My fortune was in the fact that they dealt with the issue at hand. Even Annemarie came in towards the end and handled the situation better than I could have. The guy thought I was incompetent and I generally became incompetent around him. I spent a good part of my life loathing my father.

Bill’s been handling his situation on his own and it’s certainly a terrifying experience and he’s doing the best that he can. His cousin lives nearby but she’s dealing with her mom who’s older than Bill’s mom, and she also has a husband that sometimes works, and two boys, 10 and 6 years old that are a handful, so she can only help Bill so much. So I sit by the phone and wait for Bill to call, to ask for help, or just needing an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. That’s why I’m here I guess.

Work was work. Nothing special. I was busy though, bank runs, office supplies and a visit to the post office where it was as crowded as it is during the holiday season. I left work early so I could drop off Carla the ex-receptionist’s check since it wasn’t signed on Friday when she was expecting it. It was the least I could do and it allowed me to leave work an hour earlier. That’s about it. Juan has a stalker. Spoke to him for the first time in weeks.

Pull Up To The Bumper

A beautiful autumn Sunday afternoon. Air is crisp in the 60 degree range. Warmer on the street than it is in the apartment. Everything pretty mellow after devouring a lot of meat at dinner with the soon to be (April 15th they’ve been told) parents, Julio and Stine. It really is a thrill to hear. Probably thrilling for them as well, as well as filled with anxiety and expectation, hence the term, she’s expecting I suppose. They got me good. I don’t know why a few friends of mine always have to surprise me with things, like Bill renting a Zip Car when we saw the B-52’s in Brooklyn last August, and now with Stine and Julio having a baby, they just can’t come out and say, ‘I rented a car’ or ‘We’re having a baby’. I’m not complaining, not at all. It’s an entertainment and it affords them the chance to get one over on me.

I watched Saturday Night Live last night, it was pretty good. Two music sets by Bon Jovi versus one by the Foo Fighters. I guess it’s all good. Not a Bon Jovi fan though I’ve met him and he’s alright, just another Jersey guy. He’s the cousin of my friend Barry Bongiovi and Jon stopped by Right Track studios to visit Barry (who I’ve always had a crush on).It was a good show and the digital SNL short was the highlight of the show once again. The Three Guys from New Jersey game show was pretty good and nearly spot on. From there it was trying to fall asleep next to Bill snoring as if sawing through granite. His words not mine.

I woke up and called Julio as I headed to that Bagel shop and asked if he and the missus wanted any bagels, which was a very slight payback for Julio and Stine taking me out for a belated birthday dinner. They did and I bought, dropping them off after a visit to the supermarket. Lynda, the older cashier who reminds Annemarie of our Nana, aka our grandmother made a motion for me to come to her register, needing to ask me a question. I walked over and she asked me what should she do about her cat who won’t eat canned food, only dry food. I didn’t know what to tell her except that if the cat’s female dry food is no problem, it’s spayed male cats that have a problem with dry food. I remembered that because my late cat Zed, (best cat in the whole wide world EVER) had the exact same problem back in the day.

Dropped off Stine and Julio’s bagels and headed up two flights where I had coffee and read the papers, full of usual nonsense and bad news. It was too nice a day to stay in and I was itching to go out, specifically to go to Farfetched and see Harpy who always works on Sundays. I walked to the Path train, past where the dog parade had occurred, gingerly stepping around several left behind clumps on the sidewalks.

Got off at Christopher Street since I didn’t want to deal with the crowds on 14th Street. Strolled past new buildings that weren’t there last time I had been around. Washington Square was crowded in various pockets, chess player and crap weed dealers over here, drum circle over there, dance troupe next to them across from Buzz Universe, a jam band going electric as people mingled around or sat and read their text books in the mid afternoon sun.

I made my way up Fourth Avenue to Farfetched to find Harpy not in session but Lois who switched off with Harpy yesterday. I picked out some cards for upcoming birthdays, though I have to say the selection has been a bit lacking lately. I used to find so many cards, now it’s a struggle to find 3 cards for me to send. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s them. It can’t be the customer is always right, since I work there on occasion so I’m not really a customer.

My being there allowed Lois to eat some lunch, so I rang up some customers for a little while, then after chit chatting I headed out, lighting a Padron and checking out the inhabitants of Union Square. I decided to walk up Broadway to Fifth Avenue then to 32nd street so I can finish my cigar and get a seat on the Path train home.

And now I am home, tired from walking around but feeling good.

Somehow I wound up taking 77 pictures while walking around the city, here are but a few of them.

Beautiful afternoon
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Mrs. Pink Hair and friend enjoying a droll stroll
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Lackawanna Tower in Hoboken
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Bagpiper on Christopher Street
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Fiddle, accordion, boy, girl dog butt
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Two for the seesaw
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Enn Why ewers
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Hooded Literacy
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Second Date
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Foiled by a map (not to scale)
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Cutie never calls…
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Farfetched Halloween
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From under the chimes
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Christmas Ornaments
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Madman by Union Square
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For her, it’s all about his dreads
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Coke dealer
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Holding up the wall
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Lost again
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Looking for trouble
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Trouble
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Looking out for number 9
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Walk that way
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Back in Hoboken
Court Street
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Bikers
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Balloons
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The late, great Zed
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