Monthly Archives: July 2010

I Am I Said

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I am I Said. That’s the song I woke up to this morning. It was an odd song years ago and it still is today. That Neil Diamond. It’s how the day started for me. Slept a deep sleep, and could barely remember Bill kissing me good bye. He’s off driving the bus again so I won’t see him until Sunday night.

I do recall telling Bill to be careful.

It being a holiday weekend meant that there weren’t as many people as usual commuting to work. The fact that I was traveling after the rush hour, at 10:00 probably accounted for the lack of people. But that was filled up by people with suitcases, getting out of town for the weekend.

It was a breeze getting to the bus terminal and that too wasn’t too crowded except for the Greyhound and other bus ticket counters. Not too many people on the subway either and I made it uptown rather quickly.

Decided to get my shoes shined. I sat and read the Daily News while the shoe shine guy did his thing. Next to me was a guy who looked like a character from Amelie, so much so that I asked him if he was an actor.

The character in Amelie was the bloke who’s boss thought he was dimwitted. It wasn’t him but he was certainly handsome enough. I still had time to kill so I decided to sit in my usual spot but had to go out of my way due to something being filmed along the way.

Almost got my newly polished shoes dirty thanks to overzealous production assistants.

Spoke to Bill for a few minutes on the phone and headed to the shop a few minutes after that. Some young woman asked if I worked in the building I was just leaving the shade of. I told her no and kept walking towards the shop.

Just Calvin and Marcus in, Raymond expected in a few minutes. Marcus didn’t stay long, it being a holiday weekend and 10 days until his wedding. Calvin, Raymond and I made a good team. I sold a humidor and a few other nice items.

I did make sure my name was attached to those sales but still have to remember to do so most of the time. Whomever opens the register gets the sale unless the name is changed manually. I’m sure there’s a better program. And I’m sure there’s a better register.

The register Raymond and I used today jammed after closing. I closed the register for the day and came up $10.00 short. Actually $9.00 and change. We recounted the till and looked under and behind the register to no avail.

Since Raymond and I used it the most and we’re the ones who came up short, we put $10.00 in. Actually I put in $10.00, Raymond is still on the hook to me for $5.00. After that we hurriedly got out of the shop, Raymond going his way and me headed to the bus terminal.

It took me 16.9 seconds minutes, listening to the Pretenders first album. Actually from Precious to half way through Space Invaders. Home a little after 10:00 which wasn’t so bad. Working tomorrow and Sunday as well as Monday.

Next weekend, Annemarie comes to town (!) and that Sunday is the party. Fast approaching!

I’m Afraid of Americans

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Back to work today after a nice day off. Weather was quite nice again. I saw Samantha Bee today. She’s pregnant again.

It was Calvin, Raymond and Sean today with Marcus flitting in and out. It was a good team to work with. I also received my personal code and the key to the store, so it’s official, I will mainly be closing the store from now on.

And I’m fine with it. It’s not like I had much of a social life the past 11 months or even before that. I see my friends from time to time and that’s fine. I’m not exactly a shut in. Everyone has their own lives to live and I’ve got mine.

And now my life is tied to this job. I suppose it was fortuitous timing since the republicans have blocked unemployment benefits for people who have been collecting for over 6 months.

Apparently like that stupid crank from February, the dumb as fuck republicans think the unemployed are lazy for not taking jobs that pay less than the unemployment benefit. So if Mom and Dad are out of work, trying to make ends meet you’d had better hope they take that job at McDonald’s.

I had to educate Raymond on how this current economic mess is actually because of that piece of shit Ronald Reagan and his dismantling of the New Deal policies of the FDR administration. How he and others dismantled the rules and regulations designed to make sure the banks don’t get into another economic mess like the great depression.

Yep, let the banks and big business run themselves without any oversight. Not like the crash of 1929 will happen again.

And here we are now standing on the verge of another great depression. It’s strange (for lack of a better word) that so many people are unaware of the bitch he-devil Reagan and the evil that he created, instead they revere this vaginal slang.

So if I were still collecting the unemployment benefit, I would be in serious trouble since I was out of work for 11 months.

And today made for the beginning of my second month, selling cigars. One of the shops nearby has a lovely manager called, Elizabeth. She stops by a few times a day, usually to use the loo. She asked how it was working out for me and I told her I thought it was working well.

I remarked on how I hoped my co-workers and managers like me and she reassured me, telling me that they loved me. That was nice to hear. And I guess getting the code and the key proves that they believe that I am doing a good job.

And they’re starting to appreciate my music in the store which is good. I also do not show a pout when a negative comment is made about it.

I played The Bird and The Bee, their first album and was told it was putting people to sleep. Some of the cigar smoking guys were shocked to hear the song, F*cking Boyfriend a few weeks ago as well so I’ve been wary about paying them.

This evening I played the Hall & Oates cover album and it was well regarded. More than likely because the songs were recognizable. I’m not complaining.

I played Hall & Oates as well which was ironic since I also played the Hall & Oates song Intravino when a gathering of sommeliers took place.

Twilight at Columbus Circle