Monday again, last day of March. 65°. I was a bit cranky on Saturday which I am fairly certain was the remnants of a hangover from drinking Woodford Reserve on Friday night. Bill and Mike just attributed it to me being bitchy and hungry and it wasn’t until Sunday that I realized it was a hangover, however slight.

The interview on Friday afternoon on camera went well and lifted my spirits throughout the weekend. I am still wary about being too hopeful, and fear looking like Daniel, portrayed by Albert Brooks in Defending Your Life, when he is told he will not be moving forward and will be sent back. He looked crushed, and that is not a good look for me.

There was another job that was posted that I applied to in Hoboken yesterday, and I was told that the company wants to do an AI interview on camera. I have less than 48 hours to respond and start the interview. I’d like Bill to be around for it, since he is around. He doesn’t know yet, and I guess I will bring it up when we go out this afternoon to gather my steps.

It is quite warm out and the sky is gray. Mike was here most of the weekend, and he loved talking to Bill and asking him questions. They watched the second Hunger Games movie, which I did not pay any attention to. Nothing in it interests me, despite the actors whom I enjoy being in it.

It’s odd not being crushingly depressed as I have been the past few weeks on a Monday. I am not sure if Mike will return this afternoon, though he does have some clothes here that I laundered for him yesterday. The sun has come out for a moment and blue skies appear through the clouds. It shone on my hands as I typed on this keyboard.

I looked up someone I used to know on social medias. Bill wanted to know who Luke Natalzio was and I explained that his family used to live near my family in Lodi, but were relocated since Route 80 was being built on their property. The Natalzios and my family were acquaintances, my brother was in the same class as Luke’s sister and jokes were made about my brother Brian having a crush on Marie Natalzio.

I have a memory of myself freaking out about homework that I did not do and Luke being something of a comfort at St. Francis de Sales grammar school. Luke soon went to public school, and I never saw him again until both Luke and I started working on the same day in the same department in the book warehouse for Harcourt Brace & Jovanovich.

We weren’t close, though we got along somewhat. Luke also had a temper, showing that temper when he was angry and punched a hole in an office wall, which my mother witnessed. Looking up Luke online yesterday, I saw someone with the same name and around the same age in 2018 who was sentenced to home supervision for securities fraud.

I wondered if he was the same name listed in the criminal records, but could not connect the two. Luke was just another heterosexual man that I had a crush on. Nothing sexual, just digging his vibe. I didn’t know much then and I’d like to think I know a bit more nowadays.

Friday afternoon, 63°.Last week’s plan to go to the cigar social in midtown didn’t happen and this week is the make-up plan. I will not be wearing makeup if that is what you were thinking. It’s a gray sky day, and I am ready to head out, though I still have a few hours to go. I had a second interview following the one that went well yesterday, and I think today’s interview went well.

It was on camera, so I showered and shaved, and put on a nice shirt. It was quite an easy-going interview, I enjoyed the conversation that the woman and I had. This was round two, and I made a good enough impression for a round three. The job is in the city, easy enough to get to, and I think they are in a hurry to fill the position as I am eager to join the team.

That is what I told her, my eagerness to join the team. That was something extraordinary, since I am not necessarily a team joiner, but my scruples must be adapted to this new chapter if it comes to pass, and I will do my very best to fit in. It may be a business casual position, so I will bring my clothes to Mona’s dry cleaners to have my clean clothes even cleaner and hopefully free of the smell of cigars.

I am excited, and I certainly hope this job happens, and also wary about getting too hopeful should the whole thing come crashing down. It’s happened before, and I was gutted. Spam calls keep coming in, some legit, most of them are shady. A few crept through during my interview, but my interviewer did not seem to notice. It’s annoying.

I also received a text from a number from British Columbia from a ‘Nelly’ who claimed to be in Florida. They initially asked if they could ask a questio,n which was a question in itself. They asked my name and I said Nelson. They asked where I was and I said British Columbia. After a few minutes of cat & mouse, I wrote ‘stop’ and they said ‘bye’. If I had known it was that easy, I would have said ‘stop’ sooner.

I am presently thinking of making dinner here rather than going out. I do have food here, and that would save me some money. And I have just started the food prep, so that settles that. A very early dinner, I reckon.

I might meet Mike in Manhattan. He’s in the Bronx right no,w and he mentioned that he might want to go with me to this cigar social. I did tell him what a good time I had when I last went and it seemed to have piqued his curiosity. I am now at the corner of 5th and Washington Street waiting for the bus to take me into the city. Bill is near West Point.

Mike is in the Bronx and it seems unlikely he will be joining me but I am determined to go nonetheless. The sky is gray rain is expected I’m wearing a raincoat and have an umbrella in my bag forewarned is forearmed.

I made it to 54th and Second Ave. The great Von Harris, Jack, Brent, and Dave were the cigar brethren. It was as smokey as it was last time but not as crowded. Some fine looking men there too. Mike didn’t make it. I heard from him while he was in the middle of Times Square.

Mike loves the city. He called me and wanted to meet up but I was set on my way to the Path train. The trick is to get there before 11 PM before the train start running with fewer trains. He didn’t know that. I do know that I am home in Hoboken, Bill is asleep in the bedroom and Mike made it to his crib.