Zaire Millet. I liked Zaire Millet and I think she liked me. She called me her ‘Guncle’ which meant ‘Gay Uncle’ We had many a laugh and Zaire had a distinctive laugh. She played the Bratty McGrotty game better than this old dog could. I enjoyed her company which existed in the office only. The mailroom staff could not stand her though.

It was more than likely racism. A white Jewish/Italian guy from Queens who lived in his mother’s basement as well as the immigrants of color who in their rush to assimilate, latched onto the worst parts of American culture which was the denigrating of Black people. I did try to contact Zaire when I left but it had no response.

Michael Dissa. He passed away recently. My friendship with him was through Charlie. I first knew Michael when Charlie was working the CD store wing of Pier Platters. I DJ’d Michael’s wedding I did not do a good job. I think of him singing along to The Smiths ‘Stop Me If Think You’ve Heard This One Before’.

When I was working for the Algerian Financial Managers I would see him on the platform for the PATH train. He saw me, I saw him and it never went any further than that. And I regret doing such an awful job playing records at his wedding reception.

Noel Guzman was a guy who I initially filled in for while he was having surgery and recovering from the operation on his broken neck. He would commute from Pennsylvania to work in Jersey City for the Algerian Financial Managers. He had an awful posture, much like a hunchback.

When he was training me before he was out on medical leave I would shadow him and wound up walking slumped over like he would walk. I caught myself doing just that. Not to mock him, just following his lead that intensely.

MaryAnn Fuentes was another gnat from Algerian Financial Managers. She was nice enough but also one who was quick to drop a dime in a company filled with people loaded with dimes in their pockets. She had a hairdo that resembled Lisa Lisa from the Cult Jam days and was about 5 feet tall in heels. She gave me a bottle of Maker’sMark as a Christmas present for a few years which explains the unopened bottles of Maker’s Mark in the pantry.

I’m fairly certain that Zaire is still alive, while I am uncertain if Noel or even MaryAnn can be counted among the living.

I’ve known Noah Vale for a long time. He’s seen the best of me and the worst of me and I think he mainly remembers the worst. Mainly things that I had said in the past and regretted saying almost immediately after.

The horse has left the barn and I don’t know where that friendship stands. I guess it’s a day to day, week to week thing. When we see each other it’s pleasant but who knows where it really stands, though I do remember Noah Vale fondly.