Well it was once again back to work today and once again it was a reenactment of the myth of Sisyphus. I slept really well last night, in bed at a decent hour so that could not have been the reason. Ahead of me was yet another very long day. Bradley and Thomas with Zack flying about the office.

A pall hung over the cigar shack and I knew that even before I came in. I did my morning routine, including a stop at the bibliothèque and Hoboken Daily News. I have started reading Bob Mould’s autobiography and man it’s scary. There is so much in common between Bob Mould and myself in some ways, other ways not so much.

I didn’t hang out in the woods and drink and smoke pot, not at least until a few years later. And hanging out in the woods was more like hanging out at the Woods, a family that I knew through their son Kevin.

It’s a good read so far and it’s almost like hearing Bob speak, though in all the times I hung out with Bob and Greg and Grant, I found Greg and Grant more fun to be around than Bob. Too many defenses up I guess. I suppose I will be reading about those defenses eventually.

The skies overhead threatened rain all day long and it did just that intermittently. Thomas was nowhere to be found when I came in, leading me to think that he was out sick. Bradley was working late today which had me thinking that he was filling in for Thomas on the late shift. But that wasn’t the case, Thomas was running an errand.

It was a relief to see him when he returned. Still it is a weird scene today. Zack has had Thomas on his shit list lately and Bradley is not much fun to be around anyhow. He is sometimes but not particularly today. The day crawled and when it was time for lunch I attempted to go outside as I am prone to do, but it was raining of course.

I had no choice but to head back to the cigar shack and spend my lunchtime in the man cave. I sat and tried reading the Bob Mould autobiography while some incredibly dumb conversations flew around me. The hour ended soon enough, allowing Thomas to take his lunch. He fled the cigar shack and spent his time wandering about a nearby mall.

He came back and it was the three of us, standing around helping out whichever customer walked into the shack. Some of the regulars left to be replaced by other regulars. It was just a very long day. I did see Danny the K walking by with his wife. It was nice to see him and we chatted for a couple of minutes. He was looking good and I told him but he explained it was because he was ill lately which caused him to lose some weight.

They left and soon I was closing the cigar shack. Bradley had to stay later than usual since a delivery of some very expensive wood was expected and needed to be installed. I wished him well and headed home.

The day before a day off can generally go two ways. It can be fun with the light at the end of the tunnel getting larger as the hours go by, or it can be horrible with the light at the end of the tunnel getting larger as the oncoming train approaches.

Today it was the former not the latter. I suppose one reason might be because I actually had a good night’s sleep. I went to bed around midnight, not the usual 1:00 in the morning or thereabouts. So I had about 8 hours of very good sleep.

Waking up was no big deal, I was refreshed and in bad need of a shave. After the morning routine in the apartment I was headed out the door, deciding to stop by the bibliotheque to pick up Bob Mould’s autobiography. But it being Columbus Day, the bibliotheque was closed.

It didn’t matter, I walked up to the bus stop and sat and waited for my bus. Yesterday I received a text from Julio who was headed to the park with Alexander. He must have realized that I hadn’t seen the two of them since July and thought I would be able to join them, but no I was a working man. I miss Julio and Stine and of course Kal-El, Alexander. They’ve moved away. Who knew that a mere six blocks away would seem like they were living in Australia?

Yesterday wasn’t so bad in the shack, the possum was in a good mood and Jerry Vale was more like his old self and not like the old lady he has been the past few days. Today was Thomas and Zack. Zack spent most of his time in the office and when he wasn’t in his office he was on the floor filling orders for his deep pocketed clients.

Thomas was a bit under the weather, he says he has a cold but I am wary. I am thinking that he might have the flu. Time will tell I suppose. In any event I am thinking about getting a flu shot tomorrow just to be on the safe side. I am in contact with so many people and things that I am a likely candidate.

One particular germ, (no not Greg, Peter or Bobby) came into the cigar shack and headed right to the humidor. The door was still open and since I was right there I followed him in. I did my usual song and dance, asking if he was looking for anything in particular.

He said he was and that he would know it when he saw it. I got the weird vibe from him and backed off, not like I was hovering over him anyhow. He did ask about two cigars, wondering which was full body and which wasn’t. I said it was the cigar in his right hand and he seemed satisfied and walked out of the humidor.

I noted the cigar he picked out and followed him to the register. As I started to ring him up, he asked if he could say something. Of course he could and I told him so. He mentioned that he didn’t appreciate being treated like a shoplifter.

I asked him what he meant and he stated that as soon as he walked into the humidor I walked in right behind him. I told him yes, I did do that. I walked right in since the door was still open. I didn’t feel like waiting a few seconds since the door was ajar after all.

Oh he was so upset and for no reason at all really. I didn’t even think he was shoplifting. In fact I think the type of person who would think they were being treated like a shoplifter, is a shoplifter. He left and said good night and I said thanks. Strange indeed.

Glad the day is over. And a day off is in the cards for me tomorrow. I’ve got a lot of shoplifting to do!

Huh! Can’t seem to upload pictures! Oh well, use your imagination!