Right now, at this very minute I am very pissed off at Microsoft Windows. This is the second piece I am writing tonight. Less than 5 minutes ago, I had written over 500 words and the computer decides now is the time for an automatic update and restarts itself, losing everything in the process. And let me tell you, it was killer stuff. Killer, in the sense of being really good and funny and offering a new style. Now I have bupkis. I’m sure I can crib something together but I was basically finished and polishing the piece before posting.

I remember writing about how the landlord had the windows fixed in the apartment. Bill and I tidied up somewhat though neither one of us was going to be home. I found it hard to believe that Bill didn’t know the windows were in need of repair. The empty upended cigar boxes didn’t provide anything resembling a clue. I also should him a kitchen in the window that was so off balance you needed to be a Zen Master in order to open it. All it would take is a sudden glance or a strong wind to send it crashing down. It’s been so windy lately and being on the fifth floor makes it windier. I’d sit on the couch and watch with one eye on the window, the other on the telly. Sort of like Marty Feldman.

Bill gave me a nice bear hug last night, almost fusing my spine and my rib cage together. After that it was easy to fall asleep. I woke up once again at 5:45 and sort f hustled around the apartment. Bill was up and about getting his act together. I left and walked out into the rising sun to the Path train which was not as crowded as it is an hour later. I got to the office at 7:00 and set about setting things up for today’s day long meeting. I had the foresight to set it up before I left the night before so it was relatively easy.

I got permission to run up to Macy’s and get two coffee makers. The kind that most everyone has at home, easy to figure out in any event. I got off the 1 train at 34th street and found it difficult to get into the store, it was so crowded. I wandered through the Men’s Suits department and found most everything lackluster. I rode the escalators to the Cellar and what I saw resembled a mob scene from ‘The Day of the Locust’ which I’ve never seen mind you, but I just added it to my Netflix queue.

People everywhere, screaming, running around with boxes of cookware. Totally stressful. I am looking forward to having next week off from work. I picked up two coffee makers and after asking a salesperson where the shortest lines were, I wound up in the candy department behind three women. The woman immediately in front of me had a check, a coupon, another discount and she was having it shipped to her house. The clerk had difficulty and needed top get the same information three or four times. I was tempted to say, ‘Her name is Lydia Carter. She lives on Hawthorne Street in Brooklyn. Her number is 718-555-5555.’

I held my tongue and was out of there soon after. It was a humid day and I found myself out running errands at various points of the day which probably accounted for my better mood at work today. Two more days of work and I’m off for the next nine! Woo hoo!

Last night, came home and wrote. Got on the phone with my brother and talked with Frank for almost an hour. It was good, commiserating about shit jobs that he’s had and that I have. Apparently we both have looked at other people working, Frank looking at Postal workers with envy, me looking at street sweepers jealously. It was a good talk and allowed to let me take some steam off. Bill came home and tried a little tough love regarding the job but I don’t think it was the correct approach.

He was telling me things I’ve told myself countless times. So what good feeling I may have had with Frank, promptly went south after having Bill lecture me about the job. I know he meant well but oh how his timing was off. Then after that I get a phone call from Peter the landlord who tells me that the windows will be repaired Tuesday. That really sucked because the apartment is a mess and I wanted to be here when the windows were repaired and with work being what it is, I wouldn’t be able to take off. I spent about an hour avoiding Bill and trying to clean up the window areas so the repairman would have no problem fixing the four windows. I have no idea what happened on ‘Heroes’.

I went to bed at eleven. I woke up so tired. Up before six and at work this morning around 6:50. Bill kindly stayed out of my way, he was supportive again this morning, soft spoken and wished me a good day. I walked to the Path train in darkness. I played Led Zeppelin, a collection of the only Zeppelin songs I really like. Occasionally a song gets added, usually after hearing it somewhere and having memories that belong to someone else. The security at the lobby desk was asleep, literally. Nothing was going to stir this guy. He does work a twelve hour shift after all.

I got to the office and ran around setting things up for an all day meeting with clients. I had forgotten to set things up last night, but had enough time to do it, relatively stress free. I made two pots of coffee and started a third and went to the loo, the first one to use the bathroom. A cheap, yet good feeling. I came back to the kitchen to find the coffee pot overflowing once again. It would not shut off. I cursed as I had to clean everything up, hot coffee all over the place.

I also had to train a new temp today. Today’s temp Norah was good. An actual temp, not merely a friend of Terry’s. I wouldn’t mind working with her again, but Terry’s friend will be back tomorrow and for the rest of the week. It got fairly hairy today with another client meeting starting up at 10:00. Norah and I made a good team, able to feed and clean up after over a dozen people. It wasn’t easy and it was stressful at times. At one point the C.E.O. came out and asked me to lower the volume on the front desk phones as it was distracting him.

Then I had to try to order cars for the clients when they were leaving and deal with idiot operators who complain I talk too fast. Then it was the idiot known as Christopher Heinz who I’ve been trying to contact regarding activating key cards. I finally got him on the phone and told him I left a voice mail. ‘Oh yeah, I got that voice mail.’ Why didn’t you call me back, stupid ass? He asked if I had the numbers he needed and I proceeded to recite them to him. ‘Whoa, email me the numbers.’ Why didn’t you say that you fucker? He then proceeded to say his email address to me really fast. I had to ask him to repeat it and he did in quite an exasperated manner. I’d like to see him order a car service!

I was able to get out for a smoke when my cell phone rang and I went upstairs. The day long clients wanted sodas, some Pepsi, some diet Pepsi and some without caffeine. I went out and bout 3 six packs of soda and set them up in the conference room only to be put down by a co worker in front of the clients, saying that I was supposed to have gotten Coca Cola not Pepsi.

It’s hard to smile through all this. I have got to get out of there pronto. I’m already planning on being sick the day of the holiday party. I’d rather not have anything to do with them and to go out and celebrate with them right now, seems hypocritical. I came home leaving work an hour earlier, and got a call from the office. Tomorrow’s all day meeting is not going to start until 9:30 so I wouldn’t have to be in at 7:00. That’s nice, but the food is going to be there at 7:30 so I do have to be in again at 7AM. Ta da!