Category Archives: Interesting Things as of Late

isn’t it all?

I’ll Be Gone

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Oh I was too tired to post last night and I got in late, a little after midnight. I don’t even want to write tonight. But here I am, writing. In fact I’ve been willing distracted from writing tonight.

Oh, a status update on Facebook from a friend of a friend of a friend? I’m there, not here. But I’m back.

Last night was a staff gathering at the Carnegie Club after work. I was hesitant since it would involve drinking and I don’t like to drink without having eaten something.

I had hoped that I would get a chance to wolf down a burger but Marcus and Calvin were around and they frown on that sort of thing.

I did have a strange encounter with a customer in the humidor. I’d never seen this gent before, he was new to the area. He just opened an office in the neighborhood and was surprised to find it was difficult to get staffing.

I mentioned that I had been an office manager in my previous job and that I missed working a nine to five, Monday to Friday job. He asked if I had a resume and would I mail it to him. He’s the CEO of a college intramural athletics thing.

It was a surprise and I told him I would email the resume, to which he replied he wouldn’t be interviewing me, but someone else would, probably after Labor Day. I plan on emailing the resume tomorrow morning.

Marcus, Calvin, Don Birch, Raymond and myself walked the handful of blocks to the Carnegie Club and were seated in the back. Very nice cigars were handed out and I had a Woodford Reserve.

Some finger foods, mainly cheese and crackers were ordered which turned out to be dinner. The cigars were excellent, as was the bourbon. The conversation was drowned out by some Russians sitting at the next table, but still, Marcus loves the sound of his voice and he dominated the conversation.

Calvin seemed to be nodding out. The word in the shop is that Calvin likes to have a nip throughout the day, his back water bottle hidden from the sight of the customers. I never notice but Raymond and Don Birch have both said that he reeks of booze after lunch.

After about an hour and a half Raymond, Don Birch and myself had our fill. They had off today and live in Manhattan. I had to make my way back to the mainland. We left Marcus and Calvin in the cigar lounge and headed west, Raymond distracted by McDonald’s.

Don Birch hopped on a train and I made my way down to the bus terminal. I had to wait in the upper level since it was past 10:00 and the buses were running on a different schedule. Different, stranger people on the bus and I buried my nose in a book about Andy Warhol.

Hope after midnight and in bed at 12:30. Didn’t sleep that well. Only had 2 glasses of bourbon which amounted to a finger. $15.00 a glass. A bottle is about $40.00 in Hoboken. I certainly wasn’t drunk, but still tossing and turning made for a strange day It was a slow day, few regulars turning up.

Still Calvin and I did well on the cash registers. Earning that 1/3 of 1% commission.

I was disappointed with the fact that Richie, the Colombian cleaner that comes in weekdays was being replaced. Calvin had a run in with him and with Marcus’ blessing the die was cast. It’s too bad, Richie’s a nice guy but he’ll be alright.

He works for a firm and will likely be shuffled over to another spot. I over heard Calvin making the call this morning but didn’t say anything except to ask hours later, ‘Where’s Richie?’

It was a long day and I’m glad to be home. Work tomorrow, off Saturday, back in on Sunday and off Monday and Tuesday. I miss having a nine to five, Monday through Friday job.

Open mouthed Bass?

I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair

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Well I listening to the inner voice which was yelling today. I needed a rest and the tooth was acting up so sleep wasn’t as easy as it should have been. Had a dream that took place down the Jersey shore with my family.

I saw a water spout as I looked out the window and tried to get everyone interested in checking it out with me. No one cared, not even Annemarie. I wanted to walk to the beach to get a closer look and take some photos but had to jockey cars around instead.

I only saw the water spout from a distance, through a window.

It wasn’t an easy day out of work. It was tinged with despair. I do want another job, a normal office job, 9 to 5. But I worry that the longer I stay out of that world and in the retail world, the more difficult it will be to get into that corporate world.

I went out a few times today, running errands. Always a bottle of water by my side. Rinsing water through my mouth does the job well of reducing the pain. Better than bourbon. The catch is I have to drink it a lot and then go to the bathroom a lot.

Good thing there are a few public restrooms in the area. I did go to the bibliothèque and every time I would turn around another librarian would say ‘Hello John’. That was nice. I picked up a collection of Love & Rockets by Los Bros Hernandez, aka Gilbert & Jaime.

Another errand involved UPS. I have a shoulder bag from Eagle Creek and the strap broke. Eagle Creek has an excellent lifetime warranty on their bags. Last month the zipper broke after about 10 years of use.

I sent it back and it came back repaired a week or so later. A week after that, the strap broke. I’ve been using Bill’s larger bag in the interim. Apparently it was sent back via UPS, but with the hours I’ve been working I of course missed it.

And the door tags they leave behind tend to fly off and wind up in the gutter.

I made arrangements for Bill to pick the package up tonight, but since I was not working today I went myself. There is supposed to be a truck at the main post office from 5 to 8PM for pick ups. At 5PM there was no truck.

Nor at 5:30 or 6:00. I went home and had something to eat, then went back out and finally the truck was there. The usual driver wasn’t there. He knows me and always greets me with a hearty hello. But this guy was new. I just had to sign for the package.

No headaches, no hassle.

Now I’m home, a bit sweaty. Watching South Pacific on PBS. There is nothing else on to watch and it’s not so bad. I had seen it once before when I knew someone in the show years ago at some theater somewhere.

It was enjoyable then and it’s even more so now. I had hoped to take Bill to see it but things being what they are it wasn’t going to happen. So we’re here at home on a hot August night, watching it live on television. Not so bad at all.