Well here I am at the cigar shop again. Apparently Shlomo’s father has fallen ill and I got the request last night to open up the shop. I didn’t mind since I had nothing else to do. It’s been a warm day too. A bit overcast with the nearby thermometer stating that it is almost 60 degrees outside. In January. That’s not right but that is how it is. Not much foot traffic. The nannies and the au pairs remain steadfast in their refusal to buy or smoke cigars. Which is not how the nannies and au pairs that I had were when I was growing up.

I was just out in front of the cigar shop having a puff when an old friend from back in the Maxwell’s days came up. Mark Zoltak, nice guy, really friendly. He used to DJ at Maxwell’s from time to time and also spent a lot of time at the competition, The Beat N’ Path where he would also promote shows and DJ. He’s also good friends with Chaz and a few other people. We chatted for a while on the sidewalk, so long that I had to relight my cigar 3 times, not that I minded.

Mark and I have similar tales to tell, about Hoboken, Maxwell’s, music in general, various people and various drugs. I didn’t know about his problems with some drugs and he didn’t know about mine. We both came to the conclusion separately that Rick James was right. Cocaine is a hell of a drug and since we both did our time playing with that shit neither of us have any need to go back and revisit that ever again.

Some names were mentioned people who had done Mark wrong. Some of those names I knew quite well and they’d never done anything bad to me, but that’s probably because I was never in business with them. And some of the musicians he dealt with were pretty crummy to begin with and they were people I didn’t really like very much anyhow. Too much ego, too much baggage or they were on the wrong drugs which brought out the worst in them.

Mark is still a nice guy though. Grey in the hair nowadays and he’s not the type to dye it for a ‘younger’ look or an attempt to look younger. I brought up a David Bowie story, one that I might not have written about here before and if I did, it was a long time ago.

It was when I was working at Right Track Recording when Bowie was in. We had been hitting it off and David felt confident in my opinion. He knew I was a DJ and asked who I thought should remix a single from the Earthling album. I drew a blank and when I had the chance, I called Rand who was more into the remix world than I was and picked his brain. Rand suggested a few names, only one sticks out, Josh Wink.

I mention the names to David and I recall he did not particularly care for Josh Wink. I felt I did the best I could do and left it at that. It wasn’t until after the fact, after David Bowie had moved on, that I probably could have suggested myself to remix the song. Not that I had any experience doing such a thing, but still I guess David would have given me a shot if I asked. And probably offered to do it for nothing.

But as you well know, I didn’t suggest myself and that is why I am selling cigars, bartering my time for cigars on Washington Street. No regrets though nowadays I just shake my head at the opportunity that slipped through my fingers.

Armoire anyone?

Late night text from Israel, he of the cigar shop, asking if I could come in this week. Israel anticipates last minute shoppers since we are now in what can be called the homestretch for Christmas. And with nothing better to do, I agreed. My cigar supply has been low so here was an opportunity to do something about that, plus help out these Zionist hoodlums I am friendly with. I’ve taken to calling Israel and Shlomo that even though neither one is a Zionist nor a hoodlum. It’s always guaranteed a chuckle when I call them that as they curse me in Hebrew.

Unfortunately it’s quite cold and very damp outside so not much foot traffic is occurring. I’m sure if they were in a shopping mall in midtown Manhattan there might be foot traffic but that might not be the case. So I’ve been keeping myself busy, like a threatening Kevin from a previous life somewhere used to say exactly, ‘If you’re leanin’ you ain’t cleanin’’. Quite the wordsmith he was, I wonder whatever happened to his screenwriting career? I busied myself cleaning, running some quick errands and mopping. No cleaning lady here, it’s all hands on deck.

Bill was off to Boston or to be exact, Framingham on Saturday and Sunday. I went up to Framingham a few times when growing up, my father had a buddy from World War II and we used to visit his family. It was like visiting another world, they had stores called Stop & Shop up there, so exotic. I learned how to shoot a bow and arrow and was gifted one when we headed back to NJ. I fancied myself a huntsman and set up a target with an old mattress and some bullseyes drawn by me in the guise of monsters.

Our neighbor John B was quite good with a bow and arrow, shooting his targets from the opposite end on his driveway. Me, I could barely hit the mattress from 10 feet away in my backyard. It was fun while it lasted but ultimately a solitary sport and I would rather hang out with my friends. Bill did have a good time while in Framingham and was back last night full of tales of New England to tell. Bill delicately chewed my ear off and I didn’t mind in the slightest. It was good to have him home again.

I did go out myself on Saturday night, Julio picking me up and we headed to his place. No trip to Denmark for Him and Stine and Alexander this season. Her family are coming to Hoboken. Alexander stayed up waiting for me, past his bedtime and he was the funny little guy he always is, hiding from me when I first got there and Julio and Stine acting like they had no idea where he was. Soon he was asleep as the grown ups drank wine and chatted. Good time, good people and good wine. Is that too much to ask for?

I had some encounters with some Hoboken bloggers, I’m not naming names one I removed from the blogroll and the other is still there. I was surprised to find that one of the bloggers had President Obama as Heath Ledger’s Joker on his page, no irony involved. We have similar political affiliations here in the mile square city, but I guess nationally for him it’s ‘time to get yer guns’ I was chatting with him and a mutual friend on the mutual friend’s Facebook wall when I was alarmed by his pro-gun stance and once I knew who it was, had to remove him from the blogroll.

The other blogger came into the cigar shop while I was sitting there for Shlomo one afternoon. He was taking photographs and asking questions. I answered the questions that get asked several times a day, ‘a cigar lounge will be in the basement soon enough’. Well answering that question got the attention of the health department who visited and insisted that they told ME weeks ago that a cigar lounge couldn’t be done.

I can tell you that even though it was a night like this, 10 years ago I never hitched a ride with the truck driving woman from City Hall, nor have I ever spoken with her. Israel is a bit upset that city hall read the blog which is where they got their information on the cigar shop.

Oh me and the blogs. Whatever will happen next?




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