Category Archives: What’s it doing outside?

I Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)

Well Lee Goldberg, ace meteorologist for channel 7 here in the New York City area was just in the cigar shack and told me that the highest temperature today was 104 degrees. I remarked earlier in the day as we watched the temperatures climb that being outside was like walking though hummus wearing a wet fur coat.

When the wind would blow it felt like exhaust fumes from a diesel engine. They said it would be the worst today but tomorrow won’t be much better, probably hitting around 99 degrees. I’m sure it will make a difference but it more than likely won’t be felt by me. Walking to the bus stop this morning in the sun was like feeling like I was being fried.

Not enough shade at 10:00. In the cigar shack it was alright, working with Thomas and Bradley. A good team, a few laughs were had. The only terse words were between Thomas and Bradley who were snippy about a chair. Bradley wanted to eat lunch, Thomas needed to make phone calls. It was settled in a minute but it was tense nonetheless.

Just hanging out for the next 20 minutes. Not much going on in a mall when it’s 99 degrees outside. According to the New York Times website it is now 97 degrees. Last night Hoboken had the first night of the St Ann’s feast. I went once or twice a number of years ago, now you would have to pay to find me there. Not my scene and after dealing with people all day the last thing I would want to do is hang out on the street on a hot summer night with hundreds of thousands of strangers, no matter how hot or sexy they may be.

The mall is practically on life support at this late hour. Just stragglers walking around escaping the heat and walking amidst the air conditioning. I have just gotten home. It’s still hot outside, still like walking through hummus. The subway was not crowded at all, and the bus terminal was not as crowded as it usually is.

I almost waited for the 9:42 Willow Avenue bus but saw an earlier bus pulling up and opted to jump on that. It got me home about 10 minutes earlier, no one was waiting for the 9:42 bus. Bill is home, he turned on the air conditioning which is nice in the bedroom, the rest of the apartment is just warm air being pushed around by ceiling fans.

When you walk into my building, the first floor is so cool due to being so close to the basement. As you climb the four flights of stairs it gets hotter and hotter, ultimately stifling when you reach the fifth floor. Despite the windows being open there is no breeze wafting through. Just 2 more days of work, and it being a weekend, and casual dress is the norm it will feel a little more comfortable.

Tomorrow’s guest stars are Thomas and Jerry Vale. Who knows what Jerry Vale will be like. Bradley suggested keeping him in the humidor mostly, since that is what he was hired for initially. He will probably think it is my machinations that will put him there, but as I just wrote it was Bradley’s idea.

Have to get it all ship shape for when Calvin returns on Monday. I’ll be out on Monday and do not want to hear any complaints when I return on Tuesday. I’m sure I will hear something about it. I do have to remember to tell him about Martini Basher’s return. I’ll write about it on Tuesday, I’m sure.

Hello to Rusty!

Thomas und Bradley


103°


101°


99°


I Can’t

It’s been a very nice day off today. I slept really well finally. Still it would have been nice to have been off on a Saturday or Sunday (or maybe a weekend) like most people but I suppose it’s a tradeoff. I have five days off coming up and I am looking forward to them.

My sister will be in town and my nephew Earl might also be around. There will be time spent away from Manhattan, away from Hoboken which is something to anticipate. I just have to get through Thursday and Friday and it should be fine.

I spent a lot of time indoors today, throwing things out. Newspapers and other things, and lots of shredding was done. Still there is more to shred but I paced myself in the 90 degree heat. I found out yesterday that my former roommate William is in the hospital with a collapsed lung as well as fluid. I hope to pay him a visit if he is still in the hospital.

There is still some affection for him after 11 years of living together. It wasn’t all a bed of roses and we did have major fights, with the underlying theme of one trying to get the other out. I left voluntarily after finding an apartment thanks to Julio and moved back to Hoboken, specifically Julio’s now former building.

I found the Weehawken abode through William’s brother Charlie, whom I write about here as Chaz. Chaz saw the apartment on Jane Street via Blankie Blank. I knew Blankie Blank from Maxwells, one time even giving her a ride home when I still lived in Lodi.

The apartment was something of a fixer upper and that was too much for Chaz and his wife. He knew I was living in a crappy situation in Lodi and mentioned it to me. Chaz suggested that I check it out and maybe think of having William as my roommate since he was due back from Mexico and had no real place to stay.

One night I ran into William who had just gotten back from south of the border just that minute and told him about it. He was interested and I made the arrangement to check it out. We liked what we saw and that night made a deal with Blankie Blanks mother & father.

They lived on the second floor of the joined building in 129. William and I were taking the second floor on 127 with Blankie Blank and her brother Toatly living underneath our floorboards. There were ups and downs in the 11 years.

A major event occurred when William’s then girlfriend Monica believed William when he told her he was going to kick me out. Monica and I went head to head and William hid in his part of the apartment. Needless to say Monica never set foot in the apartment again, as far as I knew.

I’m sure I was no saint either and that William has his tales about me.

I’d be disappointed if he didn’t.