Category Archives: WTF

Peppermint Pig

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Well it’s been a roller coaster day for me today. Woke up feeling OK basically. Woke up earlier than usual even. But as the minutes passed I noticed I was getting a headache. Not just any headache, but a sinus headache.

Was it allergies? Was it the virus that’s been bouncing around?

After the Shakespeare reading at McSwells Lois wound up being bedridden for about a week. Last Saturday after the parade Rand mentioned that he was going home since he was sick most of the week and going out for the parade might have been a little too much.

Alexander had been quite ill as well a week or so ago. Could it have been my turn?

Let’s face it, I can be quite crabby when I start feeling unwell. Bill was understanding and comforting and I was grouchy. The phone rang and it was my brother Brian.

Now about a month ago he mentioned that his son was in a play and his school and his son asked if Bill and I could make it. I duly ran it by Bill but he’s been involved with the play which starts on Friday and opens next Wednesday.

I told Brian that and never heard anything about it again. I figured that it was an ‘Oh well’ situation, that Brian was hoping that Bill would drive and that would be that. But having heard nothing I just assumed that Brian and his family would simply go on without me.

So I was surprised to hear from Brian asking about when I would be going up to their neck of the woods. Taken aback with a stuffed and achy head I told him that I hadn’t heard anything about it since he brought it up.

And keep in mind I was not feeling too well and snapped at Brian as I said it. Or at least I thought I did. I felt bad for Brian but I was feeling bad overall. I did call back later in the afternoon and left an apology.

The day progressed. Bill had a call back for something he auditioned for and then he was of to Harlem for the play. I had to go to the post office and while I was out I felt a lot better. I had taken 2 Advil and the fresh air seemed to do me good.

A bit groggy though which made me worry that it wasn’t merely a sinus headache but the bug that’s been hopping around. I went to the supermarket, bought some juice and some food.

I had a pot of water on the stove, making things humid and also put a few drops of peppermint oil which really opened up the clogged airways. All the walking around tired me out somewhat so I had a nap which lasted about 30 minutes.

I’m feeling a little better right now, not 100% but better than this morning. Took my temperature a few times today. It was 97.7 earlier, just took it again it was 97.9.

I wasn’t going to write today, but it seems I am compelled to write no matter what. So there you have it.

The Underdog

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It helps if you pay attention to EVERYTHING. I should have done that today. It would have spared me a lot of frustration. It started at 9:23 this morning. Bill at work being snarky and feigning surprise that I was up at that time.

Then he ‘caught’ himself, realizing that I was going to help Greg Stevens today. Mindless chatter back and forth. I mention that I would be able to swing by his office and pick up a money order from him. He asks what time and I suggest 2-ish.

No, he didn’t use the standard line, ‘Funny you don’t look 2-ish’. Not his type of humor, didn’t grow up at 13 Riverview Avenue.

He suggested that 3:00 would be better.

The thing with instant messaging is that sometimes you write and focus on what you’re writing so much so that you don’t read what the other person is writing. In this case, I did not read the 3:00 he wrote and just continued on what I was writing.

Totally missed it. So there I was, helping Greg Stevens and I was finished early. I called Bill a little after 1:00 and got his voice mail.

I continue walking my way down towards his office, enjoying the day as well as enjoying a La Flor Domincana cigar that I picked up. Bill has 3 phones. His work phone, his iPhone and his former T-Mobile phone which is now Verizon. Same number as he had when I signed up with T-Mobile.

Every couple of blocks or so, as I got closer and closer I would call one of his phones and leave a message. Eventually I made it down to his office and stood outside, killing time and enjoying the cigar. If it weren’t for the cigar I would probably be freaking out, but I was mellow.

After waiting outside for about 45 minutes I decide to head to the Path train. No calls, no messages, no texts forthcoming. I finish the cigar a block away from the Path train and head downstairs. Finished a New Yorker from January and came home.

The phone rings and it’s Bill. He must have gotten all of my messages. He asked if I had gotten his text and I didn’t. He mentions that we had chatted this morning and then I answered yes, that I did get his instant message.

I pulled it up and there it was at 9:26, Bill saying that 3:00 would be better. I felt like a schmuck. Bill’s message did not register at all, I was too wound up in what I was writing instead of what Bill was writing. No, it’s not the end of the world.

I’ll get the money order tonight when Bill comes home.

I watched the first half of ‘Oliver!’ when I came home. It was a funny thing. A Facebook friend mentioned that she saw a production of Oliver last night at Bloomfield High School and I commented ‘Consider yourself at ‘ome!’.

It was one of the first movies in a movie theater for me so it has a special memory for me. It was also on Turner Classic Movies last night which I recorded. I’m not sure whether or not Oliver or the Jungle Book was the first movie, at least the first movie I can remember.

I’m sure I was at the double feature of A Hard Day’s Night and the Last Man on Earth at the drive in with my family, but I definitely do not remember that at all.

I was probably paying too much attention to what I was writing and not paying attention to what was going on before me.

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