9/11 | johnozed

Yes it’s that time of year again. Sadness and melancholy fill the air. Memories of what was and how things were, haunt the airwaves. Some television stations go so far as to play their original broadcasts from 11 years ago. Down to the last second. I suppose it’s needed for some people but personally I have no need to relive those events today since it is always in my mind. The fact that the weather is just like it was 11 years ago doesn’t help. It’s a bad, sad day and I guess it will continue to be so for a long time.

10 years ago was the last time I spoke to Derry Gelaney. She and I worked together 12 years ago and I was let go from that position during the summer. When the first anniversary of the tragic events came up, I called Derry to see how she was doing. Her response was along the lines of ‘why are you calling me?’ Not what I expected, since I thought she might have been feeling the way I was feeling since we were at each other’s side then. I had seen her twice since then but never said anything since she didn’t seem to recognize me.

Last night I went out. I walked over to Maxwells to see Mike Cecchini’s band, the Neutron Drivers play. They were very good, cracking power pop. I enjoyed them a lot more than the headliners who were just alright. Rand & Lisa were there as was Sarah who is Mike’s girlfriend.

I had two Corona’s and that was it for me. I just wasn’t feeling the music and if I’m not feeling the music then I generally try to leave. I think Rand was disappointed in my early departure but I didn’t want to spend any more money and wanted to be with Bill.

And there was Bill, so happy to have me back home. And of course soon after I came home Bill went to bed. I stayed up of course watching Harry Potter. After that I too was in bed, sleeping soundly despite having a very nice nap earlier in the day. Apparently though, when Bill’s alarm clock went off I started yelling at Bill to turn it off. I have no recollection of this but Bill told me when he called me this morning. I do remember him kissing me goodbye and I’m sure I was somewhat pleasant.

With all the melancholy in the air today I did make it out busking. A memorial was set for 6:30 this evening so I figured it would be alright to play some songs this afternoon. Tariq made it by and I showed him how to play Can’t Find My Way Home by Blind Faith. I even gave him the chord sheet since I think I know it well enough, but having written that I will probably freeze up and forget all that I had learned. The toddlers did not make it by me today but their younger counterparts, infants did make it and they clapped and swayed in their four seat strollers as they were pushed by.

Not too many people out and about this afternoon. It has gotten cooler and I wore blue jeans instead of shorts. I think next time I will wear a long sleeved shirt as well. I don’t know if I will be busking tomorrow since tomorrow is my birthday and Bill told me to keep tomorrow night free. I may head into the city and check out some art galleries, and of course pick up the latest Mojo and Uncut Magazines.

What Bill has planned, he won’t say. He likes surprising me and so tomorrow I think I will be surprised. Rand, Lisa and Lois have planned a birthday party for me on Saturday at a park I Hoboken so that should be fun. If you’d like to join us, drop me a line and I will give you the info.

Neutron Drivers

07 Love

Thank Zeus it’s Thursday! I have off tomorrow which I think is a good thing. I would not have minded having off today after last night’s glass blowing demonstration. That and a few Stella Artois made my head ache a bit this morning. Thomas counted me having 5 bottles, I counted 4.

In either case, Advil was my rescue. The bus showed up like it was supposed to today, and after I got on the bus, a few stops later coming on board was my friend Lois’ husband, Fred. Fred’s a really nice guy, very chatty and he engaged me in a decent chat about his job and my job.

We both work retail you see, though he works in Hoboken and I have to commute every work day into the city whereas Fred can walk. He was off to satisfy his comic book addiction and I was off to find the sky, or rather the subway.

By the time I got into the cigar shack I was fine, headache was minimized. Calvin and Thomas and me today, all recovering from the glass blowing demonstration. I was home around midnight, Thomas made it home around the same time and Calvin, well Calvin did not get home until about 2:00AM. Well at least that’s what Calvin told me.

The cigar shack was not busy at all and here I was working with two money makers. There was work left over from yesterday, work that could not be completed last night since Jerry Vale, Bradley, Thomas and I were due at the glass blowing demonstration and could not be late.

So since Jerry Vale and Bradley were out today, it fell to Thomas to pick up Jerry Vale’s work and I finished what I could not start last night. My work was the general stuff that I’ve been doing for a few months now so I was able to knock it out without much consternation. That freed me up to do some work, interacting with people and I was able to get a few things done that needed to be done.

Lunch was nice, sitting by the park once again and enjoying a cigar while I read the latest New York magazine, a double issue all about 9/11. And reading that certainly brought back memories of that day, and also the days leading up to it, specifically my friend Donna’s birthday the night before at a restaurant at 43rd and 10th Avenue.

Crazy rain storm as Bill and I huddled under my umbrella as we walked to the bus terminal. I was headed to Weehawken and Bill was headed to Stuyvesant Town where he was living with his parents. Looking back those were the last hours of a type of innocence never to be regained.

I returned the library book, Starting Over, all about John & Yoko’s Double Fantasy album. the book was bumming me out since I knew how it would end. Here I am again, reading all about 9/11, remembering that I too, helped out and volunteered at a restaurant on Canal Street, feeding rescue and recovery workers from the World Trade Center site.

I’m too invested in the magazine article to stop reading it now. For those who have the weekend off, I hope you have a good weekend. For those who are working I hope it is profitable and enjoyable. For those in between, whatever.

♫ he’s a lonely little fat and balding man, never could do what I can ♪