FranC, sometime “soon”, I’ll post about what occurred during the past 36 months.
Today, I’m looking very forward to getting away very early in the morning and exhaling.
Twelve days. No family. No tag-a-longs. 3 pairs of underwear, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 polos, swim trunks, 1 pair of flip-flops, sleep wear and toiletries.
Outlook OOO is set.
I have to do this.
It’s my turn.
What's on my I-Pod? Here are my first 20 shuffles.....
Jeff Beck: "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"
Blue Oyster Cult: "Sinful Love"
Jeff Buckley: "Eternal Life"
John Cale: "Save Us"
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: "Even The Losers"
Foo Fighters: "All My Life"
Eddie Vedder & Mike McCreedy: "Masters of War"
Ian Hunter: "One More Time"
Wall of Voodoo: "Mexican Radio"
David Bowie: "Rebel Rebel"
Cheap Trick: "Stiff Competition"
Matt Mayes & El Torpedo: "Terminal Romance"
Bryan Ferry: "Walk A Mile In My Shoes"
Jim Croce: "Five Short Minutes"
Tom Jones: "Nobody's Fault But Mine"
Tony Bennett: "Once Upon A Summertime"
Eric Clapton: "Layla" (acoustic version)
Willie Nelson: "What Was It You Wanted?"
Deep Purple: "Smoke On The Water"
Al DiMeola: "Mediterranean Sundance"
A colleague of mine who I work with has an acerbic personality. I am forced to work closely with him. There’s no avoiding that.
Last Sunday he and I had to be at work together. I had been working many hours during NYC’s weather event over the weekend. I was in an intolerant mood and he began to drool off all the wrong things out of his mouth. I didn’t let him go more than 30 seconds before I shot a machine gun volley of street obscenities at him. I kept firing until he was completely quiet. He then left the room.
Yesterday, towards the end of my day, he asked me if I was going to apologize for running off at him like that. I said no and I told him why. He then gave me a hug, he said HE was sorry and told me “It’s all good”.
I had to walk ten blocks to my car soon after that. During the walk I became engrossed in thought. It was a gentle and easy walk. I was not in a rush to get home.
Then, a Twilight Zone moment happened. A couple holding hands are about to walk by me. She’s way cheery and looks blissful and she’s smoking a cigarette as if she's just had great sex.
“Mister”, she says. “You look good but you need to be smiling”. I said, “You are right. Thank you”. It was a very brief exchange. I kept walking for a few more seconds and turned back just to glimpse them walking away.
I couldn’t see them and I couldn’t make them out. The sidewalk wasn’t busy at all. It had been just ten or so seconds ago we were passing by each other. Just like that, they were gone.
Today is my birthday.
