"Trading Places..............??????................."

Good afternoon;

So when I left here on Saturday, I went over and sat with Allan talked with him about his adventures in 'Bedpan Bedlam', AKA Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. One hell of a ride, broken toe leads to leaking blood vessel, leads to infection, leads to the edge of gangrene, leads to surgery, leads to massive doses of IV antibiotics (administered directly into the main ventral line), with side trips into medtech incompetency and near malpractice, ending with discharge and a Daily return for 30 days to have the antibiotics injected through the catheter that is still in his chest and with tubes taped all the way over and down his arm.

All I can say is, "WOW, this sh*t does happen to other people..not just me...Vindication!!!".........LOL, (sorry Allan).

As we left the library, I was heading to Monkee's, and then out to Lutherville to Anna Marie's, and he offered to take me to the Metro, which then became the Light Rail, which ended up being "What the heck, I feel like driving." and ended up being all the way to East Baltimore and Monkee's, which somehow became a cruise up I-83 and over to the Lutherville Light Rail Stop.

Thanks Buddy!!

It saved me so much time I actually ahd to sit at the Light Rail for a half an hour before she came home and I could walk over! Of course the rain decide to begin in earnest at that point, but I made it across the stream before it rose to cover the stepping stones.

I washed and showered and we had dinner and talked and watched TV, it was so wonderfully boring and domestic.....lol!

She took me back to the Light Rail in the car, early for a change, (usually we cannot stop talking and I just catch the last train, which means it takes until 4:00 am. to get back to the shed), and I was at the gas station before Midnight. (Where I spent my dollar on the Keno and ended up $20.00 ahead at the end of the night).

On Sunday, I took advantage of the free coffee at the Giant, (quite a few times, I have to shamefacedly admit...lol), and took my purchases of breakfast out to the bench in front of the library and sat eating and reading for a good 3 hours. I was still leery of going down to the corner, and the $20.00 form the night before seemed to be an omen NOT to, so I stayed at Mt Washington At the Starbucks instead of going farther in town to North Ave. It was a wonderful day to sit outside..so I did, switching from back to front of the building to follow the shade. I went into Whole Foods to look around...Bad Idea!! when you are have both money in your pocket and a craving for 'something different', suffice it to say I made a number of trips back and forth and depleted any reserve funds I may have had...but damn if it wasn't a deliciously guilty diversion.

As I was leaving at closing time, about to walk the path under the JFX back to the train, a car pulls up and beeps the horn. It's Allan, and he had been in Whole Foods getting a salad for his dinner. I threw my bags in the back of his truck and we drove back to Pikesville and satin the Giant parking lot for 2 hours or more 'shooting the sh*t', as guys do. Then it was off to the gas station to lose at the Keno and wash up..then bed.

This morning, Monday, I went into the Giant and bought some food, (which I still have not eaten, and I think I will make it to sundown, and 'Break-Fast', in the true meaning of the word, [an "inadvertent"?!? fast ..for Yom Kippur..,"coincidence"?!?, because I had no plans to fast, actually.]...), and ran into Mitch, from the St. Thomas Starbucks, and his companion, Hannah.

Then I hit the library for a "few minutes"......LOL!, and since it was so nice out I was going to spend the day sitting outside somewhere drinking coffee...(see I told you I had no 'plans' to fast). the last time I stepped outside it had clouded up some but was still comfortable, I went out between signoffs and signups...(of which there were many today!..), a minute ago, about 4:00 pm. and it is now pouring down rain, so I am kind of stuck here, (and I am bored enough with the library to want to leave now...lol), so now I don't know what or where or when I am doing/going.

I really did not want to go out to the Owings Mills sore because I am realizing that it is contributing to my physical and intellectual stagnation, and it is just too far off the (frequent) bus and train lines to allow for easy and spontaneous movement...anywhere! Which means more eating and less exercise and it's inevitable results.

A couple days at Mt. Washington among the varied and diverse patrons there was as much stimulation as a weeks worth of the 'burbs', plus it takes more effort to get there, if only a mile more walking.

If the rain slackens I still may go to the Mt. Washington coffee shop today, I'm not going to the corner though... if the rain keeps up..St. Thomas is the default.

I'm down to the last $4.50 in my possession, so tomorrow I may have to stand out and try to get enough to last until the 2nd of October, when I am hoping to get a little bit of cash. It is just that time again, end of the month, bus pass about to expire, no food credits left, and no minutes left on the cell phone......C'MON FRIDAY!!!!

I'll see you later..............Dave