Good Afternoon;
So I left here yesterday and went to the Starbucks for about 2 hours and sat out back on the patio reading, (I'm now reading 'Rama II', by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee, the sequel to Clarke's 'Rendezvous With Rama' which I finished yesterday), and listening to the Tuesday night 'Learning', or Torah commentary study, group of a young Orthodox Rabbi and 3 to 6 older men, who seem to be Modern Orthodox or Conservative by their dress and carriage. They meet every week at 8:00 pm. and usually sit inside near the rear door, obstructing access to patrons and also to the employees who are in the process of cleaning up and constantly running bags of trash and boxes out to the trash cans, they are also blocking the fire exit. After observing them for about the past 6 months or more, and watching the same actions and reactions every week, half a dozen times or more a night....I just have to say, there does not seem to be much in the way of 'learning', as regards common sense and good manners. (And let's not forget that most weeks they have to be told that the store will be closing in a few minutes, and of course it holds up the folks trying to lock up as they gather their belongings).
I'm just saying, even lab rats pick things up after the first few experiences....lol!
Anyway, I left their in time to catch the #58 bus to the Plaza Metro station and it was my favorite driver, not only one of the most beautiful young women I've ever met, but also one of the most down to earth, friendliest, openest a, kindest and courteous ladies I know. She is just an all around nice person who exemplifies the phrase "Sunny Disposition". We chatted awhile before she had to make her last run and I then sat and read waiting for the #59 bus up to the shed.
Now this driver was an example of most of the MTA drivers, distantly polite...or is it politely distant..lol., and only partially observant of the traffic laws..(Basically, only when it suited his convenience)..nothing blatantly in violation of the safety of the passengers or others, like the driver I had leaving the library yesterday. HE was one of the drivers who is not only surly and obstructionist, but also recklessly endangers both passengers and other motorists. For example, cruising down Reisterstowm Rd. thru Pikesville at 50 MPH, jackrabbit starts with elderly and disabled people still finding their seats, and neither pulling in to the curb nor lowering the bus to allow people to get on and off safely and easily.
Anyway, I stopped at the gas station and found a free promotional coupon for $5.00 on the "Packaged 'Keno To Go'.." ($00.25 per game instead of $1.00, and the payouts per game are correspondingly only 25%, and tickets must be purchased in $5.00 = 20 game increments...thus the 'Package"........Think the state is preparing for slots?....lol!). I ended up winning 3 games out of 20 for $1.50....and I watched another 10 games as I talked with Daniel, the Kenyan attendant, about his home and his language and his tribe, and about a SF writer, Michael D. Resnick who has become fascinated and appreciative of the Kikuyu people and has written about them in African settings and context, and has some SF stories that combine the traditional tribal lifestyle, customs, rites, and beliefs and future universes and space travel..(it may sound weird but it truly works).
I had real trouble sleeping last night, my mind and emotions overwhelmed and overloaded by all the recent contacts and events, and by something which happened to my son-in-law last week.
{In brief, he had taken someone very close to him, someone he considered his 'little brother' in a sense to a meeting at his homegroup Thursday night, and had dropped him off at his house afterwards. It seems that some time later that night or the next morning, the young man took his own life,leaving lots of notes for everyone. That weekend if you remember Tom and Jenn took the kids to see their Grandmother, (my mom), in Dover. Jenn found out about this early Sunday morning and had to sit on it, keeping it all inside as much as possible until they stopped at Tom's mom's house, (and she was the godmother of this poor tormented guy), so she could break the news in a 'safer' environment, and without a 2 hour drive home. It must have been hell for all three of them}
Well, with all the sudden reconnection's and new family connections and thoughts of past, present, and future generations, and my own mortality; plus having gone through the exact same experience as Tom, too damn many times during my deep involvement with NA, (and still now once in a while finding out that someone who seemed to have 'got it', just could not go on anymore......), not to mention my own travels to the edge, and luckily back again....... It is no wonder that my head was filled with strange thoughts and ponderings, and my emotions were teetering on the brink of stability. (And I'm not even going into the phantasmagorias of dreamland that I stumbled through when I did snatch some sleep...Oy Vey!...let me just tell you that reading a bunch of 'Steampunk' stories and a lot of works touching on the kabbalistic theme of the 'golem'...you would not want to be wandering through my mind alone on a dark, foggy night!....LOL!)
Anyway, the birds are back, after a weeks reprieve, and with a vengeance thay made up for lost time with insane fighting within the walls and ceiling. I started beating on the insulation until I hit moving, squawking lumps and finally scared the crap out of them for a few hours worth of rest. I ended up wandering the Giant in a daze before I decided on what to get for lunch, and ended up not paying attention and grabbing the wrong can of fruit without the pop top lid....oy!!!
I walked over to the liquor store for the makings of a cocktail, and made one!
I sat outside the library with a couple of the librarians and are and read and talked until after Noon, and here I am!
Out Of Time
Later...Dave
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