the 45th week

this guy likes to EAT

Monday. I had the day off work to go see Dylan up north, but that didn't pan out. So instead I got some new plates for the car and did some writing at The Anchor, finally finishing "The Procyon Strain: Book One". It rounds out at about 280 pages. It was a lazy and sunny Monday, and I started (and finished) two books: Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation and David Berlinski's The Devil's Delusion. Both are part of my schedule on The Quest. Brandy, John and Missy came over, bearing gifts of Mac & Cheese, molasses muffins, and beer. We played a few drinking games and watched Cool Runnings. I played Weatherman like I did last time Missy was here, but the storms were nowhere near as exciting. 

BRANDY'S 26TH BIRTHDAY. (It's kind of a big deal around here) I slept in till 9:00, woken up by Tiffany's son Lenin playing his recorder outside, and I woke feeling a little hungover, having drank more than I thought. I worked 10-6:00, my 4-day vacation coming to an end. A gauntlet of storms hammered Cincinnati by the time Amos and I got off work, bringing hail and furious rain between 5:30 and 2 A.M. By 7:00 I75 was shut down because of flooding, and there was a mudslide on Columbia Parkway. Tiffany called frantic, her basement flooding with her brother's expensive TV threatening to be spoiled, so Andy and I hoofed it over there and helped Eric lift the TV off the ground and set it up where it wouldn't get wet. The water came up to our calves and, yes, it took three of us to move one TV. We spent five minutes talking about how heavy the TV was, it was something else.

Wednesday. I went to The Anchor before closing with Amos, and after a quick visit with Isaac and Josh I met up with Dewenter at (of course) The Anchor. I changed it up and got raspberry lemonade instead of coffee. We talked about life, God, faith, our doubts and struggles. It was really good. He's pressing me to get a better job. Really, I probably should. 

Thursday. I enjoyed another round at The Anchor before closing with Brandon. He told me, "All the bitches love me, it's a curse of being gay." It's true. The customers who won't give straight guys the time of day flock to Brandon like flies drawn to a moth, or magnets attracting. I don't get it, but I don't mind: I'd rather be doing my own thing and not trying to entertain customers. When we wrapped things up we sat out on the patio and smoked cigarettes and talked shoppe before parting ways. I ran some errands before going home, and Ams, Andy and I watched "A Day In The Life" (a pretty cool documentary) and drank Moscato.

Friday. A year ago today I told Jessica C., at the picnic tables at North Park with a storm encroaching, that I liked her. Surprise, surprise, nothing ever came of that. Sometimes I wonder if disappointments are predetermined? I had the day off for Matthew and Shelby's wedding, and before jetting up north I spent some time reading at The Anchor. The wedding was held in the basement of a big-ass house on a hill somewhere east of Dayton. It was a short and small ceremony followed by dinner--turkey, pulled pork, briskets and baked beans--followed by cake-cuttin' and present-openin'. Megan had me take wedding photos the entire time, but I didn't mind. Dad and I talked classic rock all the way home, and on my way back to Cincinnati I got caught in one helluva storm. I swung by Northside to see Gabe & Emily for a bit, and when I got back home I found a micro-party in full swing, and I joined in the fun. Cooper was over and ended up passed out in our upstairs bathroom, and Andy and Amos were quite intoxicated. "Ohio River Water!" Ginger beer mixed with Kraken rum: never a good idea (or always a good idea?).

CINCO DE MAYO. I took Amos downtown and ran by work to get my paycheck. Andy and I got Dusmesh for lunch, and he went to work at Carew and I spent the afternoon tinkering with Itunes. I got some coffee at The Anchor and read up on The Cosmological Argument, and once dusk settled I went to Brandy's house off Vine Street for (one of) her birthday parties. It was a great party with lots of keg-stands, elegant 3D beer pong, delicious eats, and Manny did his "fire rodeo" thing. The Monday Night Crew was all there (minus Ams), plus Isaac, Missy, Sara, Sabrina, Erin, and a newcomer named Francine. I planned on being there for only 'bout an hour, but with so many great people--not to mention Isaac's tasty home-brew--I couldn't tear myself away until about 3 A.M. for a quiet and lonely drive through downtown and up into the western wells.

Sunday. I slept in till 11:00 and satisfied a craving for barbecue with ribs, hand-dipped hush puppies, garlic bread, and baked beans with briskets from City BBQ. I took a recovery nap and edged away the residual grogginess with coffee at The Anchor, reading up on string theory and quantum mechanics (I'm pretty sure that once it starts to make sense, you're failing to understand it). Blake worked again tonight--I fear this will be a regular occurrence--and when Ams got home from a leadership conference with Chic-fil-A she promptly went to sleep. Amos returned from the "after-party" at Brandy's (finishing the leftover keg), and we hung out for a while before calling it a night. "It was a solid weekend," I told him during our last night-time cigarette. He agreed.