the 27th week

Andy & Ams in Liam's Tree Fort

Monday. DeJuan and I opened, a hectic morning. I was 15 minutes late, Sarah was 1 ½ hours late, our ice machine is broken and our baking oven disappeared. After work I met up with Brandon & Sarah at his loft and we hung out with him and his boyfriend Tony. They’re pretty much in love, and it’s given a new wind to Brandon’s life. I headed back downtown for a Rock Bottom dinner on the patio with Blake & Traci, Amos and Ams. Red Ale and nachos! I ferried Ams to her car at our place, and we hung out for a bit and then she headed home. On my way to the Loth House I watched a train derail by our house, knocking down power lines. At the Loth House, Clover was being quite randy, Brandy was working with Missy on planning her and John’s “real” wedding Saturday (they got married earlier in Hospice so that Jim could be there for it; he was so glad to be a part of it!), and John seemed to be doing better. Blake, Traci, and Amos colored pictures of black people.

Tuesday. I had the day off: went to The Anchor for morning coffee and spent the afternoon watching SVU and playing Birds of Steel, a kickass World War 2 combat flight simulator (I beat Dead Island: Riptide). Ams came over and Blake took the day off ‘cause his stomach was bothering him, so we spent the evening hanging out and watching SVU. Traci came over, and she and Blake made a UDF run and brought ice cream home for Ams and me. “I think I’m losing weight again,” I quipped as I dug into some peanut butter cookie dough. Josh broke up with Ams, so of course she’s in pretty awful shape. “At least it wasn’t on Valentine’s Day,” Tibbles quipped. Touche.

Wednesday. I worked F.P. and Eric and Sarah F. opened. Tibbles talks included (but certainly weren’t limited to) crime fiction, Grad School, summer plans (‘cause it’s 91 degrees out), The Civil Wars (the band, not the historical event, sadly), and BEDBUGS. She had a scare, and I had more than that. Ams found one in Corey’s bed, so when I got home I scoured my bed and found some more. SHIT. And I thought we’d gotten rid of them all when we had a scare a while back. Once I finished cleaning, I made pasta with chicken for dinner, played lots of Birds of Steel, did some reading, and watched SVU.

Thursday. Sarah F. and I opened together. Bob bought us a real-deal cow-skin rug for the café. Back home I wrapped up my bed in plastic wrap, didn’t see anymore bed bugs. I spent the evening at the Loth House with the usual crew (Small Group was cancelled yet again). Ams & Brandy put together wedding favors, Amos and I played Mario-Kart with John, and Amos and I grabbed Chinese from Double Dragon II and everyone else got pizza from Dewey’s.

Friday. Amos and I opened, a busy but easy day; the two of us, we rock shit out. I packed up my laundry to do in Dayton, did some reading, and then jetted up to Dayton. I pulled into the UDF at the Spice Racks for gas and then my car wouldn’t start. One of the attendants helped me push it to a parking spot where I got a tow. Dad and I grabbed Wendy’s for dinner and then went and saw a Led Zeppelin cover band at the Fraze Pavilion. The music was incredible, and the set list included favorites like Dazed and Confused, Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, Bring it on Home, Kashmir, Traveling Riverside Blues, Battle of the Evermore, Going to California, Ramble On, and of course Stairway to Heaven. The drummer was mesmerizing with Moby Dick, and the finale was Whole Lotta Love. The singer perfectly replicated Plant’s voice. I spent the night in Dayton because of my car. Fingers crossed it’s not another $740 out of my bank account.

Saturday. I ran errands with Ams, who’s crashing at Mom & Dad’s for a few weeks since she has nowhere to live in Cincinnati. We got breakfast at McDonald’s, did shopping at Kroger, and hit up the Route 48 Starbucks. She took me to pick up my car (a blown starter, an easy and relatively cheap fix), and I headed back to Cincinnati to (a) finish laundry and (b) do some preemptive cleaning for tomorrow’s party with Rob, who just got back from Brazil and is in town from Portland officiating John & Brandy’s wedding. I picked up Amos and we headed up to Centerville, meeting up with Ams at the house and then heading on to Stubb’s Park for the wedding. Rob officiated (like I said), Blake ran the music, and I made sure people signed the guest book. John & Brandy were hitched under the ampitheater’s wings. A beautiful ceremony, and how can you not be joyful when two people you love decide to share their lives together? T.J. came, too, and it was good seeing him. He drives a motorcycle now, and he took me for a spin on his 1977 bike. I need to get one of those. The After Party was held at John’s brother Liam’s place: lots of beer, a swimming pool and hot tub, and a magnificent two-tiered tree fort with a crow’s nest overlooking the swimming pool. Blake and Traci, Ams, Andy, Rob, Amos and I crowded the tree fort till about 1 AM; Liam, John and I did some swimming in the freezing pool and warmed up in the hot tub, and then Amos and I headed back to Cincinnati with Clover in the backseat. I dropped them off at Loth and headed back to my apartment. I crashed around 3:30 AM after a long, exhausting, and wonderful day. And I left my patriotic American flag boxers beside the pool.

Father’s Day. I hit up the Anchor before “Dusmesh with Rob”. Lots of people showed up to partake: Blake, Amos, Ams, Andy, the Sulzeners and Cat. Blake and I spent the afternoon cleaning the apartment, and then people started showing up for the “party for Rob.” Pre-gaming include Blake and Traci, Amos and Ams, Andy and me (and Rob, of course). White Russians, coloring books, ridiculous Youtube videos. More people filtered in throughout the night: Khristian and Kyle, Jake S., Alex K. from college, T.J. and Neil, and Sarah C. who used to work at Carew. Lots of people got pretty drunk and DDs ferried ‘em home. Rob, Sarah C. and I were some of the last holdouts. I’ve missed Rob dearly, and hanging out with him just like the old Claypole Times was sublime.