I just read a touching post on Bad News Blonde's blog about her and her father that reminded me of the first time I hung out with my son in a social setting. It was at a local bar about two years ago.
My son told me about this new bar him and his friends used to hang out in up in town. They had cheap drinks (16oz glasses of mixed drinks with rack liquor and imported tap beer for $4, $2 for the domestic crap like Bud), free popcorn fresh popped in one of those machines like they used to have in the movies and Tuesday’s was all the domestic beer and chicken wings you could handle from 8 to 10 for $10. Come on, that is like the best kind of bar I ever heard of.
Well, it was a Tuesday and I was on my way back home from my commute into NY City. My wife had just undergone her first brain surgery the week before and was in Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. I commuted into Manhattan every morning on the train to stay with her, and came home every night to take care of our dog and sleep. I didn't like coming home to an empty house, so I would stop somewhere every night after getting off the train to have a few drinks to avoid being home alone in the empty house for as long as possible. Having a few drinks also helped me get to sleep faster when I did get home.
I get to the bar and it is packed with, of course, all young people. I look around and see my son and his friends down the other end playing darts so I make my way through the crowd over to where they were. I’ve known all these kids since my son started elementary school, and coached most of them in Little League so I was pretty happy to see them. It was such a warm feeling the greeting they gave me. Part sympathy for my wife’s illness, I’m sure and part because I hadn’t seen some of them for a very long time.
They cleared a barstool for me, got me a big bowl of fresh popped popcorn, put the plate of chicken wings in front of me and I think it was TK that bought me my first of many drinks. I hung out for a couple of hours with them and had a great time.
I’d pretty much forgot about that night until I read Bad News Blonde's blog. Thanks Aughra.
Which reminds me. My son told me I’m invited to hang out one night at his friend Tommy’s, dad’s biker bar over by the Ronkonkoma train station. Tommy’s dad is a “retired” biker. My son said I would find it “interesting” to hang with a couple of biker gangs for a night. They are under gags, or what ever they call it, of the Hell’s Angels and are some of the nicest people. At least that's what he tells me. I think if I can get someone to stay with Barbara one evening, I’ll take him up on it. Might be fun.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Sunday, June 19, 2005
I feel better now
My son Brian didn't forget me after all. He just got home from work and gave me a card and a gift certificate to Best Buy for $50.
He loves me after all.
He loves me after all.
Happy Father's Day Tony
Me: Thanks. Happy Father's Day to you too, Tony.
Myself: Got anything planned?
Me: No, today's just like every other day now.
Myself: You got any plans.
Me: No. Same as you, nothing.
Myself: Did Brian get you anything?
Me: No, but he did wish me Happy Father's Day before he went to work.
Myself: Not even a card?
Me: No.
Myself: Me neither.
Me: Well, I guess it's just us today, huh?
Myself: Yep. Here give me your cup and let me get you another cup of coffee.
Me: Thanks. That'd be nice.
Myself: When's Happy Hour going to start today?
Me: Maybe around 3:00 since today is a special day.
Myself: That's fine. Want to get drunk?
Me: Can't. Remember? We have to take care of Barbara.
Myself: Oh yeah. Well, at least let's get a little buzz on. Ok?
Me: I with ya.
Myself: Here's your coffee.
Me: Thanks.
Me & Myself: Happy Father's Day to us, Happy Father's Day to us, Happy Father's Day dear Tony, Happy Father's Day to us.
Myself: Got anything planned?
Me: No, today's just like every other day now.
Myself: You got any plans.
Me: No. Same as you, nothing.
Myself: Did Brian get you anything?
Me: No, but he did wish me Happy Father's Day before he went to work.
Myself: Not even a card?
Me: No.
Myself: Me neither.
Me: Well, I guess it's just us today, huh?
Myself: Yep. Here give me your cup and let me get you another cup of coffee.
Me: Thanks. That'd be nice.
Myself: When's Happy Hour going to start today?
Me: Maybe around 3:00 since today is a special day.
Myself: That's fine. Want to get drunk?
Me: Can't. Remember? We have to take care of Barbara.
Myself: Oh yeah. Well, at least let's get a little buzz on. Ok?
Me: I with ya.
Myself: Here's your coffee.
Me: Thanks.
Me & Myself: Happy Father's Day to us, Happy Father's Day to us, Happy Father's Day dear Tony, Happy Father's Day to us.
Friday, June 17, 2005
LOL!
I just checked, and found out someone found my blog by searching Google for "contortionism masturbation". I am proud to say, I was the #2 result.
Pssst........What the hell is contortionism masturbation?
Pssst........What the hell is contortionism masturbation?
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
My AC Broke, Part 4
I'M SO FUCKING HOT!!!! IT'S 87 FUCKING DEGREES IN THIS HOUSE!!!!!! WHY WON'T THE CONTRACTORS CALL????? I CAN'T TAKE THE FIRST BID!!!!!!!! CALL YOU MOTHER FUCKERS, CALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm sorry. I must apologize for the profanity, but I'm FUCKING HOT AND SWEATING, TRYING TO STAY AS COOL AS I CAN, AND NAKED SITTING IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER!!! AND YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT A 56 YEAR OLD GUY LOOKS LIKE SITTING NAKED IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER,or do you, you perv?
I'm sorry. I must apologize for the profanity, but I'm FUCKING HOT AND SWEATING, TRYING TO STAY AS COOL AS I CAN, AND NAKED SITTING IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER!!! AND YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT A 56 YEAR OLD GUY LOOKS LIKE SITTING NAKED IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER,or do you, you perv?
Monday, June 13, 2005
My AC Broke, Part 3
I got the first quote today, $3,200 for central air. Yes you heard me right, $3,200.
Big deal! What's money for? Except for spending and for leaving to my heirs, not.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. It's also for gin and tonic (my favorite BTW), wine (yes I love wine, but not Merlot. I don't know how you can drink Merlot Amber, no offense. There are so many better wines than Merlot.), pot (when I feel like it, which hasn't been for quite a while.), clothes (but you know something, who needs clothes? We came into this world naked, and that's how should be, as often as possible.), food (can't leave out food now can we), and nuts (I love nuts. But, is that considered food? Who cares, nuts stand on their own? Nuts should be their own separate food group, nuts are that important.)
I forgot where I was at. Oh yeah, $3,200. Did I tell you I got my first quote for the central air today? Yeah, you heard me right, $3,200.
Big deal! What's money for? Except for spending and for leavin.........
Sorry, I think I said that already, didn't I? So never mind. Go back to what you were doing and leave an old guy to sweat.
Big deal! What's money for? Except for spending and for leaving to my heirs, not.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. It's also for gin and tonic (my favorite BTW), wine (yes I love wine, but not Merlot. I don't know how you can drink Merlot Amber, no offense. There are so many better wines than Merlot.), pot (when I feel like it, which hasn't been for quite a while.), clothes (but you know something, who needs clothes? We came into this world naked, and that's how should be, as often as possible.), food (can't leave out food now can we), and nuts (I love nuts. But, is that considered food? Who cares, nuts stand on their own? Nuts should be their own separate food group, nuts are that important.)
I forgot where I was at. Oh yeah, $3,200. Did I tell you I got my first quote for the central air today? Yeah, you heard me right, $3,200.
Big deal! What's money for? Except for spending and for leavin.........
Sorry, I think I said that already, didn't I? So never mind. Go back to what you were doing and leave an old guy to sweat.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
My AC Broke, Part 2
I was going to put the AC back in the wall this morning with the help of Brian. I can’t do it by myself you see. It goes in a cut out in the wall of the dining room about six feet off the floor and it’s heavy. I don’t know how much a 25,000 BTU AC weights, but it took the two of us to get it down yesterday, so I know it’s heavy.
I was so proud of how I fixed the AC. It was filled with all kinds of debris and pieces of rusted metal, and the fan blade kept scrapping against the rusted out shroud. I bent the shroud and cleaned out most of the crap, and got the fan to turned fine. I made a big mess on the dining room table and floor, but it was worth it. At least I didn’t have to buy a new one right away.
Brian was on his way over to his friend Tom’s house this morning to help Tom and his dad put in a sprinkler system. So before he left, I asked him to help me put the AC back.
“Bri, I need your help putting the AC back in the wall before you leave."
“That thing is no good, it's all rusted out. You have to get a new one." he says in a know-it-all voice.
"I fixed it. Let's just put it back in the wall." I said with confidence.
He walks over to where I’m standing, looks down at the AC and says, again in that know-it-all voice, "It's no good, the pan is rusted through. Look, you can see through the bottom."
“I fixed it last night.” I say authoritatively. "See, fan blade and spins fine." I say as I spin the fan confidently.
"Cling, cling, scrape." I spin it again. "Scrape, scrape, cling, cling, scrape." It stops.
" I don't know what happened, it turned fine last night.” I see his eyes roll but he doesn't say anything.
I look behind the coil, move the blade back and forth and see it scraping against the top of the shroud. "Spin the fan blade again." I said as I picked up the coil. He spins it. It just scrapes on the shroud. I look down as I feel more rust falling on my slippers.
“You have to get a new one,” he says. “I know. Look; help me put it back in the wall. I can’t leave it here on the table.”
“Why bother?” he asks. “Let’s just carry it outside”
“OK.”
I walked over and opened the back door and propped open the storm door. I walked back into the dining room and put my hands under one end of the AC. Wordlessly he picked up the other end. Well, we carried the old girl outside, down the ramp for the wheel chair and put her on an old table by the garbage pails. Tomorrows trash day so I suppose we’ll carry it out to the street later tonight when he gets off work.
Now I sweat until I get something else. Either that or I can sit in my bedroom where the small window AC is. No, that’s no good, the computer is in the den. I'll just sweat I suppose.
I was so proud of how I fixed the AC. It was filled with all kinds of debris and pieces of rusted metal, and the fan blade kept scrapping against the rusted out shroud. I bent the shroud and cleaned out most of the crap, and got the fan to turned fine. I made a big mess on the dining room table and floor, but it was worth it. At least I didn’t have to buy a new one right away.
Brian was on his way over to his friend Tom’s house this morning to help Tom and his dad put in a sprinkler system. So before he left, I asked him to help me put the AC back.
“Bri, I need your help putting the AC back in the wall before you leave."
“That thing is no good, it's all rusted out. You have to get a new one." he says in a know-it-all voice.
"I fixed it. Let's just put it back in the wall." I said with confidence.
He walks over to where I’m standing, looks down at the AC and says, again in that know-it-all voice, "It's no good, the pan is rusted through. Look, you can see through the bottom."
“I fixed it last night.” I say authoritatively. "See, fan blade and spins fine." I say as I spin the fan confidently.
"Cling, cling, scrape." I spin it again. "Scrape, scrape, cling, cling, scrape." It stops.
" I don't know what happened, it turned fine last night.” I see his eyes roll but he doesn't say anything.
I look behind the coil, move the blade back and forth and see it scraping against the top of the shroud. "Spin the fan blade again." I said as I picked up the coil. He spins it. It just scrapes on the shroud. I look down as I feel more rust falling on my slippers.
“You have to get a new one,” he says. “I know. Look; help me put it back in the wall. I can’t leave it here on the table.”
“Why bother?” he asks. “Let’s just carry it outside”
“OK.”
I walked over and opened the back door and propped open the storm door. I walked back into the dining room and put my hands under one end of the AC. Wordlessly he picked up the other end. Well, we carried the old girl outside, down the ramp for the wheel chair and put her on an old table by the garbage pails. Tomorrows trash day so I suppose we’ll carry it out to the street later tonight when he gets off work.
Now I sweat until I get something else. Either that or I can sit in my bedroom where the small window AC is. No, that’s no good, the computer is in the den. I'll just sweat I suppose.
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