Going the other way

I was standing on the first floor waiting for the elevator to come down. And when the door opened that beautiful young veteran was standing in front of me. She was as close to me as she might have been if we were dancing.

She was on her way out. I told her good morning and she smiled and returned the greeting. What could I say at 5:30 in the morning that would make her stay and talk to me?

What a beautiful smile.

Estrangement

My family wants as little to do with me as possible. And I don't blame them at all.

I am an alcoholic. I was drunk from 1960 till 2006. I've been sober for 2 years, 1 month, and 17 days.

I lost my wife to another man, and that didn't stop me drinking. Then my sons stopped speaking to me. And that didn't stop me drinking.

I didn't stop drinking till I was found passed out in the center lane on 24th Street in Billings.

Last Easter my sponsor helped me to affect a reconciliation with my sons. They accept my phone calls now, and we exchange niceties. But they haven't forgiven me and don't expect they will. I am not invited to their homes, and they won't accept my invitations to visit me here.

I hope time is on my side.

She wears lace.

I walked up on the lady veteran taking her panties out of the dryer. She wears white lace panties under those blue jeans.

When she turned around and caught me I don't know who was more embarrassed, but she blushed.

The girls these days don't blush. It's a bygone phenomenon. I liked it.

Witch's Titties

It was (F)ing COLD out there this morning.

On my way to Worden's I walked by a squirrel who was standing on the corner of Higgins and Main with his front paws tucked up under his jaw. He reminded me of the drunks begging behind the Oxford.

Snow is expected

It takes a cold front to warm up Missoula. When highs sit in our area, the cold air sinks, and we freeze in a valley inversion.

But tonight, it is going to snow. We've said our prayers and bribed the weatherman.

1 dollar for one rinse.

One load of wash takes 4 quarters, and one load to dry takes 3. It sounds like a deal. But the washing machine only rinses one time. It fills once to wash, drains, spins, and then fills one time to rinse before it drains and gives a final spin.

What fool doesn't rinse the detergent out of his clothes? Detergent doesn't actually clean. It is the rinse that actually cleans by removing the grease and debris loosened by the detergent.

I must amend my budget. One load of wash takes 8 quarters. I will use the first 4 to wash and rinse. And I will use the second 4 to rinse and rinse. One wash and 3 rinses cleans my clothes.

Maybe if I spend enough time in the laundry room, I'll run into that pretty lady veteran.

An honorable man.

An honorable man was sworn in today. He will serve as President for the next 4 to 8 years.

He has been charged with the task of cleaning up after George W. Bush.

I offer my prayers and my loyalty to this great man.

Men in skirts

On my way to the men's shower, I came across a man leaving the Ladies Room in a wet towel. When I frowned at him, he told me the Ladies shower had better water pressure.

I told him it made no difference to me. I wouldn't think of invading a lady's privacy.

He told me to (F) off.

I shrugged it off but I wonder if I should report this to anyone. Isn't it against the law for men to use the Ladies Room? What if he is really a Peeping Tom and the shower is just an excuse?

The speed of caramel

The water flows from my faucet at a rate that will fill my coffee mug in less than a minute. I think my piss came out faster than this before my prostatectomy.

At least it doesn't drip, and the drain doesn't clog.

Stocking up

I have made food purchases:

24 packages Top Ramen Chicken
24 packages Top Ramen Oriental
1 bottle ketchup
1 jar mustard
1 jar Best Foods mayonnaise
1 package sliced cheese
2 packages bologna
1 gallon milk
1 jar instant coffee
1 loaf of bread
1 box Ritz crackers
2 cans of ravioli

I have 17 dollars of coffee money
till my next VA check, and all my bills are paid.

Food and entertainment

I've just finished supper. There is a kitchen and dining room on the first floor, and every Tuesday they serve supper from 5:30 till 7:00.

A woman sits at an upright piano on stage, and plays adequately, if a little too fortissimo.

The meal was 8 dollars, and with my generous entrée, I was allowed all the boiled coffee, salad, and rolls I wanted.

Everyone here blogs.

The lady veteran blogs. The ink on her hands is from a project she keeps secret in her room. She wouldn't say, but she did admit to blogging.

A veteran living down the other hall also keeps a blog. He writes there daily about the "Jewification of America," his words. There be bigots in this house. I'm sure it's one of a million wingnut conspiracy blogs, black background, several banners with links to Fox and Limbaugh.

Deterrent

I was taking the trash to the dumpster, and two boys were trying to climb onto the fire escape. That beautiful woman with ink on her hands reached out from the window above, and poured a bucket of water on the trespassers.

After using some carefully chosen vulgarities, they ran off.

Up all night

So at midnight, a man decides to dismantle the dryer next door and bang on all the parts.

For me this is probably helpful. I will be working nights and sleeping days. But not tomorrow.

Moving off the streets

I live in a flop house on the third floor. My next door neighbor is an artist. My other next door neighbor is a laundry room.

There are other veterans living here. One is an attractive woman with long brown hair and a red wool coat.

I saw ink on her hands. It might be she is another artist. A flop house should have more than one. Or maybe she keeps an octopus. Pets aren't allowed.

I have room key and an electronic card for the door downstairs. No roommates allowed, and no guests are to come up the elevator without an escort. They checked my credit and looked for a police record. No felons allowed either.

I got a ticket for speeding in 1964. I was drunk but it was a different world back then. I was picked up for public drunkeness in 2006, but they took me to the hospital instead of lockup.