The Breezy Side of Paradise

First Morning.

I had breakfast, coffee, computer time, then back to bed. Second Morning, I got up, got more coffee and got behind the computer. Got sleepy again. My eyes were so heavy that I crawled back into bed and made it to Third Morning. This time I was miserable. Going through one iteration after another of the morning doesn't make it get any better, on the contrary, it may make it worse.

But I stay awake this go round. Yesterday it wasn't so bad. I had less sleep and woke up fully on the Second Morning. I went and took a chower (as they used to call it in the shelter) and checked my e-mails. Today it was time for me to go see Dr. A. I hummed and hawed and found a million things to do about the room, until it was Noon, this is my dead lock time. Make or break for me. If I'm going, then this is the time to go.

I break for the Way, once again, leaving a pile of empty prescription bottles behind to be filled. I am indeed a screwball. I have to carry them to the drugstore tomorrow for a certainty. This makes two days without my meds. Given time, this will spell only trouble. But not for a few days, I'm sure. I ride the subways with the inconsiderate bastids, especially the ones who show up with back backs that look like fucking life support systems for moon walks. I used to carry one, alright, I know, but whenever I could afford to be on the train, I took the mother fucker off my back, simply because I didn't feel like battering people behind me every time that I turned around.

Well, of course, I have to stand behind one of these stupid bastids, being buffeted every time his lost ass had to turn and lean over to look at the subway map against the side of the train. So I give up, I push my way through the crowds to get away from him and guess where I go to. A bunch of kids on the crowded car with bikes! Bikes, on a crowded subway. Shouldn't you be on the streets with that? For some reason I think bikes should be outlawed on the subway and the cops should be handing out summonses for carrying one on. Simple as that. They block, they bite, they cut, they tear and maul.

They are a hazard at close quarters and second only to mothers in their baby carriages, who plow into crowded cars as if they were driving a two ton vehicle. Oh, excuse me, they chime sweetly as they mark up your ankles. Sometimes I just want to turn around and smack them with a full handed face palm. PHOOOW, send them and their baby carriage staggering back out of the subway car. God, too bad that I'm not a woman and could get away with that shit.

I get to Dr. A.'s office. It's been a long time. A long time. He looks well, and so does his secretary E. They appear busy and happy and doctor A is as happy to see me as I him. He gives me the forms for another bloodtest. It's time for that, and a blood pressure check, which I am just above normal. Just a tad. I didn't have to heart to tell him that I'm shy one pill over two days, but I'll get them soon, no need to tell him what he will obviously say to me in reply: "Get the pills."

E then shows me her problems with the Internet and the phone systems in the office, and so I take care of them and head out. It's still early and I have my paperwork for the lab, the most stupidest lab in the world, but it's a lab. It's where I get the blasted blood test. I decided, well, since I'm in town why not go to the lab and get this test done and over with. I usually carry it around with me for months before going. So I head, on foot, down and across town to the lab. Walking down 28th street, crossing Park Avenue, I'm walking behind these two women who are busy chatting in front of me. The one on the left looks over her shoulder at me and then continues to talk until the one of the right looks over at me, and then they start to swerve all over the sidewalk like a car out of control. No doubt to give me room on either side to pass them, and when I don't, then the one on the left stops the other and they find something very important across the street that makes them stop and let me walk on.

Ladies please, I don't' want what you have, not your purses or your snatches. Give me a break. I'm just walking down the street here!! I turn at the same time as they stop. They had ended their walk just to watch me reach the door to the lab, walking into the building and shutting the door tight behind myself. There you go, ladies, now yer safe. I press the intercom button to open the vestibule door and nothing happens. I press it again, and again and nothing happens. Don't tell me that these dickheads are gone for the day, it's not even Three O'clock in the afternoon yet.

Somebody comes out of the building and I slip in behind them and head down the hall to the lab that I expect to be locked. NO, it's wide open and when I walk in there's the raucous sounds of a party going on. I stand at the reception desk, which is empty and go through the motions of signing in and preparing my paperwork. These fucks are in the back, carousing and not even paying attention to the intercom buzzing with me standing outside. Neither are they paying attention to me just standing there.

Finally, one of these fucking jugheads comes out. A woman who is so busy still having the time of her life with her friends in the other room, that I am little more than interference on her favorite radio station. "Did you sign in?" She asks. Yeah. "Do you have your paperwork?" Yeah, I hand it to her. She looks everything over. "Have you ever been here before?" Yeah. "H-o-b-o-b-o-b...is that it?" Yeah. "Date of Birth?" Time of Christ. "Oh kay, go to station two in the back." I head off, stripping off my coat until I hear her call: "Excuse me, sir! Do you have insurance?" Yeah, I turn around and wave my card. "I mean, your Doctor didn't sign his name here so that you can use your insurance. So, sorry."

What do you mean he didn't sign? She uses a highlighter on the form and then hands it up to me. Right where she left the yellow mark it says: Doctor's Signature, and it's blank. DAMNIT. I had everything on this bitch, and now she got me on a technicality. I take the paper and leave the lab dejectedly. I so wanted to put those lazy asses to work. She was just looking for an excuse to bounce me. She could have even called him in to fax his signature on a form...that's if she felt like fucking working...or if I myself was thinking. If I had the time, I would walk all the way to the Doc's and back, but those bunch of geese would probably not even open up the door. Well, there goes my blood test for today. Now I'll just hold onto the form for awhile.

I walk back to Grand Central Station and the Way home. I pick up food and head to my space pod. I've spent long enough out with the living. It's good to be back in the confines of my room, like a hamster in a cage.

I am content. I quickly fall asleep. That's why I find it so hard to get up today.

Hobobob