Someone's mother

Her identity needs to remain under wraps for now. Woman, 32:

We went to the appointment to hear the heartbeats. I saw them and it was fine, I knew there were two. They implanted two embryos and I thought, wow, they both took. Toward the end of it I saw a dark spot and said, "What's that?"

And the nurse said, "Weeellll, it could be blood from the implantation, which is normal, but it could be a third fetus." I said, "What?" So as soon as she zoomed in I could see it was a third heartbeat. I said "Holy shit," and I started crying. I said, "That's a third heartbeat." The nurse said, "Well, I am going to go get some backup but, yeah, that's a third heartbeat."

So (husband) was totally cool. Cool as a cucumber. "We'll be alright," he said. "You'll be great, we'll be great."

Then I thought that I was going to have to buy a minivan and I cried even harder.

Uncle Paul, Buffalo, Sunday afternoon

Uncle Paul, a slightly older, slightly less healthy-looking version of my father. Smoking a Whie Owl cigar. Smells like Old Spice and tobacco leaves. I associate both smells with him and being a kid and hanging out with his sons, my cousins. I was on Dad's deck this afternoon listening to Uncle Paul talk about what's left of his neighborhood, the Old First Ward in Buffalo. He's talking about Jake, one of three guys who live in a shack on Kentucky Street who spent most of their lives in prison. Jake was convicted of murder and served 31 years:

So I've got the dog and I'm coming down the street and here comes Jake. He's stoppin' every five feet to hold onto a fence. He don't look good. I said, "Jake! Pal, what's goin' on? You need a doctor or a hosptial or something. He says, "Paulie, I can't go to the hospital I can't afford it. I just got that "agina." (laughs). "I'm not messed up. I swear I'm not messed up. I only had two beers today and I walked downtown a lot."

It was a hot, hot August day. He was sweatin' like crazy. So I says, hold on Jake. Let me put the dog away and I'll get you home. So I real quick got the dog home and I bring my car back and get him in the front of the car with the a/c on, and he said "Aw, that feels good. Do you have any of those pills?" So I say "Yeah, Jake," so I give him a nitro pill and he takes it. I tell him you got to get to a hospital, pal, or you're gonna be in a pine box! And he says, "Naw, I'll be OK. You got another one of those pills?" So I give him a nitro pill and I brought him a glass of water too.

So I drove him home and there's these kids standing in front of his place and you have to go up four or five stairs to get him inside, these kids are 17, 18, and I said, "Wait a minute Jake." And I get out of my car and I tell these kids, "You gotta help this guy in his house because I can't lift him. He's having a heart attack right now. I'm trying to get him to go to the hospital but he won't listen to me. Maybe he'll listen to one of you." So the kids help him out of the car and Jake says, "Paulie, you got another one of those pills?" I says, "Yeah, Jake, but if the first two don't work, the third one isn't gonna do you any good. You gotta see a doctor." He says, "I'll be all right, I just got "agina." So I go home.

The next day, I'm sitting on my porch and who comes walkin' down the street, his shirt flung over his shoulder, whistling, whistling! It's Jake! "(Whistles)" I said, "Jake! I thought you'd be in a box by now!" He said, "Paulie, I took your advice and I saw a doctor." "Good," I said.

"And they put this thing under my tongue and they kept me for a few hours and I felt great! They wanted to keep me longer but I said, "Nahh." Paulie, you saved my life," he said. "And I want to thank you." And he hugged me. And he basically told me if I needed anything, ANYTHING, to call him.

Me: So he offered to do a hit for you or something?

Uncle Paul: That's what I was wondering if he meant! He said if anyone ever bothers you, or your wife, or your family, I wanna know about it.

New York State Thruway, Friday night

Tall, thin man in a white t-shirt filled from collar to waist with a quote from Marcus Garvey, something about remembering your history, to a McDonald's clerk, chubby, nervous, apparently 16 years old and apparently in charge for the evening:

What can I get for 90 cents?

Clerk: I can get you a small drink. I can get you a large drink, really, even.

Customer: Can I get four McNuggets?

Clerk: I can't do that. That would mess up my drawer. We don't sell just four McNuggets here anyway.

Customer: You're sure I can't get four McNuggets? How about a Snack Wrap?

Clerk: No, because my drawer...maybe I can get the drawer open. What if I just give you the 90 cents back if I can get in the drawer.

Customer: Alright. I see you're a man of integrity.

Clerk: No problem sir and you have a lovely day!

Customer: You're sure I can't get four McNuggets?

Clerk: Look I got the drawer opened. I can just give you back the money I shorted you instead.

Customer: OK. Thank you.

Clerk, to me: Crispy chicken club?

Me: Hi

Clerk: OK sir I am so sorry for the wait and you have a lovely day!

24-hour Market, Lark St., 10:30 p.m.

Me: Whistling to the Bee Gee's "How Deep is Your Love?" on the in-store radio.

Clerk (tall, thin, blond guy in tight black jeans and one of those army surplus-looking caps): You do NOT look old enough to know the Bee Gees.

Me: I'm afraid I am.

Clerk: Yeah, and I'm a virgin.

Dove Street near Elm

Man in his 60s, walking a dog that I think might have been a beagle, to me:

He'll cut in front of you if you give him half a chance.


(I did give him a chance because I wanted to pet him but he did not cut in front of me and I did not pet him.)

Thursday night, Hudson Avenue

Guy who I thought was a woman until I was six feet away from him (green knit shirt with three buttons but no collar. Had small boobs. Round, silver, metal-framed glasses) to his companion, a taller, older, more muscular man with a completely shaved head and a sagging neck, wearing a t-shirt that seemed like he got it for running in a race:

No, she was actually taking anti-psychotics at this point and she was more normal than Mark.

Shaved head guy (nodding): Oh, right.