Birthday party

We're sitting in the back yard eating hors d'oeuvres, noting that nearly everyone present will have a birthday in the next four months.

Judy (friend's grandmother): I'm August 14. That's V-J Day.

Me: I didn't know that...

Judy: I remember we were upstairs listening to the radio. The president came on and said the war was over. They set fires on Main Street.

Me: On Main Street in Buffalo? Like campfires?

Judy: In Snyder. Bonfires. Wood, tires. The Higgins family set fires.

Me: Umm...Did you say "Higgins?"

Judy: Yes, I remember it was the Higginses.

Me: Did you know I'm a Higgins? That's my name.

Judy: Really??? Joe Higgins. Lois...

Me: No.

Judy: Alright. It was different Higginses then.


(photo from Dominic's Pics on Flickr)

Driveway, last week

Me, to my neighbor, Jose: Hey, make sure you keep your car door locked. Someone took my GPS last night.

Jose: Aw, really? I'm sorry to hear it.

Me: Thanks

....

Jose: I've got one of those but I don't use it. At first it was cute, hearing the voice telling you where to go, but then it got annoying. I only go to places where I know where I'm going! I don't use it anymore.

Me: I used mine a lot. I have a bad sense of direction.

Jose: Mine's a good one. Worth 300 bucks. It's a Mag-Ah-Lan?

Me: A what?

Jose: A MAG-uh-LAN.

Me: Oh. I hear those are pretty good.

Jose: What kind was yours?

Me: A Garmin.

...

Me: The cop said whoever took it probably takes those all the time, and sold it to a neighbor or a pawn shop.

Jose: A pawn shop, no kidding? Hey, that's where I got mine.

Lark Tavern

Woman, late 20s, to me:

I was filling in on sax and he was sitting next to me and I felt like shit because he was great and I was awful. But it was fine and we started talking and getting along. And one time he said to me, "Stanley Turrentine is playing here." And I didn't know if he was just stating a fact or if he was asking me to go with him. He was asking me to go. But it was my grandmother's birthday that night and I told him that and he thought that I was just feeding him a line. But it really was my grandmother's birthday. So we went out another time and started hanging out and we have been together ever since. ... Our son's name is Maceo.

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.