I’ve come to value life not by how I spend my years, but, quite
frankly, by how I spend my days. Yesterday I marveled in the ordinary.
5:00AM Woke up pre-alarm and of course, the TV was on. Each night I fall asleep to Letterman and yet by osmosis, each morning, like clockwork, I wake up to MSNBC. Always.
5:10 AM Prayers done I entered shower; the boys followed me, and sprawled aside the tub. They fear water but love me.
5:30 AM Drying off, I checked phone and caught note from Janice in Columbus. We traded facebook messages about the race. Dressed, as I do daily, watching Willie Geist host “Way Too Early.” (Half Opie-half Bobby Snyder).
6:00 AM Show ended. Turned off tube to meditate. Today’s reading hits home. (They all do lately).
6:45 AM Having fed the Darryls and suited up, I’m ready to show up.
7:15 AM Drove to Parma McDonald’s @ Ridge Road and I-480. Waiting to meet a new client I note that everyone in the restaurant looks to be a direct descendant of the Third Reich.
8:00 AM Back in car, took a ten minute call from sponsee Dennis. The
minute we’re done Brandt rang for another ten minutes. I can
be honest though, and finally told him I was exiting at Chagrin,
to meet someone for breakfast. Had to go.
8:30 AM Oatmeal, strawberries and two poached eggs at Corky’s. No
bread or coffee. Fat Murray was at the counter and seeing me asked how I was doing. “Still standing,” I replied to his nod.
(We’ve had that same colloquy—to the word—for maybe ten years).
9:20 AM Euclid Municipal Court: Met client, got retainer, and responded to each and every question I’d answered the previous night by telephone. Pled her “Not Guilty” and left.
10:20 AM East Cleveland Municipal Court: Arrived just in time for short, rote, uncontested hearing. (It all adds up). Upon exiting, I turned my phone on to a text from Rochelle. Not only is she a grandmother again, but Nathan had twins. The brit milah is at six in Acacia’s party room. I’ve got a board meeting at Y-Haven at 5:30—had to make a command decision. While still in the car Terri called with a war story. (Over time she’s never wavered—with Bonnie, two of the few Beachwood housewives never to judge me by the color of my divorce decree).
11:00 AM Hit office. Squandered fifteen minutes or so reading email and obits on line before Facebook and JDate and, oh yes, finally looking at my bank account. Not necessary to check donations to the cancer fund, of course. Hal updates me 24/7. That having been said, I looked for new contributions before and after the obits, and yes—in between each glance at Facebook, JDate, and the bank account.
Decided to deal with things face up and emailed Terry at Y-Haven. She knows Rolo as the one I spent three years “not dating.” Gave T the truth and nothing but—that I needed and wanted to hit the bris and was passing on the meeting. All good. (Pausing, I thought about the good old days when I would have manufactured an elaborate excuse).
11:30 PM Manicure at The Locksmith, Lander Circle. Betty, my old baby-sitter was out. Had to explain to yet another new person that I want no polish, no buff, no sauce…Get me in and out, please.
12:00 PM Headed to Chesterland for coffee with my food mentor. En route I hit the bank, the gas station, and Office Max.
It had occurred to me in the salon that our mother had an old,
gray, steel hairdryer—chair and headset. Emailed Hal to ask
what ever happened to it. Hadn’t seen it since 1960.
*NOTE* Typically trips out east present opportunities to think, sing, and otherwise clear my head. Yesterday ‘twas not the case…
About 12:10 the phone rang—Aunt Helen:
“Bruce, did you call me?”
“No, why?”
“My phone rang. Was it Harold?”
“I don’t know—“
“Would you please call him? He’s up. Ask him if he called me.
You know, I hate to bother him.”
“Well, if it was him, then he has to answer two calls—mine, and then yours!”
“Perhaps he’ll call back.”
(So much for clearing my head).
As I pulled into parking lot Hal wrote back: “Ed sold it.”
12:55 PM Short meeting ended and I shot up 306 toward Rt. 6. Made daily call to sponsor. Stopped at the Heinen’s salad bar on
Route 44 in Chardon and noticed that every single store employee had blond hair and blue eyes.
1:30 PM Geauga County Court: Contested pre-trial in this, the third separate filing for divorce between one truly dysfunctional couple. Need I say more?
3:30 PM Left court. Message from H said we can expect donation from cousin Murray. We’re fast approaching $3,000.00.
4:15 PM Back at office and after reviewing snail mail, checking Email,
peaking at Facebook, JDate and (of course), the Bogart Family
Page of the cancer fund, left for the day.
4:45 PM Grocery store then bank again. My law clerk called and wanted to meet with today’s filings. Told him to put papers through top of my car’s sun roof. It would be outside Nordstrom in ten minutes. (Had to pick up gifts for the newborns)!
5:45 PM Arriving at Acacia, am greeted by the same warm family that graced my life a decade ago. Rochelle was wearing a yarmulke and smile; her ex held a baby. Hugged Matthew and the kids as Tammy approached.
“Bruce,” she admonished: “Did you burn that denim shirt yet?…Look at you, you know how to dress when you want to!”
6:50 PM The mitzvah concluded, I headed to Three Village for a recovery meeting. One hour with “my people”—my tonic.
8:00 PM Stopped at brother’s to drop off check. Still paying Mom’s funeral, (in case you’re reading this, Ed).
8:05 PM Hal met me in the driveway and reminded me that Ed can’t read.
8:15 PM Feeding the boys supper, I recalled my Dad’s day-ending line: “My ass is dragging,” he’d say.
The balance of Tuesday was spent in rest, pure rest. A new Law And
Order CI at 10. Seinfeld, then Letterman as eyes closed. Somewhere in the
wee hours of the morning CBS again became MSNBC. Arising today, it
was, again, “Way To Early.” And still, I was so grateful—-
For another day.