My Christmas vacation is coming to an end, my return to work a mere two hours away. And what a night to return to the grind! New Year's Eve, in theory the busiest and most profitable night of the year for a hack. I'm looking forward to making lots of money, but I'm not looking forward to all the obnoxious drunks I have to deal with to get said money.
My last day as a free man was a mixed one, but a good one overall. It started off with me waking up two or three hours earlier than I wished, the siren call of the bathroom beckoning me. I think I was still drunk when I woke up, the post-trivia celebration from the night before still taking its toll. I rounded up my dirty clothes and headed to the laundromat. I popped over to Ruski's for some breakfast and verbal abuse from the bartender, Beth. She was subdued, which disappointed me a bit, but she did call me stupid so I at least got a taste.
A few hours later I headed out to get some gum and a glue stick. Somewhere along the way between Fort Awesome and Rite-Aid I lost my phone. It fell right out of my pocket. I traced my steps several times and searched this one trashcan outside the Cumberland Farms twice (occasionally I get absent-minded and throw non-rubbish away with the rubbish). Nothing. Nothing at all. I was freaking out, because while my phone is cheap and slowly dying, I still need the thing until I get a replacement some time next month. So I decided to call my phone to see if anyone picked it up. The Cumby's payphone wasn't working, so I went inside to see if I can borrow theirs. They have a stupid policy about an employee making the call and talking for you. Cumby's land called my phone, and someone picked up! My phone was Mercy Hospital. I hightailed it there (or as hightailing as I get), and, huzzah!, my phone was with the ER receptionist! Some man found it on the sidewalk somewhere and thought he would just bring it to Mercy figuring its owner would call soon enough. Thanks, stranger!
As it turns out, RiteAid didn't carry the sort of glue stick I needed (rats!) so I walked over to that leper's colony known as Paul's Food Center. It seems state-issued welfare checks and what-have-you came a day early so the place was packed. I was next in line at the checkout and still had to wait for fifteen minutes. This couple had two vouchers of some sort and a EBT card and kept trying to figure out what they could afford and what they couldn't. Jesus fucking Christ.
In the early evening I went across the hall and hung out with Bethlynne and her son, who, some few months ago, was dubber "coolest baby in the USA" by another child. We had Chinese take-out and watched A Knight's Tale and I tickled the bejeezus out of that kid, who is super smart and cracks me up. I spent a few hours over there and had a really nice time.
Later I went with the roommates to Ruski's and had some beers. Ass-cold Pibbers never done me wrong. And then it was after-hours fun at Pook's place. I drank warm Guinness and played cards and stayed until three. Stumbled home, tooled around on guakbot until five for some reason, and passed out.
I woke up today a bit hungover and really dehydrated. Went over to Marcy's for the perfect pancake combination, which I couldn't finish. Marcy's in my Sunday afternoon ritual, and every year they close down for the month of January. I think that's one of the reasons, for me anyways, January seems to drag on forever.
Time to make myself pretty for work. Have a fun and safe and smart New Year's Eve. Call me if you need a ride.
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