It's Great to See Bobby

Plot and his friend Bob have been staying up late, lots to talk about, lots to remember, lots of songs to play and comment on. Years don't pass between old friends, you just kind of hibernate and then wake up and start all over again like it was yesterday.

The power's out again, all day until 6pm. But The Great Plotnik can take his computer down to XO Coffee, use their wireless, sit in a sunny window, listen to acoustic guitar music, drink an iced tea and eat a Greek Wedding cookie and think "I ought to be doing this more often on a beautiful Saturday afternoon."

Just before he left the house Plottie spoke to his Mom, who sounded so lost and blurred and confused, and who finally said, with such a tone of surprise in her voice: "Doug, I don't know what's happening to me. This isn't good. I don't like it."

That was a thump to the midsection.

The Great WantzaNewName's friend Wave just died. She kept blogging during her illness and the postings are very beautiful. In her last post, two friends fly in from New York and one brings her a guitar. She sits in bed and she sings a song, but has to put the guitar down for lack of strength. She knows she'll never play it again.

Another thump. Christ. Sleeping, OK, but no guitar?

Since Plotnik started writing all this melancholy stuff, they turned up the emotional piano/violin music at XO Coffee and he feels like he's living a version of "A Man and a Woman" or "Love Story." Sheesh, please, can you just bring back the acoustic guitar Van Morrison songs?

The mushroom sauce is ready to eat, because the stove top still works as long as you have a match. Tonight when Bob gets home he and Ducknik and Plottie will watch "Everything is Illuminated" on Pay Per View. This is one of his favorite movies of all time and Bob's never seen it, so he hasn't met Sammy Davis Junior Junior.

Strawberries and raspberries for dessert.

Oh Christ, Peruvian flutes with tons of vibrato. This must be why nobody can stay too long in these coffee places.