BIRTH
I woke up this morning later than I had planned. I had wanted to clean my apartment before work. This did not happen.I turned 36 today. I turned 36 at 5:29a.m. Standing on a dark, humid morning on a bus stop at Fifth and Michigan. With a drag queen, or a transsexual, eating Pringles and drinking orange soda beside me. I had stood behind her in line at the gas station with my coffee as she bought said junk food, wondering how and where she'd gotten all of the tattoos and scars on her dark skin. Now here we were, me eyeing my watch and thinking happy birthday- she, unknowingly the guest of my little party, raising a toast with her Fanta. As the bus came to a stop in front of us, I gestured her ahead of me. In the darkness, I saw five huge white fingernails move to her chest in a grateful gesture as she flashed me a shiny golden toothed smile.
I found a seat in the back of the mostly empty bus, and opened my bag. I opened the first birthday card, from Erik, wishing me well and hoping we can talk soon. It has Snow White and the Seven Whore Dwarves on it. Erik is so good with remembering birthdays, like my mom, which brings me to the second card. It is bigger, with cursive script and sailboats, and the ocean. She has taped lucky coins inside- a 1946 quarter, a 1951 dime, a 1924 buffalo nickel, and a 1942 wheat penny, along with a check for 50 dollars. The card says, "You are on my mind, and in my heart, every single day." I cried for a second, more inside than out, before putting the cards back into my bag.
I planned on leaving work early but that didnt happen. I worked a 12 hour day, filled with stress- surgery, injured animals, two meetings, and so much to do that it never really all gets done.
Home. At last. I spoke to my mom on the way home to thank her for the card. She asked me five times to call my sister, while telling me I can do what I want and she can't control other people's lives anymore. I made her repeat that. We laughed.
I have decided to give myself this one last day before getting back to what I need to do....my 37th year has alot of cleanup involved. I watched some of Hellraiser:Deader before ordering a medium artichoke/sweet sausage from Pizza Rustica. Walked Wendy, and settled in for some TV. Happy Birthday.
posted by Jimmy @ 8:03 PM
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