I am in New Jersey right now. The weather here sucks. So far, during the weekdays it is dismal and drizzly like the Portland fall. Last weekend, and this upcoming weekend, it was/should be sunny and eighty degrees. This sunny part is nice, but that's when I have to work. For example, last Monday when my work weekend was wrapping up, it started raining as soon as I got in my car to leave; fuck. Either way, come Monday, I'm out of here. By noon on Monday, I'll be grabbing my bags off the carousel at Sky Harbor, walking back out into the Phoenix heat, jumping into Amanda's car, and then.... Who knows what?
I've been in the NJ since last Wednesday night. That morning I barely made my flight; Manda and I passed out and I awoke still drunk. The baggage clerk gave me an attitude, and forced me to redistribute the weight amongst my bags. I then paid twenty-five dollars for a Bloody Mary and a Buffalo Chicken Salad that I had to shovel down my throat in order to board my plane in time. Once I got on the plane I was sat between two fat guys where I proceeded to sleep and watch a movie until I landed nearly five hours later. As I walked out of the airport my mother and father were right outside of the door. I smoked a cigarette and talked with them while I waited for my baggage, when it did arrive I found that my duffel bag had ripped halfway around it's circumference. After the hour long drive to the beach my father and I shook up some vodka martinis and began to drink. After a couple of those we went inside to eat some pasta and chicken with some red wine that was really good. Once dinner was over, we started to drink some fine Cognac, and smoke more. Then onto the espresso with liqueur in it, and a slice of coconut cream pie.
On Thursday my father and I drove up to Delicious Orchards. He had wanted to buy this certain coffee, and I made off with some asparagus to grill later with the steaks, plus some of these cool long peppers and a big bright red Scotch Bonnet pepper. When we got back home I quickly took half of the Scotch Bonnet, sliced it thinly, and used it to top this big ass burger I just made. I subsequently burnt my face off, but in a good way. After letting this massive burger settle into the lower reaches of my belly, my father and I began to organize the cookware closet. I had brought home a bunch of stuff, plus it was in disarray from their shit alone. An hour later it was looking tip-top. Then we were back onto cocktail hour. More martinis. We then grilled a couple of two inch thick NY strip steaks along with the asparagus. Once again, more drinking with dinner, and more drinking after dinner.
Friday would begin my days of work. It was raining; it would rain all day. I reported for duty; 11am at Shadowbrook. I worked my first shift with these two non-descript kids who just shuffled around and didn't talk much. The cars came in, we parked 'em. It was then I decided to go to my sister Lauren's place down the street. I told them I was grabbing a bite to eat. At her place, I threw my clothes in the dryer, used the bathroom, and cracked a beer. Shortly after turning on the TV my sister arrived with four slices of pizza. Now recharged with pizza, beer, and dry clothes, I returned to work an hour later. The people come out. We bring them their cars. We split the money between us. Once again, I'm back at my sister's house, and my clothes are back in the dryer. I fix myself a vodka and soda this time. I kill the next hour by checking stuff online, watching CNN, and drinking. Now I was back over to Shadowbrook for the night shift. This time I worked with my bosses brother. My boss also came in to hand out tickets, while we parked cars. It came in smooth; no big rush. Then we killed off the next few hours by watching TV and smoking cigarettes, at one point I went out and bought a cookie. They started to come out around 11pm. By a quarter to midnight I was on my way to meet my two sisters and their husbands in Red Bank. I parked in some side lot off the main street so I could change clothes in my car, and then walked into Ashes to meet them. We all hung out there for a while drinking vodka and making fun of the other bar patrons. They then insisted on walking back to Lauren's house, but I quickly got into the car and took off. I had moves to make and on foot they would take too long. After buying my cigarettes at 7-11, I went over to the Windmill for a California cheeseburger. My sister Catherine is calling me now, worried about my possible drunk driving. I tell her I'll have to call her back because I'm getting pulled over. Two minutes later I pull into Lauren's driveway. Catherine says fuck you, and I eat my burger. I have another vodka, and dry my clothes for the next morning.
It's Saturday now, and I wake up at 8.30am. I have to be at work just outside of New York in thirty minutes. I throw on my dry clothes, and mash the gas. Before getting on the Parkway I stop at McDonald's for some greasy steak and egg bagel with OJ. On the Parkway my speed fluctuates between 90 and 100, making me barely late. I park and eat my sandwich, then pull around to the front to greet some old co-workers who are surprised to see me. Today we were working at the off tracking betting place for the Belmont Stakes. It actually turned out to be a little slow, and there were so many of us, that we barely worked; but we still made twenty bucks an hour. So we spent the majority of the day smoking cigarettes, eating food, placing bets, bullshitting, and cracking jokes. Around twenty to seven we split up the money and five of us left. Leaving the area I got dicked around finding the right freeway exit and I had to turn around where I then stopped at an on-ramp. --------------omission---------------- This resulted in a high speed chase during which I recklessly weaved in and out of heavy traffic doing 115mph with the top down while not wearing a seatbelt. This continued for about ten miles, during which I evaded my pursuer, and safely exited the Parkway to avoid police contact. I took backroads the remainder of the way home. Back at home I got directly into the shower, and hoped that the police did not soon arrive at my place; I had dinner to eat. After cleaning up, I shook up a martini, joined my father, and my brother-in-law Chris for drinks. We bullshit with the neighbors for a bit and drink. Then I seared a couple of flank steaks that we ate with roasted poblanos and potatoes. Chris and I then cleaned some plates, made strong drinks, and went out on the boat. Eventually the neighbors called us over for drinks, and I got to meet them. We drink, and drink, Chris goes to bed, I drink more, I drink until four, and finally sleep.
I wake up predictably hungover and make a massive steak and eggs breakfast. I then do some computer stuff for the next two hours before leaving for work. As always, the beach front property at Pier House in Long Branch is busy as hell, and I drive into a ton of traffic at work. For some reason though, the shift starts, and work is slow. I spend the next seven hours looking at the ocean and smoking cigarettes. Driving home, I randomly drive by Maloney and he flags me down. We talk for a minute while driving side by side doing fifty. At home I make a Mexican hot dog, drink a beer, watch South Park, and go to bed.
On Monday I wake up late again to make another quick trip up the Parkway to Red Bank. Today I was working the hotel for the memorial service of the mayor's wife. After we got them in, it was the most keys I had ever seen on that board. I ended up leaving early, and just in time too, because it began to rain as I was driving home. Later on my father asks me to make shrimp scampi, which I do; while drinking wine. After I eat; I take a shower, pack a backpack, and take off for Colts Neck to go to Pushee's house. A half hour later I show up with a thirty pack of Busch Light, and they're already stoned. We bullshit for a little, and then begin to play King's Cup. Within a half an hour we're all drunk. More people come by. Vicki comes home. Then Vicki and I go to pick up Maloney. Once we get back, Maloney and I begin shotgunning beers. He tells me how he is moving to Arizona in October, and I invite him to stay with me for a visit in July. Everyone gets drunk, and leaves or passes out. Maloney and I pass out in Vicki's bed, and he jokingly tries to have sex with her.
The next morning I wake up near the foot of the bed. It was sometime around ten-thirty and I knew I had to go. I woke up Maloney, said goodbye to Vicki, and then took him home. Shortly afterward I was halfway to Philadelphia to hang out with 90/10 Tom. And shortly after that I was being pulled over on the NJ Turnpike by a state trooper for doing 92 in a 65. While he was back in his car I was hoping that there was not a warrant out for my arrest for what had happened a few days prior. When he came back to the car he gave me a ticket for only doing 72, and then informed me if he had given me one for 92, I would have lost my license for a month. I said thank you and was back on the road. I picked up Tom in Pennsauken, then drove through the Camden ghetto and over the Ben Franklin Bridge. The first thing we did was stop at Jim's on South street to get cheesesteaks and beer for lunch. One thing Tom really wanted to do was get a hookah, so we swung over to Chestnut street and Tom got his 30 dollar hookah; I got a free iced coffee. I then drove into South Philly to go to a bar that was closed. I drove back into Old City to go to Sugarmom's, which was also closed. We ended up at Brownies, which was cool, because it's one of the few places you can still smoke inside. We sat there for a while and talked... and drank. By now it was around 5pm, and considering Tom had spent all of his money, and some of mine; we decided to call it a day. After dropping him off and wading through some traffic outside Philly, I took the long backroad past the Air Force base back to my place on the coast. For dinner I made this nice authentic Italian dish for us which turned out real good. Other than that, I just watched some TV, played around on the computer, and fell asleep watching the Colbert Report.
Today wasn't very eventful. I woke up. I made Amatriciana for breakfast. I went to the hardware store and bought a nut to fix my belt. Back at home I made a pineapple-habanero-cream sauce for the tuna steaks my father and I bought after making said sauce. Then he had me make him a Teriyaki sauce. We had cocktail hour. Cooked up the food. Ate said food. It was awesome. I then passed out on the couch while watching the Colbert Report again.
I woke up at nearly 3am, and am now writing this trash.
Anyways... I've got four days left here. They are going to be filled with work.... mostly; perhaps I'll go to NYC tomorrow night, or do something else. And then? Monday I will return to the heat, I will return to who I've been missing, and I will return to the party.
