I'm working in the listening room of the UNO library right now. I can't be here right now. Because of my own scheduling fuck-up, I'm getting off here at the same exact time I need to be across town at my other job (which I'll come back to in a moment). I'm tired, pissed off and dodging wasps.
Yeah, somehow there's a wasp nest inside of the library, in the listening room. I feel sorry for the nun who's sitting here trying to study. I don't know why she doesn't just move. She hasn't gotten stung yet, though.
Part Two: My Boss Has Seen Me Shit
Started at a new job last week. Still working at the listening room, but trying to phase it out. Then, what do I find out Thursday evening?
I already knew there were security cameras everywhere in the store, along with audio bugs. Not a climate of trust to say the least. And now it turns out there's a hidden camera in the employee bathroom. We, of course, were not told about this.
A lot of people would be really freaked out by this. Not me. I have no shame. It just really pisses me off. One of my co-workers is contacting the appropriate authorities. I hope my boss is keel-hauled.
An old friend of mine from NOCCA (an arts high-school) is missing. I remember him as kind of odd back then. It turns out he's bi-polar, and he's only gotten worse since then. I've seen him every so often. His father is pretty rich, apparently, so he hasn't had to work. He just rides his bike around the Quarter, smiling at people, making friends with bums, and saying really opaque things to people he recognizes. He's very childlike. Very innocent.
Saw the missing person poster Thursday. He's been missing since last Friday. Apparently during the few days before he vanished he told different people different things. According to different sources, he was going to Haiti, Alaska, Alexandria (whether he meant the one here or in Egypt is not clear) and several other unlikely destinations.
A friend of mine spotted him casually riding his bike either on Friday or Saturday. Doesn't seem likely that he'd be just riding around if he was about to head off on a trip. I'm very worried about him.
Those of you who live in New Orleans, look for the fliers. His name is Justin Smith.
My grandmother (aka "Granny") died at 3am Thursday morning. Day after Halloween. All Saints Day. She was a devout Catholic (to the point of baptising me in the kitchen sink when my parents wouldn't), so I think she'd appreciate the timing.
What angers me the most is that she had all but beaten death twice before. Ten years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She kicked its ass. It went into remission. Then, a couple of years ago, cancer showed up again, this time in her spine and lungs. She didn't beat that, per say, but it never got any worse. She was living a fairly active life.
Then, several weeks ago, she has a seizure. The doctors give her a CAT scan. It turns out that two tumors have checked into her brain and are trashing the place. They called them "nodes" actually, which sounded odd.
The language centers of her brain were being affected. She had a hard time thinking of words, constructing sentences, understanding other people. A kind of damnation to someone as verbal and quick-witted as her.
Another seizure, and she was just about reduced to a vegetable. In a way, I'm glad that didn't last long.
It hasn't sunken in yet. I may post a follow-up to this once it hits me.
Sorry I wasn't able to make it out to the New Orleans gathering. It was just bad timing.