Sometimes you get to play the invisible man at a happy hour and sometimes you get to play it at a Purim carnival.
Been one hell of a week filled with changes, full moon type activity and a sense that something more is coming along.
I could tell you about the thirty something who didn’t believe I am in my fifties and how that made me chuckle or the guy who told me he wants to be able to say anything to anyone like I do.
There was the older man who followed me through a parking lot until I yelled at him to back off and laughed when he asked if I was threatening him.
I said no, it was a promise that if he didn’t leave me alone it would end poorly. Pulled out my phone and asked if he wanted me to call the police right there or take his chances playing in traffic.
Might be because of the full moon or it might be all of the crazy that is in the air. Might be because only after a couple years after Covid people still haven’t figured out how to be polite and human in public.
Some people said they were surprised to hear me raise my voice today and I smiled. I told them there is nothing unusual about it, “I can be pretty loud but I tend not to be in professional settings. No need for it.”
It only happened today because there were quite a few people in the room and that is what was required to make myself heard.
I am big on doing what is required.
Out in the parking lot when I got tired of the man following me I got far louder. Didn’t mean to, but he set me off and so I belted the words out.
Saw more than a couple of people turn to look in my direction and got more irritated. Wasn’t really a need for a scene, but the guy was preventing me from walking away.
Not because he had physically accosted me but because I didn’t feel comfortable turning my back on him.
Eventually he went his way and I went mine.
Put in my Airpods and headed towards the gym with Master of Puppets softly serenading me.
****
Mother Nature forgot to take her lithium this week so we hit 90 something on Monday and fell back down the the 40s and rainy today.
She can’t decide if it is winter or spring and I am growing tired of her indecision.
Reminded me of a time at Farmer’s Market when I was around 20 and I sat with my grandfather and a bunch of his buddies.
They were reminiscing about their time in Europe during WWII and one of the guys said Mother Nature was a crazy broad who couldn’t decide if she wanted you to freeze to death or marvel at the hills.
One of the other guys there told me to remember that women don’t like being called crazy broads so I ought to be careful unless I wanted to start a fight.
A few more threw out some other pieces of advice and then they got sidetracked on something else.
Shows like Band of Brothers remind me a bit of them, that WWII generation. The expressions and music remind me and I smile because they were my grandparents generation.
I suppose one day the grandkids to come may say that about my generation, or maybe not.
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I referenced Bob Dylan and The Godfather today and the thirty something who thought I was younger than I am asked what I was talking about.
I was more surprised by their lack of knowledge of Dylan than the Godfather but then again not so much.
It is growing more common for me to encounter people who don’t share some of those references because the difference in age impacts pop culture references.
Still, someone not knowing who Bob Dylan was a first for me.
I had a crazy dream the other night in which my mind pulled from a mix of things that happened and stuff that never did but could have.
It is several years ago and the younger Mr. Wilner is in the passenger seat softly singing along to Numb and then we are in two different places.
Don’t know where or how, but I know I have to get to him and I am fighting my way through a series of obstacles and people to do so.
Flash to a different point and I am half dragging my father from somewhere to the car and that’s not easy. I won’t put him over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry even though it would be easier because I don’t want to take his dignity.
And then neither of them are there, I am somewhere else and I am angry. Don’t know why, but I know that I feel flames.
Click again and I wake up tangled in the sheets trying to figure out if I am awake or still asleep because the veil hasn’t completely lifted.
Grumble and groan and wonder if I can get back to sleep for a few minutes and dream about a weekend with a supermodel or something else that is light and fun.
16 hours later sitting in a dimly lit room I am a little tired but feeling alright, grateful that tomorrow is Friday.
Could go for a good cigar and some single malt along with some Ray Charles though none of that will happen. Well, the Ray Charles might but the other stuff isn’t on the menu.
Here is to sunshine returning sooner than later and a relaxing weekend to come.
