Rocky R.I.P. – 7 May 2014

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2014  Indian Chieftain, modeled on a 1930s locomotive
with hard bags, a power windshield, and Bluetooth-enabled audio.

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7 May 2014

This is the first warm noon hour we’ve had so far.  As soon as I got to the park, Jacques handed me a cushion, I removed my leather jacket, then I sat down. Everyone was  in shirt sleeves.

Big Frank had a plastic bag on his lap. Mariah said, “Frank, show Dennis what they taught you how to do in Joyceville. This is what our hard-earned tax dollars go to.”

Frank replied, “They didn’t teach me this. I taught myself.” Out of the bag he carefully pulled a model of a Harley Davidson motorcycle made completely from paper. Thread was used for the cables. The handlebars and the wheels turned. It was painted purple with a gold design on the gas tank.

I was amazed, “This is beautiful, Frank. I’ve never seen anything like it. How long did it take?

“That one took sixty-one hours. I’ve got about nine of them at home.”

Jacques said, “Look, on the street. Is that a panhead?”

Frank said, “It’s either a panhead or an Indian. That’s a nice looking bike.

Joy said, “That guy that walked by just now looked exactly like Rocky; even had that, ‘Do I know you?’ goofy look on his face.”

I said, “That’s somebody I haven’t seen for a long time.”

Frank said, “He’s dead. I think Wolf found him on the street. He’d been beaten up. They took him to hospital, but he didn’t make it.”

Loretta said, “He had a woman staying at his place. Her boyfriend got jealous and beat him up. Rocky would go crazy when he fought.”

I said, “I’m sorry to hear that. I really liked him.”

Loretta said, “Yes, he was sweet.”

Frank said, I’ve seen somebody that looks like Crash, also; has the same moustache, ponytail and everything.”

Joy said, I’ve seen somebody that looks like Digger, and Wobbly Knees. It nearly freaked me out.”

Frank said, “Speaking of Wolf, did he make it home last night? He was in bad shape when he left here. He could barely walk.”

Jacques said, “Not only that, look what he left behind;  his Montreal cap. You know how much he like this cap. He got mad at me yesterday. You know that Montreal cushion that he has, the one that looks like a toilet seat. Somebody had to go to the bathroom, I lifted up the cushion and said, ‘You can go here.’ Wolf got so mad at me.”

I said, “Remember the newspaper that said, ‘Wolf is dead.’  He showed it to me and I said, ‘Are we sure that’s not true?’ He got really upset. He asked, ‘Just what are you insinuating? I don’t think I like it.”

Jacques said, “He’s in a bad mood because Shaggy’s legs are getting weak. She can barely walk. He pushes her everywhere in her caboose.

“Today I got my Trillium check. It was for fifty bucks. I paid thirty for my phone plan, that just leaves me with twenty.”

Mariah said, I’m with WIND, I get a five dollar rebate every month. That brings my monthly cost down to twenty-five. Are you still with CHATTER?”

“Yes, but maybe I should change, but I don’t want to give anybody my name. I pay in cash. If I miss a payment they cut my phone off right away. When I pay them they turn it on again.

Joy asked Chester, “Are those antibiotics you’re taking?”

“Yes, I went to my doctor this morning. I have an ear infection. He also gave me a script for ear drops. They’re not covered under our plan. They cost seventy-one dollars; it’s not Viagra, I’m not paying that much.”

To Me Joy said, “Chester gets a lot of ear infections. It’s because he has a perforated ear drum, from all the falls he’s taken. Ear wax leaks through onto his pillow.”

Joy said to Frank, “You know the pork chops I bought? I unwrapped them and they don’t look so good. There is only about two bites of meat on each one. Mariah, do you want some pork chops?”

Mariah said, “I’ve been staying away from pork chops, unless they’ve been barbecued. There is just too much fat. I like it, but I pay for it later. The same with bacon, I have to fry it until it’s really crisp, then I press it with paper towel to eliminate as much grease as possible. Because of this irritable bowel, I swell up and it causes a lot of pain.”

Jacques said, “Today is so beautiful, not too cold, not too hot. I see they put a Canadian flag on that building over there. They’re starting early for Canada Day. It’s not until July first. Why do they start so early?

Chester said, “Dennis, can you give me a hand and pull me up.”

Mariah looked at her watch and said, “It’s nearly time for my bus. I’d better leave.”

I said, “I’m going the same way. I’ll walk with you.”

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Couch Surfing – 7 May 2014

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7 May 2014

“Hi, Sunshine”

“Hi Joy.”

“Big Jake came down with me today. He’s got a p.o. appointment. I didn’t stay at the park very long yesterday because Jake came by. We’re not supposed to be seen together, because of the restraining order. I hope he stays downtown. I’d  like to have some time to myself.”

Ghyslain stopped by, “Hi Joy. Hi Dennis. Joy, I haven’t seen you since Christmas.

“Nobody has. I’ve been sick, but I’m okay now. It’s good to see you. How was it at your sister’s?”

“It was okay. I went to the corner to see Chuck, but he hasn’t been there the last couple of days. Do you know what’s wrong with him?”

I said, “I saw him last Thursday. He had a bad cold. He was coughing so hard that his heart was racing. He thought his defibrillator was going to be set off, but it wasn’t. After he left Thursday he was going to get more cough medicine, some soup and go straight to bed.”

“Well,” said Ghyslain, “I’m going for a coffee.”

I said to Joy, “I saw Loretta yesterday, I thought it was Michelle. She has her new teeth.”

“Yeah, I saw her yesterday. I was taken aback at first. I thought to my self, Who the fuck is this? She looks familiar.  When she spoke I realized it was Loretta. Why is it that dentists make dentures a size too large for a person’s mouth. When she smiles, I’m reminded of a h0rse. It’s the same with Buck. They also make them too white and too even. I told Jacques that he should get a set, but he said, ‘For what I eat, these few will do me just fine.’ I’m not sure what he meant by that.

I said, “Both of my parents wore dentures. Eventually, the skin around their mouth stretched, or their gums shrunk, so they didn’t have that horsey look. But, there is a piece of plastic between the gum and the lips; it has to go somewhere.

“They were playing dice yesterday.”

“Yeah, they were going to play when I was there. I said I didn’t want to, then Jacques said he didn’t want to, so nobody played. Wolf was really out of it. Did you notice?”

“Yeah, he could barely talk. He mentioned that he went to a dummy dust party on the weekend.”

“He said that to you? Yeah he’s into the crack alright, so is Andre, and Rhino. Three days after payday, nobody has any money. Why can’t they just stick to a little pot and some booze. It would be a lot cheaper.

“Rhino came over yesterday. He gets financial help from his parents, but yesterday he asked if he could come over for supper. I asked, ‘Don’t you have any groceries?’ He said he didn’t have a thing. Then he asked how Frank and I make it from payday to payday. I said, ‘We share expenses. It’s cheaper that way.’  For the first time, Frank is paying his way. I’m going to make sure he keeps it up.”

I asked, “What type of  high does crack give?”

“A short one. For ten minutes you’re up, then you feel all sluggish, so you  take another hit. That’s the way it goes. You never get enough, so you just keep paying for more.

“Someone had to distract her so I could give Wolf a hug. She doesn’t like Wolf hugging me. She doesn’t like me. She moved out a bit from her caboose then a guy came by with a wheel chair. He bent over to pat her and his front wheel went over her paw, so she yelped. He backed up and tried again, but he ran over her other paw. I was sure he was going to get bitten.”

I said, “Yesterday she didn’t even chase a skateboarder. She barked, but that was it. I think she’s going downhill fast. How old is she?”

“Eleven years. I remember when Wolf got her.”

I said, “For some breeds that’s old. My Doberman died at ten.”

“Yeah, I don’t know what Wolf would do with out that dog. He’d probably drink himself to death.

“Yesterday, Little Jake nearly scared the shit out of me. He rode up fast on his bicycle, then stopped right behind me. I thought he was going to run me over.”

“He love riding fast on that bicycle. I guess it’s better than taking the bus from where he lives.

“Have you heard that Shakes was evicted?”

“Yeah, I wonder where he’s going to stay. Wolf said he could stay at his place, but I can’t see that lasting long.”

I said, “He’s couch surfing at Little Jake’s now. Shakes said that he’d had a seizure, that’s why he was kicked out.”

“He may have had a seizure, but I figure he hadn’t paid his rent. Part of our disability check goes straight to the landlord. The rest is our responsibility. Shakes isn’t too organized that way, he probably spent it all on booze.”

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