Passed Ball, Failing Keyboard, BRAINNNless Bank, Heartful Poetry

[captainsblog]

Scratch off that final minor league game of the year. I had tentative plans to see the Wings (the real ones going by "Plates") against the Wings (the fake ones who usually go by "Bisons") in Rochester tonight. The weather mostly cleared and definitely cooled, but by the time I got through my morning work here, the two other things I  thought I'd have to go for in the afternoon turned out to be no things I'd have to go for. So they'll just have to play their death match for fourth place in the International League North without me:(

----

The keyboard cleaning was nice, but it did not solve the problem. If anything, more key combinations are joining the party and not working.  I'm going to wait until after the holiday weekend to see about a more involved repair, because Office Depot is crawling with crumbcrunchers getting their back-to-school supplies.  On my third visit the other day to finally reclaim my laptop, I saw a family coming out as I was going in. The women, all hijabi'd and speaking in thick accents. But the kids, eagerly clutching their supply lists from their Most Very Murkin elementary schools.  I'm sure there were people near, if not in, that store who were put off by these showings of the womens' faith (I'd personally be more afraid of a Catholic priest, given recent confessions;), but what I saw were just people. Who are the same all over and want the same all over.


There's similar teeth-gnashing going on where I grew up,  where people are freaking out because police found human remains in a wooded area one community over, and they’ve identified it as gang-related. OMG MS13!, I hear them cry. I promptly commented that East Meadow, when I grew up there, was the long time home of Joey Bananas, the former head of one of the Mafia's Five  Families. “Now THAT was a gang.”

But another commenter topped that: “Yeah I miss the days when all we had was a serial killer living on my grandma’s street. Such idyllic and peaceful days of yore.”  I was lucky. Joel lived at least five blocks away from me on the other side of the school.

Even when I get a sudden streak of mean in me, it never lasts. The other morning, I was in a hurry to get on the road and when two of us approached the Timmy's drive-thru at the same moment, I cut the other guy off.  Tempted though I am sometimes to just recite the old Fried Green Tomatoes line- I'm older than you and I have more insurance- I wound up paying for his order. Best four bucks I spent the whole day:)

----

Speaking of body parts: we have a bank which could use some more in the higher elevations.

A bankruptcy client, who gave up her home in the case, emailed to inform me that the mortgage holder (not naming them, but it's a LOCK you'd guess it if you've RED much of my writing) has refused to secure the property and she is now getting code violation notices on it. Here's what I sent the bank attorney:

You filed the lift-stay motion referenced below, which was unopposed and granted because the debtor surrendered the property. No foreclosure has been commenced to our knowledge, and our client is now receiving code violation notices concerning the property condition. New York has adopted strict new measures to prevent "zombie homes" from falling into this situation. If you would like to arrange a deed in lieu to get this issue resolved, please contact me. Otherwise, the bank can expect action to publicize, if not penalize, its lack of BRAINNNNNNNS.

I called the guy today, and he forwarded it as soon as he got it. They promised to "expedite" all the processes- foreclosure, deed-in-lieu review, and securing the property. Of course, when they use that word, it does not mean what you and I think it means.

----

On the other hand, when I used the word last night, I damn did mean it meant fast.  I did my first-ever poetry reading at the last of the Elmwood Village open mics for the summer.  They had twelve slots for the first round, but after Eleanor got out of work and we took the long ride down under the glow of a double rainbow, all of them were filled- except, for some reason, the second.  So I took it.

I started with the one that was more filk than poem, but certainly readable as one: inspired by  Rudy Giuliani's proclamation two weekends ago that "truth isn't truth," I decided to put him in an updated version of the Monty Python  Philosopher's Song:
 

Ivanka Trump’s got a father who’s a rump
He’s a hateful orange manic
Steve Bannon, Steve Bannon  is a real loose cannon
Wants to make America Germanic
Sarah Huckabee Sanders lies like slimy salamanders,
Scott Pruitt is a hoax,
And Dr. Ben Carson bought a big ass table, son,
To pass with the rich white folks!

 

This whole bunch is homophobic and they’re racist and uncouth….
Rudy Giuliani says, “Truth isn’t truth!”

Paul Manafort took a chance and got caught
Raiding millions from the kitty
Chris Collins, Chris Collins was the next to go fallin’
With his stock fraud- such a pity!
Omarosa, Omarosa’s tapes are giving us a dose of
What this President has cost us
And there’s Wilbur Ross who of course, of course,
Made more millions off his office!

Ah, but Rudy Giuliani is particularly nuts….
A decent mayor once but as a lawyer he’s a putz!

(The original with lyrics is here if you need it;)

Then onto more of a poem-poem. Called "Breakdown  Lane," it was inspired by an endless parade of road detritis we saw heading to Silo  City for another  poetry and music performance two weekends before.  Mostly stream of consciousness stuff, with a built in lawyer joke which of course got the biggest reaction.

I was cheered.   That doesn't happen in court.



See yas next summer:)