A year ago NYC began a bike-sharing program. It has been both controversial and popular. Many motorists hate it because it eats up space and ties up traffic. Greeniacs love it for obvious reasons. Of course, since this is a government program it is already deeply in the red. Typically, certain politicians are calling for a tax-payer bailout. A pox on them.
A Canadian media commission has initiated disciplinary measures against porn channels, not because of content but because it demands that 35% of the programming be Canadian, and 90% carry close captioning. I guess the latter includes the moaning, groaning and sighing. "Oh! Oh! Oh!"
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, the living caricature of a politician, is under fire, as it has been found that his campaign gave his grand-daughter $31,000 worth of jewelry. It sounds like something a writer would make up. I wish I could take credit for it.
The Detroit Tigers have given future Hall of Fame third baseman, Miguel Cabrera, 30, a ten-year contract worth $292 million, the highest in pro sports history. There’s no question that this great player should be among, if not, the highest paid in the game, but the length of the deal is absurd. Most long term contracts come back to haunt a franchise. The team would have to win at least two World Series during Cabrera’s tenure to justify the risk. Just two years ago the Angels gave Albert Pujols a generous long term contract, which seemed a good idea at the time, given his awesome production from the day he entered the major leagues. Since then, the first baseman certain to have a bust in Cooperstown one day has been a shadow of his former fearsome self, struggling because of a bad foot that required surgery.
As soon as I began setting up, it began sprinkling, so I took a limited edition of the floating book shop to the viaduct at Avenue Z and East 15th. It immediately paid off as a gentleman purchased the Ultimate Sinatra CD, and another bought a blues collection Marie donated the other day. Then Blaise approached and picked out Frank McCourt's Teacher Man. He asked about the other books and was impressed that I've written five. I gave him a synopsis of each and he selected A Hitch in Twilight and Killing. He told me of a time he had an argument with a girlfriend and walked through Canarsie alone, intimidated that no other whites were around. To be inoffensive, he referred to blue and gray rather than black and white. He was so relieved when finally he boarded a bus. He then obsessed about an infomercial about a beauty product, how false it was, rising on one foot and waving his arms, walking away about ten paces and returning. Since I did not smell any alcohol, I didn't think he was drunk. I assumed he'd taken some sort of chemical. He went on for an hour-and-a-half, telling me of how he held his mom's hand as she died of cancer, of the friend who committed suicide in January 2013, of his own thoughts of jumping in front of a train. He mentioned his family history of mental illness, of how he had precipitated his own through mescaline. He showed me his disability card, which allows him to ride public transportation, either at a discount or free, I'm not sure which. He had sense enough to back away each time a potential customer approached. His vocabulary was good. He asked me to write a paragraph in one of the books. It was the least I could do. I used phrases he had during the mostly one-sided conversation and ended it with "May the road rise with you," which I included because he'd referred to himself as a leprechaun. He said he would read it later but glanced at it because he was proficient at handwriting analysis and was interested in what the style said about me. He noted the V in my first name, turned the book upside down and said: "A phallic symbol," which had me laughing. When finally he tired, he offered his hand and said he was honored to have met me. I felt guilty for taking his money, as he is clearly incapable of holding a job and must squeak by on his government allowance. Sometimes life is at once fascinating and sorrowful. My thanks, sir, and to the other kind folks who made purchases.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
No comments:
Post a Comment