It was another very late night last night after an enjoyable gig in Crouch End, which I’ll cover in #405’s Substack audio, out this evening. Today’s disappointing wet weather, it’s still too fresh out there for this time of year, saw me head out for the lunchtime run with less enthusiasm than normal but I still dug out a 10.k.
Friday run1kerr
I arrived at the back-up café just before 1500hrs and was served fairly quickly by Upright, wearing a nice red and black lumberjack shirt that reminds me of a similar shirt I had, but I can’t quite timestamp it. Unfortunately for me, there is an admittedly very good looking dog (I’m no good identifying breeds but you should be able to see it in this picture) and Upright stopped off to let the dog nuzzle her free hand before delivering my first decaf.
There was little SMALL talk with me as clearly she couldn’t wait to get back to the dog. She told its owner she wanted to give the dog a treat. He asked some specifics before agreeing, presumably because he doesn’t want a chubby dog on his hands. This reminds me a few years back, a girl took it badly when I made reference to her ‘fat’ cat. The cat was very overweight. There was a time when ‘fat’ would’ve covered that.
Eventually the dog’s owner relented and agreed to a treat. Upright returned moments later to say they were out of treats but she would like to offer the dog some ham. The dog’s master wasn’t too keen on that. If that had been me, finding the situation awkward, I might’ve dithered and considered accepting the ham on the dog’s behalf, mindful that long-term it could open the doors to a regular stream of ham for the dog which I’m guessing this guy wasn’t happy about as he didn’t want the ham for the dog.
16:09hrs
I finished my first decaf.
And now the wait begins…
Café Soundscape 16.15hrs
16:17hrs
Still waiting.
16:19hrs
Upright spots my empty glass while cleaning another table.
‘Daniel, she calls over and gives me the thumbs up.
“Yes please,” I call over.
The moment where your empty glass is spotted is one of life’s great instants.
16:24hrs
My second decaf finally arrives.
That’s too much froth. A froth helmet.
I try not to think of how many different dogs Upright has stroked with both hands here in the back-up café today.
I ring my aunt to check how her and my uncle are doing. My uncle’s had a difficult week. It does feel like things have shifted slightly this week. Like the level of pain has upped, rendering his current pain killers ineffective. The pacing of this terminal illness feels a bit like David Simon’s ‘The Wire’, slow building but gradually picking up, building, introducing more elements. Unlike ‘The Wire’ though, this is a very tough watch. I try to think every day, how will I feel when this is all over, when I look back. As a friend said to me the other day, having lost his uncle at the start of this year, the older generation are dying out now, pushing us to the front of the line. Those staples of our life are gone or almost gone. I’m certainly not in line to some staple of anyone’s life. While I don’t give too much of a hoot that I never had kids, it’s still quite a thing to get my head around that I am the last of the family line. There’ll be no young family member willing to document my underwhelming career of multiple TV commissions, a straight-to-DVD movie, a thousand plus podcasts, this pile of whatever it is here, and various other underwhelming projects.
Hey, take a look at the prices on these vintage Star Wars action figures. I doubt I’ll ever be able to attract these guys to my Star Wars Football League. I’ve never gone over £8.
I almost snaffled this Barada Last 17 figure back in the second lockdown when it was only going for a fiver. Enjoying the bartering element of eBay, I refused to go above £4.50. Later that night, the seller sold it for £45, which for this figure is very cheap.
2 ‘o’ clock, far side of the back-up café, a woman in a turquoise fleece, early sixties perhaps and a suspiciously smooth forehead (the lips have definitely been filled) is complimenting the Hawaiian-shirted chef on a fine meal. Her lips move unnaturally. Why do people do this to themselves?
A man arrives and orders the rabbit. He talks to himself every time he’s here so I’m surprised by his order, I have to say.
Let’s knock this on the head for today.
I’m back this evening with #405 Substack audio.
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