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April 18, 1997
Today's rain is supposed to turn to snow. At least that's what I've heard. This is New England so we can never be sure. My umbrella has disappeared. I used it to walk from my car to Starbucks for coffee this morning. I hung it from the back of a chair at the bar. When Anne, Zena, and JoJo came in, they wanted to sit in the remaining chairs at the bar so I moved it to the floor beneath my feet. I leaned it against the ...
the doorbell rings... I run downstairs -not easy with the mysterious knee thing - to answer it...
The mailman announces he has a certified letter for me. I exclaim: "Another one!?!" I picked up yesterday's certified letter at the post office this morning. This one is from the same long distance provider. Apparently I changed my long distance carrier in my sleep on Monday. Woe is me. Who are these guys? Minimum Rate Pricing, Incorporated?
The mailman is standing there with the outside door open waiting for my signature. I am standing there with my unit door open fumbling for a pen ... or a clue...
Wilbur dashes outside making his break for the freedom of the road. Woe is me. I dash after him. The mailman shoos him back in. I sign the thing, take the letter and the rest of the mail, and lecture Wilbur. Like he understands. Yeah, right.
I drag the mail upstairs to my office. Wilbur goes into the living room to sulk. The phone rings. There's no one there. I yell "hello, hello, hello!!!!!!" progressively louder. There's still no one there. Maybe I just changed my long distance carrier again without even knowing. The mail is boring: coupons and sale circulars for things I'll never buy, a meaningless memo from the wildlife refuge acknowledging national volunteer week, the May/June issue of Poets and Writers, brochures from the Northshore Music Theater and from the Theater Offensive, and an ad for a cruise to Greece.
I lean the umbrella against the bar and go back to sipping latte as I scribble in my paper journal and take notes from The New Diary and Volcano Weather. JoJo offers me half his bagel. I decline. Anne, Xena, and JoJo leave. I plunge deeper into reading. I get up to leave. No umbrella! I search the store. The baristas and the manager search the store. No umbrella! Where the hell did the umbrella go? One of the baristas asks "are you sure you had it when you came in?" "Of course I am! I moved it so JoJo could sit next to me!" "Maybe JoJo took it." He's three. Why would he walk off with a wet umbrella?