Bob and Zachery, Grease lightning and the Green Sweater.

The Green Sweater

Living on the east coast in Rochester New York as a Home Health Aide was challenging work. I went into strange homes with new family customs that I had to learn and respect. I experienced diversity and listened to the stories of mostly older patients.

The family owned a Chinese restaurant. During the afternoon while the family was working, I took care of the matriarch. A mother who had a stroke. I did all I could to make her life as comfortable as I was trained to do. I collaborated with the nurses and physical therapist that visited once a week.

This lady was a rock on what she wanted. She would often hit me. I would let her know that was not appropriate. We would battle it out sometimes. Yet overall, I knew she liked me. I enjoyed her company too.

Her sons brought me a meal from their restaurant for lunch every day. I love Chinese food, so it was an incredibly special treat. Sweet and Sour Pork, lots of greens and noodles.

I was not use to the freezing weather and snow. Living on the west coast my whole life I found driving on black ice especially scary while driving to the home of this family who lived out in the country.

As the patient got better, she no longer needed my service. The day I left this strong woman gave me a gift. She would not take no for an answer and gave me a lovely Asian green sweater with lovely buttons. They were round and covered with a type of enamel with little designs.

I loved it and so when I traveled back home to California it was one of my prized possessions.

I ended up in Santa Cruz California. One night while I went out with my man, I had one too many Grease lightnings. The bartenders at the Poet and Patriate Pub were supplying us with many a pint. Bob and Zachery combined Amestein Lager with Guinness. We coined it “Grease lightning” because once served you had to power it down.

A big biker dude came up to my man and asked,

“Hey John why do you two power down your brews?”

John just smiled and then we walked over to play some darts.

On one of our many adventures playing darts with the local community of poets and patriots, or a few pirates, I got suckered into a conversation with an incredibly sad lady. She was cold on St Paddy’s Day and was not wearing green. I was wearing my green sweater, with green shirt and green shoes. I had plenty of green on. So, I said she could wear it a little while to warm up. The night went on and as I left to the lady’s room when I came back, she was gone and so was my lovely green sweater. I even told her my green sweater story story.

As we left that night to walk home, I heard one last song playing from the pub. One of my favorite Irish tunes. So, I danced the jig in the parking lot next to the pub. Then out of nowhere I swear a large Leprechaun danced awhile with me. We laughed and danced.

Around 1991 John and I sure did have some good nights at that local Pub in Santa Cruz. Wherever the green sweater is I hope whom ever has it is enjoying it’s beauty and warmth.

Darrel and John

Yin & Yang pendant from Darrel and John modeled by Flash the cat.

Santa Cruz California has beaches for surfing and a Boardwalk to walk on the wild side. The University of Santa Cruz sits on a hill above this once hippie and murder capital of central California. A beach town where beach meets music at the Catalyst Club. Pubs, Donut-shops and pizza parlors mark their territory too.

!991, you might find us early mornings at Farrell’s Donuts and in the evening, we hang at the seedy pub, known to the locals, as the Poet and Patriot.

Powering down a Greece lightning, made up of Guinness and Anchor Steam, got the night off for a rogue conversation with the local Thunderbird or a game of cheating darts. Bob and Zachery made the time enjoyable and even broke up fights… the successful job of the best of the best toxicologists!!

Darrel and John were big men. The chairs they sat in at the counter every morning, showed the wear and tear below. The owner of Farrell’s Donuts told John that he was going to make them pay for it. Darrel had a beard and long hair while John, his younger brother, just had long hair. They were misfits, rebels and they liked us and often they would service up our coffee and say,

“Service with a smile;”

Taking waitress Linda’s job not too seriously. They were characters. Darrel and John had a big pickup truck with a camper. They collected stuff from the local dump, ya know the stuff nice people throw away and these two recycled it. They were reformed hippies but that didn’t make any difference. When we moved into our little one-bedroom home they supplied us with some good furniture. One of the big chairs we kept with us for eighteen years.

After we got our new home, all fixed up we invited Darrel and John over for dinner of BBQ steak and home-made chili. We lounged like Romans and Darrel’s belly was so round that when he sat down, he put the chili bowl right on top of his belly. He ate his chili down.

Once in the early morning in Farrell’s Donuts parking lot I saw Darrel sleeping in his truck. So slowly I sneaked up to him. I reached my hand slowly to tickle his beard when he gripped my hand. I screamed. He looked at me and yelled,

“Don’t ever sneak up on a man sleeping in his truck. I might have broken your hand clean off!”

094 — Babies of 1992 and Alumni . Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 30 1992

Our first baby was born in Santa Cruz. Darrel and John surprised us and entered the picture in the local newspaper. Now that is dear friendship.

When Darrel passed away from a massive heart attack he was just in his forties. He was cremated and at his demise party they put his ashes next to a picture of him, as big and as mighty as the tree in their yard. Many of his friends showed up that day.

They were drinking and smoking all sorts of funny things. Darrel was one of those kinds of dudes that warms your heart just thinking of him.

It doesn’t seem like 31 years ago when Santa Cruz was our home, a town of characters and friends.

Happy 31st Birthday JF !!

The Catalyst

http://www.ucsc.edu/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/poet-and-patriot-irish-pub-santa-cruz

I think technology has ruined a few things! I said ladies no men!

When I lived in New York I stayed with a family when every Thursday morning the trash truck would come to pick up the trash. At about nine in the morning the women in this house got up quickly and ran to the windows. I did not know what was up, but I found out. The trash truck was not a fully automated one with a fancy robotic hand instead it was swarming with about four guys. I would say anywhere from 16 to 25. Hey, it was a rough job no shirts seemed logical. We put some good men out of work by replacing them with robotic animated trash trucks.

Then when I lived in Santa Cruz California, I noticed that chairs were set up around the local car wash. It was a small one and had some great Santa Cruz Roasting Company Coffee inside the little car wash cafe-store. It was early one morning when I decided to sit down in one of the chairs. Then slowly the cars started to arrive and went into the wash. One by one I saw the ladies drive up. Hey you reader,

“I said ladies no men!”

The guys came out with their rags and cleaning solutions ready to dry the ladies’ cars. These guys were surfers working part-time jobs. That particular day I was asked to get up from my chair by a rather happy lady who whispered,

“If you don’t have a car in the wash, you lose your seat.”

She pulled the chair out from under me.

Now the blowers at most car washes or gas stations don’t quite do the same kind of job as the part-time surfer guys. Tan muscles, long blonde hair and the female eyes watching them. Ladies’ hands leaving big tips in the trim of their pants seemed more productive to me. Yes, much more interesting to me then some big fans blowing my car dry. Technology sucks sometimes.