mcgrew's Journal: Christmas Time in Springfield

It had been a quiet few weeks since I gave Tami the bum's rush. Amy came by Friday night with whiskey (of course) and ten bucks she owed me, and had a few drinks with me before waltzing down the street. "I'm going to see if George will loan me some money, I'll be back."

George is a retired guy around my age, maybe a few years older, and he's dumber than me when it comes to women. Yes, I know that seems impossible but it's true. If he wasn't broke he'd loan her the money, which I've learned not to do any more. Amy used to be good about repaying loans -- the ten dollar loan was at least a year old, and I stopped loaning her money after that. After she met Connor she stopped being so prompt with paying back debts; but then, she was working as a cab driver before she met him.

I didn't expect her to come back. Of course, I didn't expect her to repay the old ten dollar loan, either. She probably borrowed it from someone else to pay me back with.

The next morning as I was drinking my first cup of coffee, before the cobwebs cleared from my head and a tad hung over (I'm always hung over after Amy visits) I fired up the PC to read the paper. The Springfield daily's headline screamed "Blagojevich to go to court, then debate Elvis."

Only in Springfield!

And you can forget about Santa Claus coming by your house for the next eight years. He's going to federal prison for child porn.

Captain Kirk's great grandfather is running for Illinois Senate.

The municipal building (where you pay parking tickets and electric bills) was evacuated when a very old box was discovered in the basement with "KABOOM" written on it. The bomb squad was called, and discovered that it contained an old mail sorting machine.

Springfield cartoon alderman Sam Canham is in the news again. Hookers I know tell me the guy's a real sleazebag, and women who aren't prostitutes that have met him tell me he's a disgusting pig who has no respect for women whatever.

The newspaper (picture is in the link) reports that

The agency charged with recommending discipline for Illinois attorneys has filed a three-count complaint against Springfield Ward 5 Ald. Sam Cahnman, alleging he made false statements to the court in 2008, solicited a sexual act from undercover police officers earlier this year, and brought the legal profession into disrepute by groping a woman prisoner at the Sangamon County Jail in 2002.

All three alleged incidents previously have been reported in the news media.

Cahnman faces misdemeanor criminal charges for solicitation in connection with the incident on Aug. 9. He has pleaded not guilty.

This is the kind of guy that runs for public office in Illinois. I wrote about Canham in an earlier journal.

The article about Canham and the police hookers reminded me of a few days earlier when I was in Felbers. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and looking up I saw a female figure entering the misnamed "lady's" room. As she came out I saw that "Snake" had apparently been unbarred. I hear her boyfriend is now barred. She said "hi" and went on past. I guess she's given up trying to solicit (and rob) me.

I got up from the computer for a second cup and the doorbell rang. I looked out the door's window and saw a female head facing the other way -- Amy was indeed back, albeit a little tardily. I opened the door and she turned around, and it wasn't Amy after all.

It was Tami.

Shit. If I'd had more coffee I'd been more aware and not opened the damned door.

She was drunk and crying. "I know you hate me," she sobbed, "but goddamn it you're going to drink with me today, anyway."

Shit. "Come in," I growled. I don't hate her; I don't hate anybody, but she'd really pissed me off and I'd been done with her.

"I brought some food," she laughed. "What's the matter?" I asked her.

"Alan threw me out this morning, and I'll be damned if I'll leave my food there. You want it?" she said. Yeah, like I'm going to pass up free food. Free anything for that matter.

WQNA wasn't coming in very well, as is often the case this time of year. Its transmitter is, as the radio blurb brags, "roughly the power of four light bulbs!" I don't much care for the Saturday morning show anyway. "Want to watch a Christmas movie?" I asked her.

"Sure," she sighed. I imagine Christmas isn't very fun for someone who's just become homeless. So I put my favorite Christmas movie in the VCR -- Die Hard. We watched the movie and I asked her "are you hungry?"

She hadn't eaten the day before. Odd, since she had her backpack filled with food. I cooked some pork sirloin and veggies for lunch, and we went to Felber's. When she was in the restroom, Kathy, who wasn't tending bar that day but was on the patron side, asked "I thought you were done with her?"

"I was. I'm weak, especially when I'm confrtonted with a crying woman."

When we left I took a half pint of Amy Whiskey home; Canadian Superior, some really cheap rotgut shit. I put My Name Is Earl in the DVD player, and that was the last thing I remembered. I woke up (or came to) to the sound of the finished DVD's theme song, using her as a pillow.

I like fat girls, they make good pillows.

I got up and went to bed. When I woke up, she was still on the couch sleeping. Sunday was pretty much like Saturday, and somehow she was on the couch Monday morning. "Can you give me a ride to Jessie's? It's his payday. I'll try to get you some pot. I'll call you and you can pick me up for lunch."

I havn't seen her since. Whoopie!

But... well, the doorbell rang last night, and when I opened it, there stood... Tammy. The anti-Tami. Skinny bible thumper Tammy.

This might turn out to be interesting.

Die Hard a Christmas Movie

[Eristone]

Ya had me laughing there, mcgrew, as you post Die Hard as one of the San Francisco Chronicle reporter-types is in full agreement with you. (I am too, but I don't have anywhere near as big a following :) ) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/detail?entry_id=52634 [sfgate.com] In any event - stay warm and good luck on the woman front.

Re:

[mcgrew]

From the comments in that article, it appears he and I aren't the only two. Die Hard 2: Die Harder is a good Christmas movie as well.

Not sure where it's going with Tammy, but I'll journal about it in a few days probably.

Re:

[mcgrew]

Well, well, if it isn't the Mad Bomber. Here's a hint, numbnuts -- checking the "post anonymously" checkbox doesn't let you mod and post. You have to log off to make a comment in a thread you moderated. Your moderation of this comment [slashdot.org] was undone when you posted the comment I'm responding to, dumbass.

These journals must be some powerful writing if you hate them so much but still keep coming back to read them. Try to temper your jealousy, son.

I find your feeble attempts incredibly amusing, keep it up!