As I was cruising up Westwood Ave., I saw ahead that a man with crazy white hair and a shoulder-slung trash bag full of god-knows-what was jay-crossing the road in an erratic manner. Naturally, I slowed to allow him to cross in front of me. Instead, he waved his free arm as if spanking a moose and shouted to me, “Go! Go on! Ya’ fuckin’ nut!” I pretended this meant, “Thank you for slowing to let me cross. You go ahead, though, you kind woman, and I’ll cross behind.”

We had a week of mostly homeboundedness. My finals went fine, my grades look excellent. Stevel is STILL SICK after three-plus weeks. He has an ear infection and is on heavy duty antibiotics. Thus the homebound week. Even in sickness, though, Stevel was nice to have around all week. Now it’s just me and my resumes and my home improvement projects. Lovely new drawer-pulls in the guest bathroom. Re-potted plants on the back patio. The daily cleaning-up of the oceans of cat vomit the Puking Pair slosh around this house every day. And a life void of meaning! I don’t mean to complain. I’ve been looking forward to doing these things and to having this time, and I’m so lucky to have it. I just miss the clicky-clack of Stevel’s keyboard, the blippy-bleep of his video games, the snoodly-sneeze of his awful cold. Poor man.