Day 88 - Car Crashes and Not A Cherry Tree

Monday, March 28th, 2010

Monday was real easy. Step off the CalTrain, hop in the truck, make a wee stop at the bank on Coleman, then head right on over to Jack's Bar & Lounge, all while listening to Through The Fire And Flames by Dragonforce.

It was like someone was getting married at the bar, what with all the pink and white petals strewn about on the floor from the Not A Cherry Tree (but we don't know exactly what kind of tree it is) outside. The floor was covered in petals all the way from the mat at the entrance to its cousin at the back door.

I imagined invisible faeries playing like the little kid that always does the flower petal tossing at weddings. How else could the petals get so far in?

Thoughts off faeries and wedding bells aside, it was pretty tame in the bar. Nothing magical beyond Aimee B. bartending and Jessica sitting at the top of the L-shaped bar.

I remember that when I gave Jessica a hug in greeting, she pressed the side of her face up against mine and I could actually feel the crunch through her jaw as she chewed on some goldfish. That was interesting.

Jessica sat next to Travis, who was still around from the end of his noontime shift, while Grady, Jerry and Wes filled in the center of the bar with me on the corner, plus a couple at the foot of the L, closest to the door, whom I'd not seen before.

They kept to themselves, this couple, and seemed somewhat bored. They sipped on drinks the color of San Jose Sharks teal.

Nobody that I asked could identify what kind of tree stands out front of Jack's, though all were in agreement that it wasn't a cherry tree. Which is to say you don't need to know what something is to know what it isn't.

Travis said that sometime tomorrow he'd check with Amy from the beauty salon next door to Jack's and have an answer for me the same day. Hope that actually works.

A few minutes later a dude I've not seen before walked in. Right behind him came Old School Doug and just like that the bar stools were pretty much all in use.

Even Old School could not tell me what kind of tree is outside, which just goes to show you that old people do not in fact know everything.

For the record, I'm turning 36 next week, so I'm fully aware that younger people are more likely to make that mistaken assumption when they ask me questions I have no fucking idea of the answer to.

And also for the record: as far as birthday presents go, I prefer hugs and kisses from the ladies and the chance to drink with the fellas (and the ladies too).

Travis is turning forty-something this week (you are coming to Jack's on Wednesday to buy him a drink and celebrate, yes?) and of course he's the exception to the old people rule above. That is, he has an answer for everything. It may not technically be the right answer, but I guarantee you, Dear Reader, it will be an entertaining answer; one that might just involve you.

Which is to say that in another life Travis was in fact a Zen Master.

But back to Doug. He did fill me on what the contents of all the orchards were in what's now northeast San Jose, up Taylor near White Road. Also around Center and Monterey roads too. Pears for miles, back then.

Speaking of driving miles and miles: Wes is using up his nine lives faster than a cat let loose in the middle of a busy freeway. I'm real glad he's OK, since a few seconds either way would have made a huge difference in his well being.

Word to the wise from me to you, Dear Reader: If you're ever in Merced, what you might think of as a four way stop could in fact be a no way stop. Best to slow down at all the intersections, if you know what I mean.

My beer went away real quick (damn faeries--bunch of beer-thieving alcoholics, all of them).

I said goodbye to the regulars and the couple (I chatted with the dude very briefly about the color of his drink; used it as a segueway into Sharks talk, even, but he seemed like he was winging it...probably a baseball fan...about the only inspired thing he said was that the Sharks are outperforming both the Warriors and the Raiders) and gave Travis a ride home.

You can see Travis back at the bar later tonight -he'll be on the door- when reggae gets under way.

You can see me tomorrow at Jack's, but later at night as I'm off to a pre-screening of Clash of the Titans with Wendee right after work. (Ha ha :p)

Take care until then, Dear Reader. Hope to see you Tuesday at Jack's!