My Weblog

Close to Angels

As it's Christmas Eve I wanted to share a little story of kindness with you.

This may be the greatest singular act of kindness I have ever witnessed.

And I don't even remember the woman's name to give her due credit.

***

In February of 2004 my sister entered a hospice to end her days.

She bucked all expectations and went home - she just wasn't ready.

Turns out she had 10 days more in her and wanted to go home.

While she was in that hospice I befriended a nurse.

This nurse and I bonded and oddly enough we shared a bundle of laughs.

One evening I saw her come in for work but I couldn't find her.

After a while I began poking my head into the rooms.

Eventually I found her in a chair reading to an old woman in her bed.

The room was awash in candlelight and seemed very peaceful.

The nurse looked up at me and shook her head suggesting, "Not now."

A couple hours later she came to me a little subdued.

I asked her if she was ok. She responded, "Yes."

Then she explained, "I promised her daughter that she wouldn't die alone."

I asked, "Did she..." She stopped me with a little nod of her head.

There was not a hug tight enough to thank her for her service.

Hospices nurses are as close to angels as you can find here on earth.

I learned that that weekend. And will never forget it.

The Night I Met Weird Al

So. The other night at happy hour the bartender played an old 80's DVD.

At one point Weird Al's parody of Madonna's Like a Virgin played.

I told the friend I was with that I thought Weird Al was a genius.

And as Like a Surgeon rolled on I said, "Weird Al just never got his due."

Fast forward about 15 minutes and I'm walking into the grocery store.

As I'm pondering a selection in frozen foods Weird Al walked by me.

I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. I mean, what are the chances?

I followed him to the yogurt area where I confirmed that it was indeed him.

Now, I don't usually approach celebs - but in this case, how could I not?

It's Weird effing Al!!!

I tapped his shoulder, "Excuse me Weird, I really think you are brilliant."

He blushed a bit as I asked, "May I take a photo with you?"

He was very sweet, "Thank you and of course."

He promptly whipped out his glasses and constructed his classic face.

Afterward I told him that I loved his work and was thrilled to report,

"Not 20 minutes ago I saw Like a Surgeon at happy hour."

He replied, "Are you kidding?" I shook my head, "Nope. I'm serious."

Weird Al smiled broadly, "Wow, that's really cool."

I thanked him and said, "Well, I'll let you get back to your shopping."

Five minutes later I saw him on the chip aisle and wanted to tell him...

That I thought his Lady GaGa parody last year was pure magic.

But alas, not even Weird Al can get me to go down that evil chip aisle.

Must. Avoid. Chip. Aisle. At. All. Cost.

*****

For you entertainment and pleasure - Like a Surgeon & Perform This Way:

Chux Gangnam Style

So damn dumb.

Those Boys Are Naked

Just a quick little funny from last night.

***

Sheer laziness found me catching a bus to go 3 stops instead of walking.

I took a seat behind a very lovely 70-something black lady.

Along this stretch the bus passes a bunch of West Hollywood gay bars.

Well, by chance we got stuck at a red light right in front of Mickey's.

This particular bar was in full raging happy hour mode.

And the go-go boys were completely visible from where we were stopped.

The old lady looked over and then quickly snapped her head back forward.

Seconds later she couldn't resist another little sneaky peak.

Again she quickly turned away.

She then looked for a third time only this time her gaze stuck.

She said nervously over her shoulder to me, "Oh, those boys are naked."

She seemed kinda titillated so I pointed to the sign over the door & joked,

"Oh. Well it's your lucky day. There's 'No Cover Charge Tonight.'"

She replied hand-to-heart, "I don't think they want me in there."

I said, "You show up with a fist full of ones and they ain't gonna care."

She giggled like a naughty little girl as the bus rolled on again.

How Could She Not?

In February it will be 9 years since my family portrait was forever changed with the untimely passing of my sister owing to breast cancer.

Today is Nancy's birthday and every year I like share a memory to honor her special day. Usually they are on the 'grab-a-tissue' side but not this time as I reach back to our teenage years.

My little sister was probably the first person to accept my lifestyle. You see, we were less than a year apart so in essence she grew up with it as 'natural' nearly as much as I did - how could she not?

I mean, we moved around a lot and often it was just the two of us left to entertain one another. Until high school when we went our separate ways. The drama department was my calling and it kept me pretty busy and she had her things - which don't spring to mind at the moment.

In my senior year the spring musical was a great show called, Pippin. I didn't get a proper role but the show has a lot of dialog spoken by the chorus members and I was favored with many of these lines and by extension kind of created my own character. And it was a stand-out, of course.

Anyway, there is a scene in which I refused to give Pippin his sword to go into battle to which he insists, "But I'm Pippin, one day I'll be king." I hand over the weapon with a catty retort, "And one day I'll be queen."

During the three-week run it got a lot of laughs. Sometimes even applause. People got the implied foreshadowing with which I laced my voice. I looked forward to that scene each night - it felt liberating.

The night my sister was in attendance there was a little commotion after my confessional thespian moment. Later that night when I got home I asked her about it she replied, "I was sitting next to some jerk who said to his friend that you were already a queen." She paused and then continued proudly, "So I slugged him."

Awe-some-ness.

I'm not sure why this is memory that came to mind to share with you today. Probably because I didn't appreciate her gesture enough at the time and I need to know if is it too late to thank her for it now?

***

Yea. I didn't think so.

World AIDS Day

It's World AIDS Day.

I think every damn day should be World AIDS Day.

Hard to believe we are over 30 years into this thing.

I hope one day SOON they will find a cure.

Please spare a thought for those living with or affected by AIDS.