Good Friday ...................

Good Friday is one of those pseudo-holidays. A lot of schools are closed because they're either on Spring Break already or just going to start it. And, many parents are already off or are taking the day to prepare for the coming vacation. That being said, there are fewer people out and about early in the morning.

Also, it seems to me that Good Friday always starts out as cloudy, overcast. Maybe it's just me and my Catholic upbringing. Still, having looked out the window when I woke up, I decided to stay in bed a bit longer.

I left my house around 9. I had no particular place to go and all day to get there. I stopped at Shoprite for the paper and my lottery tickets (I play quick-picks for the Mega Millions and the Power Ball - Hey, you never know). I didn't do any food shopping. I do the meatless thing today, and I was going to be house-sitting for several days starting tomorrow so I didn't need anything.

I was at 1/2 a tank of gas and, as I passed my local station I noticed that he'd raised his price to $3.29. I figured that if I couldn't find a cheaper place, I'd stop on my way home.

I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast - a toasted Blueberry Muffin with butter and a medium, decaf coffee. I decided to head up to the Fords section, then work my way through Clara Barton towards Edison. I passed the Hess station on St. George and he was at $3.29 too. I figured the one on Route 9 would be cheaper so I passed him by. I was wrong. The Route 9 station was at $3.39.

I was driving aimlessly through Fords when I spotted this guy up ahead doing some gardening work.

 
I lowered the passenger side window, and looked around as I drew closer. It was just us.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove past and took the next right. I wasn't exactly sure where I was but I wanted to get off that street quickly. I took the next couple of lefts and found myself on Amboy Avenue heading away from Clara Barton. I went with this new direction and decided to take a turn through Raritan Center.

As I mentioned earlier, today being sort of an unofficial holiday, there were fewer cars on the road and fewer people around. I drove towards a diner that my daughter and I used to have lunch at periodically when she was working nearby. I hadn't been there in about 2 years and I thought I might get something to go that I could have for lunch and supper. As I neared Campus Drive, I noticed this guy walking along.

I looked around as I got closer to the corner, but there was no one else around. I made the left.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove through the lot of the deli but didn't stop. I got back onto Amboy Avenue and drove through Clara Barton.

I passed through Edison and Metuchen. I didn't stop anywhere and didn't come across any other potential Event. I passed several other gas stations but the prices were all around $3.39. Around 11:30, I headed back to the St. George Hess station and got $20 at $3.29 just in time. They were in the process of changing their price to $3.41.

 I stopped at the Subway's in the Pathmark strip mall. I picked up a 12-inch tuna on Italian bread with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers, and mayonnaise. I had him cut it off-center. I would have the shorter side for lunch and the longer one for supper.

I drove home and got the parking spot right outside my living room windows. As I locked the car and turned towards the front of my building I noticed that my living room blinds were open. They hadn't been when I'd left. And I noticed that the windows were slightly open.

Gordon.

I found him seated on the love seat in front of the windows. He'd obviously seen me and had closed the windows and was closing the blinds as I entered. He turned and grinned at me.

"Denny! It's good to see you!" He made no move to get off the love seat but just sort of waved at me. He looked thinner then the last time I'd seen him, and his eyes seemed different. They seemed to burn.

"Hey, Gordon ... it has been a while. So .. how're you doin'?"
"Excellent. I'm excellent. And you look well, too, Denny. Well, except for that eyebrow thing from the skin cancer surgery."

That took my aback. I didn't understand how he could know that so I excused myself to put the sandwich in the refrigerator. When I got back to the living room, I found Gordon still seated, still grinning, and - it seemed - waiting for me to say something.

"So ..uh .. Gordon .. what brings you here today? What have you been up to?" I thought I'd wait to ask how he'd known about the surgery.
"Well, I have been pretty busy since the last time we met. Mostly in southern New Jersey, Pennsylvania ... some Delaware. Busy, busy, busy. Having fun and leading a merry chase." He fluttered his right hand in the air. "But I realized the other day that I'd been neglecting you, my friend, so I decided to stop by and wish you a Happy Easter."
"Really? Well, that was thoughtful of you." I wasn't sure how to handle the situation but I was sure that he was now unpredictable. I figured that the best thing I could do would be to go along with it and forget about the eyebrow thing for now. "I hope you get to enjoy the day, too."
"Thank you, Denny. I appreciate that." Then his grin faded, and he got serious. "You know, something occurred to me recently and, once I get an idea like that it won't let me go." He paused as if not sure how to go on. Finally, he looked at me and asked, "Have you ever told Agent Doyle that you and I have met - have spoken - several times?"

I looked him straight in the eye and that wasn't easy.

"No. I haven't. And I don't intend to." I felt myself getting angry. "You and I have a common bond, Gordon, and I wouldn't jeopardize that. They did this to both of us. I don't agree with what you're doing but I won't turn you in. They made their bed and now they have to lie in it."

He stood up. His eyes looked to have cooled a bit. He stuck out his hand and I shook it.
"Thank you, my friend. That makes things easier for me." He walked towards the door. "If you'll excuse me now, I have other things I have to do but things are coming to a head, Denny. Very soon, there will be a reckoning."

He unlocked the door, then turned back to me and waved again. "Happy Easter again, Denny. I left a chocolate bunny on your pillow for you."

He closed the door behind him. Did he really say he'd left a chocolate bunny on my pillow? Damn.

Until this visit, it had been a good Friday.

Sneakers....................

I know, the official start of Spring was a couple of weeks ago. But we've still had some chilly days and some heavy rains. I don't mark the start of Spring until I put away my water-proof work boots and break out my sneakers.

Today was that day.

It may have been my imagination - as I left my apartment this morning - but I swear that I could feel a lightness to my step. A "spring", if you will. It felt great.

It was a bit too early for breakfast (I usually wait until after 9, when I take my anti-rejection meds) so I swung by the local Shoprite first. I picked up some stuff for supper and headed back to the apartment to drop it off. That was when I saw this woman walking by.

I was tempted, but we were too close to St. George's Avenue and anyone could turn into the strip mall at any time. I headed for home, and dropped off the food I'd bought.

I headed up to Avenel, stopping at the Comcast office to pay the bill (they don't open until 9:30 but I usually just drop it in their lock box). I picked up the paper, and went to Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast.

I ate in the shop, sitting at a small table by one of the windows, feeling the sun and reading my book. Feeling good.

 As I walked back to my car, I decided to just drive around for a while with the windows open (a little, anyway) and the radio on. As I drove up the block, I noticed this guy up ahead, walking in the street.

I looked around but it was only us.

Point, press, Flash.

I made the right turn, then another right, and headed towards Colonia.

I had CBS-FM on the radio - it's Beatles' Wednesday - and I just left it that way. I had no place to go and no time to be there. I was just "...meandering in a mazy motion..." as Coleridge wrote. It was great.

I drove through a couple of parks in Iselin and Edison. I drove through the back streets of Metuchen. At one point, I came up on this guy.

He was out taking a stroll on a nice day. Kinda like what I was doing. I drove on by.

When I found myself heading back towards Woodbridge, I took a quick left and headed for Sewarren and Williams Park. I parked, got out and stretched, and found myself looking out over Raritan Bay. I sat there for a while, enjoying the scenery and the quiet.

The breeze finally started to pick up and I decided to head for home. I took the first left out of the park and headed towards Woodbridge Avenue. I made the right but got stuck at the railroad crossing.

There was a freight train passing through and I was stopped along with this guy who'd been out walking.

We waited for almost 15 minutes for the train to pass. No one joined us. When it was finally through, and the gates were opening, I noticed that there was no one was waiting on the other side.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove on home.

Spring is finally here for me.

I've got my sneakers on.