Compulsion ...............

The only thing I wanted to get done today was to stop at the library and print out my monthly checking account statement. I do this every month. I've been criticized for doing this since I can see it online but I like to balance my account and printing my statement helps me to do that. I guess you could call it a compulsion.

I left my house around 8:40 so I'd be at the library when they open at 9. I took Rahway to Freeman. Along the way I came up behind this woman.

It was tempting but the High School is just behind those trees and there was a lot of traffic. I drove on to the library.

I printed out my statement and, on my way out, stopped at their sales table. I picked up "Dune: House Atreides" and "Dune: House Corrino" by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson for $.50 a piece.  I've always liked the original "Dune" series by Frank Herbert and these were part of a prequel co-written by his son. There was just one problem.

These are part of a trilogy - actually, they are parts 1 and 3. Part 2 is missing.

Now, I haven't read either of the books I'd just bought but I knew that I needed to find a copy of part 2. I'm a collector. It's a compulsion.

I headed up St. George but got stuck at the railroad crossing.

This gave me some time to leaf through part 1. This reinforced my need for part 2.

There were 2 stores I could get to that might have what I was looking for but they wouldn't be open until 10. I stopped for my lottery tickets, picked up the paper, and had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts. I got back on St. George and drove up to Inman where I turned left and saw this woman coming towards me.

 

I didn't even consider it. I was focused on a used book store that I've been to before.

I stopped at the Book Trader but they didn't have what I was looking for.

Next stop - the used book store on Main Street in Metuchen. I drove down Inman to Grove. Just before I turned off to park behind the library I saw this guy.

He's kind of a regular around here and I've seen him in the library a couple of times. But I'm on a mission right now so I passed him by.

The used book store didn't have what I was looking for. I headed home. As I crossed the Edison/Woodbridge border I saw this guy.

So far, I've been frustrated in my search. I took it out now.

Point, press, Flash.

I got the parking spot right outside of my living room.

I logged on to my laptop, accessed my account with Better World Books, and ordered part 2 - "Dune: House Harkonnen".

I would have preferred to have the book in my hand but I settled for ordering it at a discount price. What can I say.

It's a compulsion.

The Little Things ..............

Over the last couple of weeks I've been thinking a lot about the little things. You know, how sometimes they can annoy us and at others they can make our day.
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Late last week, I was on my way home and stopped at the red light on Amboy and Main. A State Police SUV pulled up on my driver's side and lowered his passenger window. I had no choice but to lower my window, too.

"Do you know that your brake lights are out?" Of course, I had no idea.
"No, sir, I didn't."
"The right side and the center. Fix them." He raised his window. He was done.
If it had been a local cop, I might've gotten a ticket.

The next morning, I got up early to get the lights replaced. I had the manual and checked out how to do it, but I didn't have the right tools. I'd need to buy them and have them installed.

I stopped first at the Auto Zone near Shoprite. There was a young woman working inside who made no attempt to help me. I tried to figure out the parts book, but it was Greek to me. I left and drove up St. George's to the Advanced Auto near Dunkin' Donuts. One of the guys came right over and helped me find the bulbs. He couldn't install them - store policy - but he sent me to a garage who would.

Customer Service is such a small thing.

I turned right onto New Brunswick and then right onto East Inman. I saw this guy coming my way.

I passed him by as I headed for the garage.

There were two guys inside just sort of hanging around. It took one of them less then 10 minutes to put the bulbs in. When I asked how much I owed him, he told me to forget it - it wasn't any trouble. Maybe, he suggested, I'd remember them the next time I needed some work done. I drove away. Another small thing that made my day.

I stopped at a Hess Station and filled up. $2.09.

Saturday, I passed the same Hess Station. They were now $2.19. $.10 a gallon is a small thing but it was in my favor.

I picked up the paper, stopped at Dunkin' Donuts, and drove to the Menlo Park Mall to enjoy my ritual. I then drove through Edison into Iselin, heading for the Foodtown. I picked up something for supper and was walking back to my car when I heard this guy.

He was wearing headphones, walking around beside his minivan, and carrying on a loud, animated conversation with someone. I know, it's a small thing, but it annoys me. I drove away.

Sunday, I went to mass, had a nice breakfast, and just decided to drive around for a while since it was such a nice day. I was on New Dover Road when I came up on this guy.

Since we were just outside of St. Helen's Church I passed him by. Going to mass is a small thing  that gives comfort to a lot of people.

I stopped at a Wendy's for lunch. I'd been carrying around a gift card I'd gotten last year and I finally got a chance to use it. A small thing, but tasty.

Monday it rained. I was out for about an hour and a half. Nothing happened except that when I passed the Hess Station, they were up to $2.29.

Today, I had a couple of things I wanted to do. First on the agenda, an oil change at 8 Minute Oil on St. George's. From there, I stopped at Shoprite for my lottery tickets (as usual) and went to the nearby Taco Bell's for breakfast. This was because of another gift card I'd been carrying around. I had their new Bacon and Egg wrap meal. It wasn't bad but the bits of bacon kept falling out.

As I left, traffic at the exit was slowed due to the landscapers working there. I finally got to the exit and had to wait while this guy stood in the street to take pictures of their work.

I would have used the Flasher, but it was too open.

I stopped at my favorite Thrift Shop but didn't find anything. I stopped at the library in Metuchen and picked up copies of Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon" and Chandler's "The Big Sleep" for $.50 each. Small things that make me happy.

I headed Down Route 27 and then right on Gill Lane. This passes through a cemetery. I saw this young man up ahead.

I just kept going. It was a cemetery after all.

I stopped at the Verizon Store near the Woodbridge Center Mall. My phone is pretty old and I wanted to see what my options were. I've had some problems here in the past having to do with the plan I'm on and I was anticipating the same thing. It started out that way, but the young man quickly turned things around and showed me what I could do. I'll be going back next month.

Customer Service - just saying.

I stopped at Wegman's and got a prepackaged salad and a small container of chopped onions and celery. I cut through one of the business complexes to get back to Main Street, heading home.

I parked by my house and checked my emails before going in. I had one from my daughter. Another picture.

You see, the reason that little things have been on my mind recently is that back on April 5th ( Easter Sunday ) she gave birth to her first child - my first grandchild. She was born at 11:39 P. M., weighed 8 lbs., 9 oz., and measured 20 inches.

Since then, Doyle has called to congratulate me and I found a card from Gordon slipped under my door (although I'm not sure how he knew so quickly).

It's been 6 1/2 years since my transplant and things keep happening.

And the best ones have been the little things.

People Are Strange ......

It looks like my interrupted sleep pattern will continue for a few more days at least. My daughter says that the baby will probably hold out until her due date - which is Tuesday the 7th. This gives me some time to get one more thing taken care of.
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Today is Saturday and I was looking forward to my routine. I stopped at ShopRite to pick up a few things - mostly cleaning stuff, it is Spring, after all. On the way in, I passed their Dunkin' Donut outlet and thought that I'd get my breakfast to go.

I bought what I needed, took it out to my car, and went back in for a medium iced tea and a bagel with cream cheese. There was a woman with her daughter at the counter placing an order. The young girl was wearing pajama pants which has been the style for a number of years. I think that pajama pants are cute when kids wear them; okay when women wear them; and totally unacceptable for men. (I don't even like to wear sweat pants outside.)

This kid, however, was also wearing a robe with a combination of colors that clashed dramatically with the pants. It looked to me that the mother had things to do and dragged her daughter out of the house before she could get changed. Strange.

I left and wound up at the Dunkin' Donut shop on Avenel where I ate my breakfast at one of the tables. I then drove towards the Menlo Park Mall. I stopped at the light by the Metro Park train station and noticed that the car next to me was rocking. I looked over and saw the driver shaking her hands and nodding her head, obviously to whatever music she was listening to. Now, I sing along with the radio, too, and I like to bang on the steering wheel to the beat but this was just strange.

When the light changed, she went right and I went straight ahead.

I spent a very pleasant hour or so at the Mall, reading the paper and doing the crossword puzzle and browsing through Barnes & Noble's. Now it was time to take care of that one more thing.

I drove up towards JFK Hospital.

My daughter is going to be here for the delivery and, since that's coming up, I wanted to sort of map out my way there. I like to know where things are and how to get to them.

Of course, I've been to JFK before. I spent a week here when I was first diagnosed, and I had to come back weekly for out-patient testing for several months afterwards. I already knew about the parking situation but I wanted to find out where the Maternity Ward was. It didn't take me long.

I stopped at a Hess Station on 35 and filled up. $2.03 a gallon.

It was coming up on noon and I was getting hungry. I stopped at the Pathmark in Avenel. As I walked in I remembered that there was a Subway's inside.

They have a special going on - any 12-inch sub for $6. That's not a bad price. I went in, and there was 1 woman waiting and a young man being served.

He was having a turkey and parmesan on herb bread. He added lettuce and onions. When it came to condiments, he asked for mustard and then oil-and-vinegar. Mustard and oil-and-vinegar? That's too strange for me.

I left, stopped at a local deli for Boar's Head Bologna and a kaiser roll, and went home. I got a good spot right out in front of my living room window.

As I sat there finishing my iced tea, I thought back on the morning. Some people might think that my checking out the hospital was strange but it's something I do. It's a part of who I am. That's when I realized that I'd misjudged some people today. That every one else has things that are a part of them.

The mustard and oil-and-vinegar combination is a part of who that young man is.

"Car dancing" is a part of who that woman in the car is.

I was beginning to think that wearing a robe outside instead of a coat is a part of who that young girl is. And that she was lucky to have a mother who didn't stifle her creativity.

We all do things that we like to do - that we consider normal, but that others might think of as strange. We're all different. Every one of us has a quirk, an idiosyncrasy. They are what makes us "us".

And that's OK.

Like Morrison sings ... "People Are Strange".