by David A. Kirschenbaum
@boogcity
Dec. 1
mom bought kosher fried chicken home for us
me and dad and her
for dinner
that and kasha varnishkas
"i knew you'd like fried chicken,"
she said with a smile.
Dec. 2
paid bills
yes, paid bills
like to pay bills
yes, like to pay bills
Dec. 3
go with dad to trade in coats for mets tickets
at their annual winter drive
my old official mets cap had shrunk
from my head to now fit my dad's,
so now, with 25 percent off just for coat drive day,
buy crazy priced hat,
now discounted for $32,
my one splurge for the month,
skipping the mets stocking cap
and its questionable pom ball.
Dec. 4
went to the post office
oceanside post office
the postal worker who metered my package,
who sold me chanukah stamps,
was there since the nineties (maybe before)
back when it was home of old boog p.o. box
number 221.
Dec. 5
up to pee in the morning
put light on in hallway,
not in bathroom,
back to bed after drinking some melted ice.
up to pee a few hours later
put light on in hallway,
not in bathroom,
back to bed after drinking some room temperature raspberry flavored seltzer.
mind racing,
staying as under covers as i can
not wanting to get up,
mind racing,
look back at clock,
12 o'clock,
mind racing,
look back at clock,
2 o'clock,
only two more hours until darkness.
Dec. 6
up to pee in the morning
put light on in hallway,
not in bathroom,
back to bed after drinking some bathroom sink water.
up to pee a few hours later
put light on in hallway,
not in bathroom,
back to bed after drinking some bathroom sink water.
mind racing,
staying as under covers as i can
not wanting to get up,
mind racing,
look back at clock,
12 o'clock,
mind racing,
look back at clock,
2 o'clock,
make myself get up
to two bowls of storebrand honey nut cheerios,
proceed to the work to stir some of the racing.
Dec. 7
can't reach philip,
house phone has error message,
his cell phone right to voicemail,
so my dad calls his dad
who calls phil's wife's cell,
and phil calls me.
i pick up even though i don't recognize the number.
Dec. 8
i didn't put ketchup on my hot dog,
that's something that's new to me
because my dad was so turned off by the idea,
not atop of the mustard
and the sauerkraut,
no ketchup this time for me.
and though it was a good dog
a pretty good dog
i wished i put ketchup on my hot dog.
Dec. 9
(sing chorus, repeat 2x)
i don't want to that job
but i kinda need to that job
i need to get out of the house
but i don't want to get out of the house
Dec. 10
first night in apartment in a while
i'm relearning my dvr
an important thing for a basically shut-in
my best friend my tv
Dec. 11
first night alone in my apartment in a while
baked ziti and house salad
folks parting gift
to make sure i'm ok,
at least that my belly is
Dec. 12
washing new york liberty cup lauren gave me
when my city was our city
i hate madison wisconsin
Dec. 13
(sing)
plugging holes
in boog city
exact dimensions
here they are
turning space
over to others
some near
and some far.
Dec. 14
my stomach finally settled from throwing up
off and on for hours
i ask my roommate for his saltines
and after a talk with the on-call doctor
eat half of the first cracker
feel it coming
and run to the bathroom
to resume the action
Dec. 15
a day early
four months after beginning the process
of gathering the editors to gather the work
of filling the pages and proofing the pages
and four months after beginning the process i upload the issue,
a day early.
Dec. 16
write over 2,000 words on boogfor online interview's seven questions
zigging and zagging through past 23-plus years
enjoying the reflecting on reflections.
Dec. 17
i asked wanda
if i order tea
could i get an extra cup of hot water,
she said most of the time, yes.
Dec. 18
i've bought the same soap
yardley's oatmeal & almond
for years now.
i was an irish spring man before that,
dad still stocks it in his bathroom for me,
but it's too perfumey,
or cologney, or something-y, for me now
the yardley's costs a bit more,
but it's worth it.
Dec. 19
for years darlene love
on the last live letterman before christmas
ends the show with her classic
"christmas, baby please come home"
and for years i email my cousin kenny,
darlene fan and friend,
when darlene love will be on letterman,
even though he probably knows already.
Dec. 20
(sing)
it's a white lie
i know better
that's what i say
everytime
but in the right
is what i am now
and i see
that you are changing
i'll resume
my now ok actions
i'll resume them
everytime
Dec. 21
your birthday dinner's
kinda my birthday dinner
if my birthday mattered to you equally
but my birthday dinner
is really your birthday dinner
because you see you don't.
Dec. 22
fried chicken
kosher fried chicken
it doesn't take much to make me happy
as much as kosher anything,
especially kosher fried chicken,
belated birthday dinner wish fulfilled.
Dec. 23
i get colored sprinkles on my sundae,
something i just don't see done,
but colored sprinkles on my sundae
is a whole, hell lot of fun.
Dec. 24
dream
at a big lee ann brown book party
i thumb through what looks like her collected
see my name in list of previously published books on back cover,
although "for david kirschenbaum" is part of title.
brenda coultas says she's going to write me a poem
on late giants hall of fame pitcher christy mathewson.
a moment before lee ann's reading starts,
she asks, "david, you want me to write a poem on christy mathewson?"
"sure," i tell her,
"we're doing another baseball issue in october."
a moment later i realize
i'm going to have two poems on christy mathewson.
Dec. 25
saw birdman
afterward had an egg salad sandwich
Dec. 26
we all ate leftovers too close to dinner
not close enough to qualify as dinner
but close enough to postpone it.
four hours later we're hungry again,
dad and i want italian food,
a veal cutlet parmigiana hero for him
an order of baked ziti for me,
mom wants a slice of pizza
we're good with pizza,
a thin crust pie with mushrooms on it.
mom doesn't have any,
worries about her stomach
Dec. 27
we're planning on going to the movies
none of us is moving
i suggest something on demand,
$5 as opposed to $25,
inertia and savings
and michael douglas
leads us to the most recent rob reiner film
Dec. 28
a week late
and at someone else's birthday
i finally get a carvel ice cream cake,
vanilla and chocolate with chocolate crumbles in the middle.
Dec. 29
i bought a pound of cherries
from a fruit vendor on the street
first one, no taste
second one, no taste
first pound, no taste
Dec. 30
philip and i go to apple storefor separate tech issues
his resolved mine not,
then late lunch at trailer park,
mac and cheese for him,
for me vegetarian chili with some doritos,
and tater tots and sweet potato fries
(the only two things cooked up in their fryer, woohoo),
followed by quick shopping for 99-cent diet pepsi two-liters,
mini baby ruths, fruit punch powerades, and a dozen large eggs,
all things considered a day i'd do over again.
Dec. 31
watch last of old shows i want to watch,
shea goodbye: 45 years of amazin,
a wrap up about the mets old ballpark, shea stadium,
and goings on there,
before first dvr becomes second dvr momentarily,
and initial programming recommences.
