Estoy Nueces

Wow, how did it get so late? After a week of working more of a day shift, I went back to my regular lazing afternoon arrangement and piddled away the day. Got it all done finally about 11 and wandered down to Shakespeare's Pub on Sixth. Watched a proliferation of 19 year olds getting back in the swing of unsupervised drinking, college freedom and exhibitionism. Mark was playing there with David and some others. I only stayed about a half hour. The band was set up in a hallway by the bathrooms. The audience couldn't see them and most of the audience could have cared less. The band was really good but I'd like to see them in a more audience friendly place. The bartender appreciated me. My 50 cent tip on a beer (a mere 20%) really made him say thank you. College kids must collect the change and move on.

I'm rather aggravated at a friend of mine. Let me know what you think of this situation. She lives in Oregon. She used to listen to me when I was doing a satellite radio program nationwide. She e-mailed and I answered and we got into some regular e-mailing and became friends. We had a lot in common, same age, similar backgrounds, both married later in life. She married an older man, ten years older. He has grown children and grandchildren, etc. We have been e-mailing and staying in touch for a couple of years. When I left that job, we continued to stay in touch. Exchanged Christmas and birthday cards, sent some pictures back and forth and have even talked on the phone a few times.

Last April she left her husband. Trouble had been brewing for a while and she moved out when he was abusive to his young grandson. He had hit her in the past, I learned, but this was the final straw. She stayed moved out about a month, he got some counseling and begged her to come back so she did and all has been well for a few months.

She works in the school system but is now quitting her job and together they are moving to where they will be more isolated. None of this would affect me in the least except that now her husband has told her to quit e-mailing me (or at least as often) because she doesn't know me and since he doesn't do things on the internet he only hears the horror stories of strangers in chat rooms, etc. She is bowing to his wishes and cutting back on the e-mails.

Now, my complaint. I'm going to Spokane, Washington, in a couple of weeks for business. I'll be very close by to where she lives and we had expected that we would finally get to meet face to face. Now, she seems to be backing down on meeting me in an effort to appease her husband. Realize that I wouldn't even be meeting her on a lonely roadside, she can come to see me in broad daylight in a huge crowd where I will be broadcasting. She can bring the husband.

Now, my frustration isn't that I need to meet her or anything. I'm just aggravated that she isn't in control of her own life. Is that any business of mine? Do I need to keep a friendship with someone like this? I think the friendship may have run it's course and it's time to let the e-mails gradually die off. The whole deal is weird. I don't consider her the best friend I have or even that we have that much in common anymore. Probably for the best if it ended. Let me know what you think.