Moon Over New Jersey

(Originally Oct 17 2005)

I've left behind my 'antique' dining table with all it's wings, and the 6 matching chairs. Also, I left behind my couch and matching loveseat. I left behind my mentor's mirror, my standing fan, and my cat's litterbox complete with litter and poop. I left behind a gallon of unopened fruit-medley juice. There were also about 15 cans and packs of assorted groceries.

In this new place, my Benefactor comes home at about 5:30p, alters his consciousness, gets lost upstairs somewhere, and goes unconscious at around 8:00p. Perfect person to share a house with. On the weekends, he's not even here.

I was walking 20 minutes to get to what I thought was the nearest series of bustops, until tonight when I took the other side of the road and discovered the AM express busstop to New York. It's only about 10 minutes away. Maybe 8. I will be using that stop tomorrow morning to keep trying to make some Real Estate money. Currently, I have made $-500.00 at it (approx). I have two clients to try to find places for and maybe they will take something if I find them something. That would be a few thousand to use for repayments. That'd be nice. Then I'd have about ten more thousands to go.

I didn't go into NYC today based mostly on the feeling that I was not going to succeed at Real Estate after all and that since I'm here in NJ, walking all over God's creation, I'd better just find me a juicy full-time job based on the license and start taking advantage of rent-free living before I somehow lose THIS too. And then I got a call from someone who saw one of my listings, and who has used my brokerage before for housing, and makes good money with great credit. So I'm going back tomorrow and will continue to stump it until mid-Nov.

Meanwhile, reading other blogs, I found this story about a woman in NYC who was mugged by her delivery man. I posted a response to her, and as I was typing it, I saw myself poised like the driver of a tractor trailer going to fast on an icy road, discovering it just a second too late into the hairpin turn. Here is what I said;

"So this Fresh Direct is a booming business, delivering groceries all over New York? This is a phenomena I've missed out on.

"This is what women are doing now, instead of going shopping for themselves, and bringing their own stuff home?

"I'm having quite an odd reaction here. Nothing sane or justified is in what that person did to you. Yet, I don't understand why so many people are putting themselves in this situation. Why aren't you all doing your own shopping? I suppose if it's offered by FD, it'll be taken. On my comings and goings in NYC, I see the guys toting and dragging those FD boxes all over the place. I often think they are taking them to catering halls and events, and feel all sorts of empathy for them. Those boxes look rediculous heavy, and IMPOSSIBLE to manuever through pedestrian/motorist traffic. But they are taking them to single people who won't leave their apartments to get their own food?

"Dang.

"Why do I see that as just a smidge elitist?

"Anyway, do call the police. Press charges. That guy absolutely robbed you, it makes no difference whatsoever that he was there bringing you groceries. He forcefully took money from you against your will. That's a crime. Pursue this.

"Everyone else? Get your own groceries! And if you won't do that, at least be extremely civil and kind to these delivery people. Talk to them like they are real humans. Learn their names, ask them how their day is going, and sure -tip- them.

"I don't like living in a world where the deliverymen mug innocent people, but I'm not too happy knowing how close we are in returning to the good ol'/bad ol' days of the servant-class working for the elite highrise-class either. (Or have we never left it, and I've just been naive?)

"Wow. My response surprises me. I wonder what other nerves are lying under my surface, just waiting to get lit? But I'm a blogger and I've learned to be honest."

I'll be cussed out in all sorts of intellectual tones for sure, but I couldn't help myself. I suddenly felt offended to discover all those delivery people were busting their arses for single people who won't shop for themselves.

I feel my appreciation and love for NYC turning into bitterness. Can you say "defense mechanism"?

Well, at least I'm safe and taken care of.

Despite my feelings, I really gotta give God the credit up in here. This was a provision that I had -ahem- NOTHING to do with, but it was exactly was I needed when I needed it.