The New

I woke up alone.  The sun had beaten me to it this morning.  My mouth was dry, but I didn't want to get out of bed.  It was a new year. 

It doesn't feel like the old year somehow.  I feel change underfoot, a cosmological shift.  I was one thing.  What now?  Fifty percent scared, fifty percent excited. 

I woke a bit in the night, enough to know that I was dreaming of change, the changes I would make or needed to make.  Resolutions, yes. 

Dinner at the bar, of course, early enough to avoid a lot of unwanted things.  The barmaid kept refilling my glass. 

"She's paying a lot of attention to you."

"Look around.  We're the youngest people in here."

It was almost true.  The place would be crowded later with arthritic dancers inviting ancient demons. Nobody seems to mind it as much as I do. 

The Boulevard was another thing altogether, a fashion parade of short dresses, glitter and gold lame.  I'm not sharp enough to know any more what is Beverly Hills and what is Jersey Shore.  One dead giveaway was hearing a pretty girl thank the hostess on her way out. 

"Why don't we ever do that?"

"Do what?"

"Thank the hostess when we are leaving the bar.  Why don't you tip her tonight?  I think you should show some class and tip the hostess.  You've got plenty of money."

Indeed, we were drinking Oban at bar prices.  We could have ordered two beers and tipped the hostess $50 and would have still broke even. 

The phone was blowing up with text messages, photos, updates and well wishes.  The ones you remember most, though, are the ones that don't come at all. 

In a little bit, I will test the ground and see if it is as solid as it was last year.  Sometimes, if I stand and concentrate, I can feel the plates shifting beneath my feet.  This thin skin of earth we stand on is nothing, really.  Concentrate and you can feel it floating, can feel the heat and plasma way, way down.  I aim to surf this planetharnessing the Power Cosmic, in search of my own true bliss.

I am a silly boy.  That, at least, has not changed.  Now it's time to test the day.  Good tidings to you all.