Thursday, August 10, 2006

Doctor Who predicts the future


On an alternate world in an alternate universe Doctor Who and Rose Tyler landed in a world where her father was alive and wildly successful, almost a household name/face, and in the sky above them were blimps. According to the latest news, you can own your own blimp and sail quietly over your neighbors' homes on your way to work. You can always dock in someone's garage.

It's cold this morning, but not winter cold, merely rain and breezy cold. Ever since my thermostat went wonky I have felt like the light switch some smart aleck kid keeps turning off and on to bug his parents, one minute hot and the next cold with very little time in between. I can go from needing two sweaters to keep warm to wanting to dive into an ice bath in the space between heartbeat and breath. Makes working interesting. One minute my fingers are blue from cold and the next they are sticking to keys because my hands are sweaty. Should be interesting this winter. I have, however, decided to stay inside despite the call snow banks exert on hot, sweaty, naked flesh and thus avoid tickets for indecent exposure, although I doubt the police would be able to find me amidst the clouds of steam caused by jumping naked into snow banks.

My mother told me about her passage through the Mother Nature versus Father Time battlefield. One winter during the siege she was driving down the street swathed in winter clothing (stockings, woolen pants, sweater vest over long sleeved blouse, heavy fur trimmed coat, etc.) when she stopped for a light, jumped out of the car and began ripping off her coat and sweater sweating as though her car were a steam bath. Throwing her clothes back into the car, she demurely got inside after rolling down the windows on the driver's side and drove away when the light changed to green. She said people looked at her as though she were insane. Having lived with her during this period of time I can tell you with the merest hesitation she was indeed insane. She was also evil incarnate during this period of time, evidenced by the fact she spoke in screams one moment and whispers the next and we, her long suffering children, never knew which one it would be. Of course, we didn't know which personality would emerge from one moment to the next or when we would be assaulted with belts and switches or drowned in a torrent of tears. It was a lot like living in the midst of an active mine field and no one has the map to guide us safely through and out of danger.

Considering how it was for my mother, I am very glad I only have to deal with that rotten kid playing with the switch.

And now it is time for me to get up and get a shower, get dressed and get to work. I have a maid to support now and he comes this morning. The only thing not La Cage Aux Folles about this situation is that I'm not a gay man living with another gay man over a nightclub that features drag queen acts, but nobody's perfect.

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