60 - To Blog or Not To Blog

     "Hey babe," said Marrianne's familiar voice over the scratchy cell phone.  "What's going on?"
     "Nothing much," I said turning the volume down on my television.  I had seen this episode so a chat with Marrianne seemed like a pleasant distraction. 
     "I'm just sitting here on my couch with my thumb in my ass, keeping it warm." I said smiling into the receiver.
     "Nice," she exhaled. I could see her closing her ice blues and shaking her brunette curls back and forth.  "I just tried to call your house and got your voice mail. You're not sitting there with some chickie are you?"  She asked.
     "No, kid.  Far from it.  I'm in a bit of a dry spell.  I can't even keep my hand awake lately."  I rolled my eyes towards my ceiling.
     "Blaaaaaah!!"  I could see her scrunching up her face and sticking her tongue out over the phone.  I imagined she was looking around her apartment for something to throw at me.
     "That's too much information.  Way too much information!"
     "Sorry," I said feeling the slick smile cut across my face.  "I unplugged my phone for the night so I could have some quiet time."
     "That's going to help your dry spell," dripped the sarcasm.  "That and maybe some hand sanitizer."
     "That was quick.  I like that."  I twisted from side to side trying to crack my aching back.  "But seriously kid, you ever get those nights were you just want to be left alone?"  I asked finally clicking off the TV.
     "Want me to let you go?" she asked.
     "No, no, no.  I still have caller ID on my cell phone.  If I didn't want to talk to you I wouldn't.  Besides I actually like you.  What's on your mind?"
     "First, I know how much you hate driving up to Boston so I wanted to thank you for coming up to my birthday party."  God knows I hate driving to, in, or near Boston.
     "You're welcome, kid.  Once again congratulations on the engagement."
     "Thank you."  Even though we were on the phone I could see her face light up as she thought about her future husband.
     "Second, I'm missing a few days."
     "Wow.  You didn't look that drunk at the party.  I left early but you seemed fine."
     "No, you schmuck!  I'm missing a few of 'The Days'!  Your short stories!"
     "Sorry, sorry.  I've lost a few weekends lately so I thought ... never mind.  Just let me know which ones and I'll send them to you." I said leaning forward, still not getting that satisfying crack in my back.
     "I was thinking why don't you just set up a website or a blog or something.  That way I could just go there if I needed to do some catching up?"
     "Ah yes.  To blog or not to blog.  That's a good question.  Believe it or not I do have a website.  I just haven't built the page to put up yet."  I was so close to cracking my back but no go.
     "What the hell are you waiting for?  You can set up a blog for free.  If you put up the little short stories up once a week I think you're good for at least a year and a half.  There's Ringo, Myspace, Livejournal and a whole slew of other free sites."
     I sat quietly on the couch and stared at the blank TV screen.  It's one thing to be a slacker but another to be called on it.
     "I'm a bum."  I finally exhaled.  "I just look at these things as a pleasant distraction.  I don't even know how many people still read them.  But now that you mention it I do have plans for 2006.  I'm going to finish the website, put out some new music, find and hit some open mics to promote the music, aaand if I find one I like, I'll set up a blog.  Happy?"
     "Yes," she replied smiling.  "But why not start now?"
     "Marrianne if I start now who's ass am I going to use to keep my thumb warm?"  I said once again feeling the slick smile cut across my face.
     "Blaaaaaah!"  She said presumably shaking her brunette curls back and forth.

That Beautiful Black Man