As soon as I stepped off the elevator, I could hear wild goings-on inside the apartment.  Oh, Lord, I thought, they’re playing Floyd Collins again!  I opened the apartment door.  Thatch, wearing his miner’s cap, lay stretched out in front of my computer while Annabelle, accompanied by Stella beating a tambourine, sang “How Glory Goes” … Continue reading 74. WHO IS MADAME ESMÉ AND WHAT DOES SHE WANT? →

Josh and I walked from the elevator to my apartment. Do you want to come in? No, he said. I want to walk to midtown before the rain comes. He leaned the walker against the wall and set my bag at my feet. Okay, I said. Thanks for helping me get home in one piece. … Continue reading 73. THERE’S A PLACE CALLED HOME →

Annabelle, you’ve been letting your copies of Backstage pile up! Annabelle looked up from the Fancy Feast carton she has lately been sleeping in.  Why bother? she asked me.  Didn’t you tell me that theaters will be closed till the start of 2021?  No one’s casting.  RU Fémos never calls me any more . . … Continue reading 72. VERY WARM FOR ANNABELLE →

Stella! I turned on the bathroom light, looked at the toilet paper strewn from one end to the other, and blacked out.  When I came to, Annabelle wore her Red Cross nurse’s cap, supervising Thatch’s application of cold compresses to my forehead. Do you know who you are, sir? she asked me. Annabelle! Wrong!  I’m … Continue reading 71. ERKS! →

Treat time! I called.  Who wants a treat? As I dragged out the carton of treats, three cats galloped from various corners of the apartment to gather at my feet.  Annabelle jumped on the treats she wanted, Thatch ran to a scratching post to sharpen his claws, and Stella paced around my ankles. Okay, Annabelle.  … Continue reading 70. FOR THE LOVE OF THATCH →

I was scribbling on a sheet of music paper.  I was working on an introduction to a number I was arranging, and I kept writing myself into a corner.  Erase it, think a bit, put something down, and erase again.  There were several pages where I stopped erasing and just drew a thick line through … Continue reading 69. IT’S JUST A MATTER OF SPELLING →

Kitty cleanup was going smoothly.  I had emptied their breakfast dishes and set them in detergent to soak while I tackled the litter box in the bathroom.  Annabelle and Stella stood by while I sifted the litter. Occasionally. Annabelle pointed out something I was doing wrong. What, Missy? I asked.  I cannot understand you when … Continue reading 68. TAKE OFF THE MASK →

Caught you!  Annabelle yelled.  She jumped onto my bed.  Carrying on behind my back!  How dare you? Thatch and I guiltily looked up from the bed to face a raging Annabelle.  Thatch staggered to his feet. Annabelle! Uh, I . . . I . . . His voice trailed off. Traitor! she yelled. Sneaking around … Continue reading 67. CAUGHT IN THE ACT! →

I settled into the warm bath, relaxed, and sank into the water, leaving only my face above the surface.  I closed my eyes and thought, I really needed this.  I opened my eyes.  Instead of looking at the ceiling, I was looking into the face of Annabelle, who leaned over the tub. Daddy? I sat … Continue reading 66. IN THE BATH REDUX →

The day before the scheduled surgery I began the prep according to instructions.  At 8:00am I had drunk sixteen ounces of a laxative and two glasses of water to suffer through ninety minutes in the bathroom.  I had just poured the second sixteen-ounce dose when the phone rang.  I looked at the clock; it was … Continue reading 65. STARDOM IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA →