02/13/01

Didn’t sleep last night thinking about Rocky being in danger in prison. Went to Percy’s duplex in Maybrook in the morning, told him about the mobster guy trying to get money from me to spare Rocky harm. Percy agreed I was right not to shell out to the guy. He said once you start paying out to those thugs they’ll never let you off after that and you‘re not any bit more secure in paying. He said I needed to see Rocky right away, though, let him know to be extra careful, someone might be planning to take him out as we speak. So we started North up Rt. 208 toward Wallkill Prison before Percy heard my stomach growl loudly and stopped to treat me to breakfast at the Walden Diner. Had a ton to eat. Pancakes, eggs, breakfast sausages. Bacon. Oversized buttered toast. Tall glasses of orange juice. Real brewed coffee. Raspberry pastry.

Rocky was pretty stoic about everything, said if someone jumps him he’ll just have to fight them off as best he can. If I die, I die. He said he knew how to handle himself and I didn’t need to worry. I couldn’t help thinking Rocky was coming off like someone in the final stages of terminal illness who had grown to accept death. I was pretty much thinking with Rocky changed so much this way maybe I had to take it all as a sign. I was thinking maybe this will be the last time I see Rocky alive.

On the way back through Walden, Percy got me a quart of shrimp lo mien and asked me to look over some fishing poles at the Thruway Market. All those guns nearby to look over. I had to resist getting too close to them. You never know who’s watching.

I don’t know why--- maybe it was from having all that food to eat--- but I started feeling a little better for a little while.

That was my romantic day with the Attractive Nuisance.