J. Entry 01102001

I sit in the bathtub as the bubbles rise holding a Rolling Rock, sweating, dripping, sipping, music that sounds like Led Zeppelin blaring from my stereo.  The water rises up and swallows me.  To taste beer ice cold in a hot bubble bath is a sensation I could carry forever.  My cat Luna looks at me with his front paws on the edge of the tub like I am crazy, wondering what in the hell I am doing.  I finish the beer and wish I had grabbed a second from the fridge.  Next time I’ll remember.  I’m too lazy and comfortable to go grab another.  I dip the bottle through the bubbles and let it fill.  Luna’s face goes crazy wondering what the noise of the water going in and air coming out is.  His fear and curiosity control him.  I sit laughing and pour the water out.  I do it over and over again until he comes to watch scared half to death.  I start pouring the water on my face and head.  The water drips down my face and back to the tub and he stares at me dumbfounded.  He thinks I’m insane.  He’s probably right.

I was reading Bukowski earlier.  It’s hard not to drink a beer while reading him.  I think it’s not so bad to be a loser when I read Bukowski.  Being a loser must be highly underrated.  I think I could easily become an alcoholic reading Bukowski, but it’s easy to fall into anything, especially alcohol.  I’ve fallen into alcohol many times before ever hearing his name.  Belch!  Beer is one of the greatest methods of constructing an enormous burp.  Another way to make an average burp a more than average burp is to burp in the bathroom.  There’s nothing like the echo of bodily functions in a bathroom, especially a tiled bathroom in a New York City apartment building.  My stomach’s bloated from the beer and I burp so loud Luna jumps.  I have to laugh at my effects.  Life is good.  Beer and baths are better.  But you probably can’t have either unless you’re in the middle of a life.  I suppose. 

I brought the cordless phone into the bathroom so if it rang, I could answer in a state of extreme comfort.  No one called.  I call Jennie and tell her I’m taking a bubble bath drinking a beer.  She laughs and asks me if I’m serious then tells me she loves me.  I laugh.  Then I say, “I rule.”  I do.  I love her too.  She’s called me at least a dozen times in the midst of a bubble bath.  I thought I owed it to her to return the favor.  Thanks!  I’m gonna go have another beer.