Click images for desktop size: "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper This afternoon I was waiting for the bus home from work. As is the norm I had the earbuds buried deep and the iPod at max. This older guy came up to me. I watched him walk past 6 or 7 other people to stand in front of me and gesticulate.
I pulled out one earbud and said in my usual big city tone, “What do you want?”
He said, “Nothing. I was just trying to be friendly. I'm a friendly guy.”
He said this in a harsh whisper. Their was a knife wound on his neck. Not a slash throat cut scar but a puncture wound where you could see the entrance and exit wounds. He was wearing a brown Mitchells shirt, a photo id on a chain around his neck and a beige British driving cap. He was wearing slacks that looked like they would melt before they'd burn.
They should have done plastic surgery on it and cleaned it up some.
I felt abashed that I'd reacted to him so harshly. He asked me, “How long you been waiting for the bus?”
I did a quick glance at my pocket watch and told him, “Its late. Its due at 4:12 and it's 4:17” “Yeah, the bus man is pretty terrible. But at least the lord gave us this beautiful day. It ain't much like Christmas but at least he gave us some beauty.”
I nodded my head. It was beautiful.
“I've been working over at Mitchells the past month. I think they're going to let me go soon.” I said, “They won't let you go till after Christmas.”
“That's so, that's probably so. I just don't want to go from job to job. All hopping around. I was in prison. Lord, I hated prison but at least there I knew where I was going to be every day.” He pulled at his brown store uniform shirt and the name tag around his neck. “This is just like a prison uniform. I know it is. In prison you didn't have to worry about them telling you to go home early. At least I had that. I want to live and I feel like they won't let me. It ain't right.”
Our bus came. He sat in the front. I took my usual seat in the rear.
I wished I could have disagreed with him.

Tomorrow I have to do a show with my foster dog. Its just a parade to show him off and hope some one falls in love with him. They should. He's a good dog.

I don't like this new NFL scheduling and monopoly. I find it remarkable that when baseball tried this same stunt and waved their anti-trust exemption they still got slapped down. Republican congress gives in to the NFL and the people suffer. I know its just a game but it is still . . . I saw the movie “Invincible”. It was pretty poor especially when compared to the real life it was based on. There was one scene though where the father tells his son how Steve Van Buren's TD that one the Eagles the championship kept him sane at a job he hated, keep him alive when his wife passed away. The NFL wants to take that away from the working man.

Last week I was 11-5, not good enough for much of anything really. I remain inspired by the beautiful play of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and the rest of the Saints. I'm saddened by the sudden dip in the Colts game. But LaDainian Tomlinson has proven he is the best football player right now and that can't help but cheer me.
My picks are in bold. Use them as a guide if you're feeling suicidal.

San Francisco at Seattle - The Thursday game. I've already lost here. Seattle will still make the playoffs, hell 6-7 teams are still in the running! They shown they're not going to get far.

Dallas at Atlanta - After being dismantled by the Saints the Cowboys need to come back hard. I don't think they can do enough to win on the road against a desperate team that seems to play better when under the microscope and under the gun.

Click images for desktop size: "Les Paul Model"
Cleveland at Baltimore - The Ravens continue to impress.

Detroit at Green Bay - After the stunning win last week on the road Brett Favre seems ready to close out the deal. That keeps this from being the cruddy game of the week.

Jacksonville at Tennessee - The Jaguars are too hungry to let the Titans get their 4th straight. The Titans are a bad team, the Jaguars are a very good one.

Houston at New England - Tom Brady can't have two bad games in a row. The Patriots defense should settle down and have adapted the injuries.

Miami at Buffalo - Both teams are playing for pride but both teams have started to show something special this past month. Taking Miami on a coin flip and their stunning defense.

New York Jets at Minnesota - The Jets had their chance last week to stand up and really be something and they just withered. Now its the Vikings looking for an outside shot.

Pittsburgh at Carolina - Before a down was played this looked like on the games of the year. Weinke is at QB for the Panthers but the whole team is badly coached and playing ineptly. The Steelers aren't any better but . . better than the Panthers.

Tampa Bay at Chicago - The Bears D line is exploding and imploding but they still have too much for the Buc's to handle. Gruden is another bad coach who is making a career out of one fluke season.

Washington at New Orleans - Can Drew Brees keep up the pace to break Dan Marino's yardage record?

Denver at Arizona - I do so much want to take the Cardinals but Denver has too much at stake to let this one get away.

Philadelphia at New York Giants - Jeff Garcia has been outstanding but the Giants are too tuff. Add to it that the Eagles can still make the playoffs even if they lose this one and that gives the Giants the edge to make them my pick.

St Louis at Oakland - Cruddy game of the week.

Kansas City at San Diego - runner up game of the week. The Chiefs owner passed on this week. The team liked the guy and his family. They'll bring extra fire to the match. The Chargers continue to look like a juggernaut. I'm going to watch and smile - this is a plot that deserves an opera written about it.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis - Game of the week and man has it got plot. The Bengals fighting for their lives and still looking like the heir apparents. In losing the last 3 the Colts have looked less than ordinary. This is a team with Payton Manning. The Jaguars destruction of last week will make them scary but the Bengals don't have to be afraid of anyone.

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