Content-type: text/html Ray Manning

Monday, December 1, 2003 8:05 AM

Thanksgiving Weekend


On Monday night there is another ice hockey game. We play the first place team and lose 4-1. It was not a good game for me at all as both of the opposing team's first two goals were mistakes on my part.

On Tuesday I'm riding the motorcycle to an offsite meeting in Manhattan Beach when a Manhattan Beach motorcycle officer pulls up alongside me, holds steady alongside me at 40 mph (in a 25 mph zone), points to my license plate, and yells at me, "I need to be able to read your license plate. You need to bend it down." I give the usual agreeing nod and he leaves me alone. Maybe it is time to make the license plate a bit more readable even if it destroys the look of the bike.

On Tuesday night Person N_V and I go to see the Los Angeles Kings play the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils at the Staples Center. Even though the game is boring, Person N_V enjoys it and now wants to start playing ice hockey. The Kings lose 4-0. But I like the Kings' coach's move towards the end of the game when he pulls the goalie with 6 minutes to play and down 3-0. It's like, "Let's get on with it guys."

On Thanksgiving day I get out for the Aquarium bicycle ride during which I wish everyone that I come across a happy Thanksgiving. Most people respond in kind but a few give me the, "Why is this stranger wishing me a happy Thanksgiving?" look. After watching the Lions win their game I trim some rose bushes and get out for about an hour of rollerblading. It is a beautiful sunny day near 75 degrees with a cool ocean breeze. I have a lot to be thankful for! Later I take Nopey for a short walk as he struggles along. And then I continue for a longer walk. There are many Thanksgiving wishes from Joe, Person F_F, Person H_V, Person N_V, and Person J_VKPI.

Friday is a day of running and cycling and cleaning the motorcycle and fixing the license plate (though I don't bring it down entirely vertical) and other little errands.

On Saturday, after a good bicycle ride and some winter attention to the roses, Person N_V calls on his way back from his family's city and we agree to have lunch. While waiting for Person N_V I make a phone call to Nopey's veterinarian with the opening of the conversation being, "I don't know how to ask this, but how does it work when it is time to put Nopey to sleep?" The attendant, Kelsey, is nice and explains the logistics and asks if I want to be present and if I want the ashes back afterwards. Um...okay.

On Saturday night Person N_V, Person J_VKPI, and I go clubbing. We are not in the club for two minutes and I run into Person JJ_F, Person E_F (who I have the softest spot in my heart for), and Person M_P. Person M_P starts by making the suggestions that we should be back together until Person J_VKPI tells him that I am spoken for. A couple times later in the evening Person M_P says to me, "I'm happy for you", but the tome of his voice expresses disappointment. I introduce Person E_F to my co-clubbers this evening and I explain to Person N_V that Person E_F and I went out once, but I have a soft spot in my heart for him. Person N_V understands.

Late in the evening when we are trying to gather the troups to go home, I walk into the bathroom. As I'm washing my hands and putting drops in my eyes, the CYIEG (cute young indeterminate ethnicity girl) walks into the bathroom. Um...all's I can say is, "You have the cutest eyes". The CYIEG just gives the enthusiastic and sincere, "Thank you". I step out of the bathroom and start to wonder if the CYIEG should be the CYIEB. Regardless, as I'm talking with Person N_V and we're wondering where Person J_VKPI went off to, a guy keeps staring at me and occasionally walking past - just close enough to brush up against me each time. Finally, as Person J_VKPI joins us, he makes one final pass and gives me a huge pinch on the...um.. behind. And this spurs a little discussion among the three of us as we head for the parked car. I'm laying down for sleep at 3 am on Sunday morning.

Sunday is spent on the bicycle, reading the newspaper, giving Nopey another bath, and washing/waxing bathroom floors. It is the reality day before work starts again on Monday.