(Note: the shortest building in this picture is the tallest.)

There was a strange howl down the block - wordless, tuneless, with no evidence of distress. I was curious, so I strolled towards City Hall to see what the situation might be.

Skinny guy in a ski cap, indeterminate age, boombox on his shoulder.

Where we really want to go, and we'll walk in the sun
But till then, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run

So all the howling was the wordless part of the song, plus singing along with sax solos. A black man walked past and gave the guy a look.

Why are you looking at me with fear? The man said. African-Americans commit the most violence statistically! And you are quaking in your shoes!

That is a direct quote; now I’m thinking about someone committing violence, statistically, as well as the difference between quaking in one’s boots and one’s shoes.

Bright sunny day, but a bit bereft.

Went downtown to get things done, since I do more here at my lonely desk than I do at home. Plus, Wife is working at the kitchen table, and working so damned hard; communicating with her is like sending a mode to a distant space probe. Takes a while to get there, and a while before you hear back. Sometimes she looks up from her computer with the expression that says I have a dim awareness of your existence but cannot disengage. Then I say something like “Sorry I’m late, but turns out they have loyalty cards at the strip club. Nine lap dances and the tenth’s free, but the offer expires today.”

Well, lockdown starts today. Except for Target and the Grocery Store, of course. I went to Target tonight to exchange a $2.99 bag of lettuce that had turned before tje expiration date - and if this was the event in which I finally get the damned thing, at least I went out as I lived life: spending two dollars in gas to get three dollars back on some rotten foilage.

"I suppose the guest advocate will wonder why I drove back to get a refund on lettuce," I said to Daughter, who is now wise in all the ways of Target.

"He won't give it a moment's thought," she said. "It's just another transaction."

Good to know.

But: neither of my cards came up on the return. I apologized and said my daughter works at Target, and she's taught me all the scams. Trust me, I'm not trying to extract three dollars from the company on false pretenses.

"No problem," he said, having not given it a moment's thought. I wished he'd opened the bag of lettuce and taken a whiff; it really was a uniquely bad odor for lettuce. He said the amount was too small for a gift card, so would cash be okay?

Fine. Don't know what I'll ever do with it, but sure, cash is fine.

He gave me $3.00 on a $2.99 return because they didn't have any pennies.

Then I spent $27.00, because I was at Target.

I realize now it's been a while since anyone put up anything that was all glass, and nothing but.

The Washington Avenue view.

The weekly sweep:

Elsewhere, Larking gotta Lark:

Perhaps this gives you the context and setting better. I might use this as the vantage point from now on.

Solution is here.

For Thanksgiving, a reminder when abundance was not the order of the day.

That was, of course, the Great Gildersleeve - and yes, that was a food company telling you to eat less food.

		My dad bought one of his records to hear "Java" whenever he wished. I liked that sound. But for some reason Al Hirt seemed a vaguely threatening figure. There was so much of him.

		From the Mr. & Mrs. North show: Paulette Goddard on your war duties.

That'll do. New Friday site! I'd forgotten all about it. Just three pages today, but much more to come.