Friends,
Maintenance is the hard part.
I’ll pick up where I left off – going through the triangle of stars.
Even one with a big vocabulary tussles with how to explain profound vision.
Fortunately, the truth always sounds true.
*
From the smallest microbe to the largest galaxy - we are all the body of creation.
We are each unique yet - replaceable as a blood cell.
Nothing ever dies, just changes into something else.
So a being as damaged as I -
can heal.
*
I came to disoriented, having been off planet for so long.
First time seeing the cellular phone, video, computer.
There was another war on by then.
Never did figure out how Viet Nam ended til I started watching the History Channel.
I joined up with this little troupe of characters who needed a singer.
We toured around the States. Living together like circus animals.
I was brought out of myself by the audience.
Began in the gay bars in Seattle.
Nothing like bitch fighting to teach you verbal badminton.
They’d whack me a game cock. I’d smack back.
Soon we was conversating comfortable as old queens.
Sharing intimate details with the crowd became part of my act. It was great.
Enjoying myself for the first time.
*
Finally, we made it to NYC. I was the headliner.
Played all the clubs – Top of the Gate to the Bottom Line. I appeared on stage, and in a film with Frank Gorshin. Opened for Ray Charles, Taj Mahal, and Dr. Billie Taylor.
For a short while had my own radio show. Just love radio, I am far too fugly for tv, but my voice is distinctive.
About ten years ago I had a stroke.
No doubt, due to my past bad behaviour.
The lady I live with gave up her own plans to care for me.
*
We been through the gamut of hospitals, nursing homes, Medicare doughnut holes (what selfish bastard came up with that?) and pharmaceutical doubletalk.
Faith healers, channelers, quacks of every stripe.
Through it all, she shtook by me. Never left me to my fate.
Gradually, everything came back.
*
Doctors recommended I come down more southernly.
The Northwest, where we was, is returning to a rainforest.
I got rising damp from the ankles up.
The dry heat is supposed to be better for me. 120 degrees in too hot for anything but gila monsters, in my opinion.
Most of the year. I stay indoors.
We live in a little house in Vegas. The butt end, not the fancy part.
It belongs to us and we comfy.
*
I recovered from being an alcoholic.
An alcoholic drinks to lose control.
The maintenance drinker drinks to stay in control. Sometimes takes years to find the balance.
Pretty content, nowadays, being grateful to be alive and all.
There was only one thing could make it better. To perform again.
In April, I did just that. A one night stand in Sin City.
The culmination of years of hope and wish.
*
Appreciation to the lady I live with, carting me and my wheelchair to the rehearsals and for typing all these blog things.
Hugs to everybody who has read me and become my friend, here in the Bug Cluster.
My life has turned around again.
I never thought I’d get another chance.
Before men, there was the work. The work is here after.
Cheers.
Love,
LuRain
x
-lp(c) 07-
