I Love a Rainy Night

Two nights ago, a lull in the storm permitted me a leisurely walk through the neighborhood. I wandered up a deserted Berry Street and past the park toward Greenpoint. The trees were dark and mysterious. The street stretched before me, moonlit with a wet, hazy glow. A hush had fallen over the city, and I found that rare quiet moment when the only noise is the sound of a car's tires against wet asphalt. I love nights like that.

Sunday Night Blues

Yesterday was a dreary day, yet it suited my mood. I stared out my bedroom window at a gray, overcast sky. I had slept late and wasn't really sure what to do with myself. As the afternoon crept into evening, I felt listless. The Sunday night blues had set in. I hadn't really done much of anything but still dreaded going to work today. I woke up to a dreary, rainy Monday. I sometimes like a day like that, but today I could've used a little sunshine.

Uncertainty

A big question mark looms in the distance. My court date is thirty days away. I'm not sure what's going to happen on that day, and I don't know how many times I may have to appear in court. My attorney told me that I'd have at least two or three court appearances. Two months will have passed before my first appearance, and I have no idea how much time will fall between any future appearances. Months? I just don't know, but it seems likely, given that I've had to wait two months for my first one.

A friend of mine once found himself in a similar predicament, and he told me that he spent hours at court that first day to only have his date pushed back a month due to an overloaded docket. When he showed up a second time, it was delayed again. It took months for him to resolve the matter; however, in the end, he prevailed and was exonerated. I hope to do the same.

Last Day of Summer

It's a beautiful autumn day, and I am feeling rather optimistic. I'm not sure why, because I have no particular reason for feeling that way, but there's something in the air. Maybe it's because I've finally been able to get a decent night's sleep. You see, for weeks now I have suffered from insomnia, and since my fast, I've slept soundly for three nights in a row. It's the first time I have felt well rested since this ordeal began. I look forward to the day when my mind is again at ease and a good night's sleep is no longer the exception.

Break(fast)

I broke my fast this morning, sitting down to a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of milk. I still felt good but decided it was time to eat. I'd lost ten pounds leading up to my arrest, and I discovered this morning that I had lost an additional five pounds due to the fast. I now weigh 145 lbs. Fasting allowed me time for reflection. I feel as if I've righted myself and can now think clearly.

A Day of Fasting

I haven't eaten anything since Friday evening. Given the chain of events the past few weeks, I felt the need to purge my body and clear my mind, and as the weekend approached, I decided to fast. It was purely by coincidence that my day of fasting fell on Yom Kippur. My sustenance has come from a lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and vinegar concoction. I've been drinking them since yesterday. Last night I hit a rough patch but stuck to my guns. I woke up this morning feeling amazingly clear-headed and really, really good. Because of that, I've decided to continue my fast until tomorrow morning.

A Shave and a Haircut

Upon learning that I was to be arrested and appear before a judge, I felt that it was in my best interest to cut my hair, which had gotten rather long, and give myself a clean shave, something I don't do often. That Sunday I stopped by the Brooklyn General Barber for a haircut. The night before showing up at the police precinct, I shaved. I took this photograph three days after my arrest.

Tornado in Brooklyn?

It appears that I may have walked home during the middle of a tornado yesterday. I had just emerged from the subway station on my way home from work and noticed that it was sprinkling rain. I opened my umbrella, looked west, and saw the advancing storm mere yards away. Within seconds, it hit with a vengeance, wind sweeping past me and whipping my umbrella to and fro. My legs and feet were drenched by the time I was able to duck into a store for shelter. The storm passed as quickly as it came. It wasn't until this morning that I discovered that roofs had been stripped and trees felled.

Wanted: Dead or Alive

I made it all the way to work this morning without seeing any "wanted" posters bearing my image. It's going to be a good day.

Counting Down: 39 Days to Go

Just letting everybody know that I've added a countdown timer to the blog. As of today, I have 39 days to go until my first court date.

The Tombs

While researching a documentary that she's currently working on, my friend Amy Peters came across this Wikipedia entry.

She offered me a little solace by writing, "Enjoy having been a unique part of NYC history, if nothing else." The reason being that I spent the majority of my jail time in two holding cells at the Tombs. I was arrested at 9:00 A.M. a week ago today and sat in a cell at the precinct from 9:00 A.M. until 12:30 P.M., at which time the arresting officer and two detectives transferred me to the Tombs in lower Manhattan. At 1:30 P.M. I was placed in a holding cell at the Tombs and sat there until 7:00 P.M. At that point, I was escorted along with five or six other guys to a smaller holding cell just outside the courtroom and waited there until 10:30 P.M. It was then that I finally met with my attorney. Shortly thereafter, I was brought before the judge and arraigned, entering a plea of not guilty. On my way home, it had never felt so good to stand on a subway platform, waiting for the train.