2003-04-21 - 12:00 a.m.

The Roommate and I played baseball against my brother and cousin in awesome quasi-suburban West Roxbury sunlight. The second floor is a homer, line drive against the house is a double, anything not cleanly fielded, that isn�t foul, is a base hit. No triples.

It was funny trying to hit a house I�ve spent a collective week in since my family moved there maybe five years ago, after my grandfather (who owned the triple decker I grew up in) died. Papa, by the way, was what we all called him--he shares my real name too, and my dad�s. I don�t know what his father�s name was. Papa was a war hero, and he smoked too much and had to have a tracheotomy, this was before I was born, and he talked through a hole in his throat--very difficult to understand. He wore a bib over the hole, the material was similar to the stretchy cotton in an A-shirt. He was a good man, and I mean it, and when he shook your hand, it stayed shook. Italian as he is, Mayor Thomas �Mumbles� Menino kinda reminds me of Papa.

My dad and I used to visit him (not the mayor) in his house in West Roxbury, and I�d run and play in his yard--there was so much of it. He bought a Caddy before he died. He was closer with his rich grandkids--my cousins. His wife, my grandma, was named Millie. She died when I was something like two. I have a hazy memory of her giving me gumdrops. I liked her.

Anyway, the Roommate wore a denim skirt, and I wore a Jamaica Plain t-shirt. She had these awesome hair thingies with stars. I had new sneakers.

We lost 25-5.

But we weren�t no-hit, and I got a couple of strikeouts, and that�s all I wanted.

Oh, and we ate. It was frickin� awesome. I love going home. I don�t do it enough. I think that it�s because it�s always special whenever I go home, and I wanna keep it that way.

Oh, and I got to back my ma�s car outta the driveway. Difficulty=hard. I hadn�t driven a car in years. Last time I drove a car was when I tried to help some people move from 1116 Comm, and I failed.

Before that, that summer where I drove Emerson College's escort van. That was a good job. Drunk people used to flag me down �cause they though I was a cabbie. I�d take them where they wanted to go, and then tune the radio to 107.9, and then charge them $10.79.

I only did it a couple of times, but nobody complained. Drunk idiot clubbers (who are already idiots) don�t really pay attention all that much.

Not their strong suit.

At home, got an easy, clean laugh of the Wash Away Your Sins wet-nap that the Roommate had given me earlier before as an Easter present (along with other awesome presents--a bottle opener shaped like a guitar, some Gorey stickers, those encapsulated-grow-an-animal-shaped-sponges, a beautiful blue bouncy ball (that bounces) with dolphins in it (not actual dolphins, mind you), and a kazoo!

I�m good at the kazoo. America�s instrument.

Also got a good laugh over I have two different animals in my belly, and enough vegetables to feed both for a week. It�s kinda my job to throw in an easily-digested joke at just the right moment. It�s much, much harder than it looks.

Driven home with leftovers, a gold-esque framed mirror with a postcard of Jamaica Pond, a sore arm from all that wiffle-ball, a full belly, and a case of Poland Spring bottled water. And the Roommate, who I�m gonna hold soon.

What a nice day.

Did I mention that I drove a car? Today? Days since I�ve driven a car... zero.

How about you? And for that matter, how much leftover ham do you have in your fridge?

Oh yeah? How �bout turkey?

I thought so.

Yeah, my parents are awesome. It wasn�t always fun, believe me, but I think we all worked at it in our own whatever my last name is kinda way, and I�ve been surprised at how awesome it is to spend time with my family ever since.

I�m gonna shut up now, �cause I don�t wanna jinx it.

The day before, I bought a Mono Puff album, new, for $7.00. And a $50 shirt (that I had tried on a year ago) for $7.50. Who cares if everybody knows where I got it? And who is everybody, anyway?

I backed a car outta a driveway today. And I did a good job. And I had had two Buds. First time ever operating a motor vehicle after drinking. Last time too, unless the very same conditions align.

The Sox have won seven games in a row--I don't care if it's all against bad teams--it's fun right now.

The �Puter, as always, is dishin� out the hot tunes so awesomely that I can take it for granted.

Who knows what tomorrow holds?

Awesomeness?

I think so.