dick from africa

“‘The administration asserts the right to fill the ranks of the regular army by compulsion….’ Is this, sir, consistent with the character of a free government? Is this civil liberty? Is this the real character of our Constitution? No, sir, indeed it is not…. Where is it written in the Constitution, in what article or section is it contained, that you may take children from their parents, and parents from their children, and compel them to fight the battles of any war, in which the folly or the wickedness of government may engage it? Under what concealment has this power lain hidden, which now for the first time comes forth, with a tremendous and baleful aspect, to trample down and destroy the dearest rights of personal liberty?” - Daniel Webster (December 9, 1814 House of Representatives Address)

Conscription …Compulsory Military Service …The Draft …
Running into Gunt the other day got me to thinking about my army days and I found this in an old shoe box. 

This is the letter from the Selective Service ordering me to appear for my “draft physical”.  A lot of guys pissed themselves when they got this letter because it meant your number had come up and you’d soon find your ass in Vietman.

I know a lot of you Americans don’t have a problem with this but I’ve never been able to get my head rapped around it.

PT went well. Willie wants me to not wear the sling for a few hours every day. BTW, her son was growing weed in her back yard and got busted

Another PT session today which means dealing with Willie. Reluctant to post the 2nd part of Gunt’s story - I don’t remember the incident the same way that he does.

Moto moto hufanya mkuki nguvua
The hotter the flame the the sharper the spear

Went to my first physical therapy session yesterday at the Johnston-Willis clinic. My therapist was a woman named Willie.

Here are some things I observed about Willie:
– grey haired
– leather skinned
– skinny as a pipe-cleaner
– missing an eye tooth on the left side of her mouth
– eager to tell the intimate details of her life to anyone who’ll listen.

Here are some intimate details about Willie’s life:
– she grew up on a tobacco farm in Floyd County, Virginia
– she had a pet goose named Ginger
– her brother was maimed by an overturned tractor
– she’s had several amorous relationships with men of the African persuasion which seemed to make her an expert on Africans in general
– her first husband was brained by a bowling ball falling from a shelf high in a hall closet
– the onset of the methamphetamine epidemic in Southwest Virginia

Looks like I’ll be seeing Willie three times a week for a while.

Oh well …

This is me with Rachel’s son Seth who works in the Tumblr office here in Richmond. I was already in the area for my first physical therapy session so I thought I’d say hey. I guess Rachel hadn’t told him I might stop by because it was a little awkward at first - not sure he recognized me right away either - it’s probably been 10 years since he saw me last.

I know Rachel from back in the late 80’s when we both worked at Grace Place, the first - and best - all-vegetarian restaurant in Richmond. She was one of the chefs. I was one of the dish washers. She made this yentil soup that was incredible.

Anyway … she was raising Seth as a single parent and I would go over to her place and kick the soccer ball around with him. He was a happy kid and, I’m sure, a happy man having been raised on his mom’s yentil soup.

He’s a really talented artist. He posts pictures of some of his stuff on his Tumblr blog, http://www.sethganz.com/.

You should check it out.

@ Tumblr - Richmond - Over on this side of town - thought I’d stop in and say hey to Seth, the son of an old friend mine, who works for Tumblr here in Richmond.

One day you’re there,
then all of a sudden, there’s less of you.
And you wonder where that part went -
if it’s living somewhere outside of you.

And you keep thinking maybe you’ll get it back
and then you realize that it’s just gone.

– Peggy Olson, Mad Men

The really sad thing is I’ve reached that point in my life where weather has become an obsession.

@ Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) - Going to the Picasso exhibit with Marta and her friends Andy and Shauna

Bad news. 

It seems the band is breaking up. 

Due my recent physical setbacks, we hadn’t been able to even practice - I think the last one was before Christmas. And now, with the open-ended nature of my current debilitation, everyone has decided that they need to move on. 

I can’t say as I blame them. 

Mustafa Oblongata is playing bass in a 3-piece Erykah Badu cover band.

L’il Stash has decided to take the predictable comfort of a steady sub shop gig.

Tracy Sunburn will be enrolling at Cornell in the fall and studying Elemental Meme Development.

Looks like from now on Dick from Africa is strictly a solo act.

@ Water Grill - Marta’s kids are treating her to Mother’s Day dinner. I’m tagging along. Marta is having to butter my bread … Oh well!

(above) - Marta and me and the sling

Went back to see Dr. Flage (that’s what I’m calling him now) because the numbness in my arm was worse. He didn’t seem too concerned though. He gave me a sling to keep it from flailing around like an empty sleeve. He also gave me a referral to start some regular physical therapy sessions. He said that it would take a lot of time and effort but saw no reason why the arm shouldn’t eventually be normal again.

btw - I got a better look at the tattoo running down the back of his neck. I was totally wrong before - nothing about Jesus - I mean, it’s in this script that’s really hard to read. Anyway … I got a good look this time - it starts, “I looked, and there was a gale force …” and the rest disappears down his shirt. Still doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it? Oh well …

@ Tastebuds American Bistro - Out with friends Cathy and Terry. Marta had to cut my steak for me.

Numbness worse today. Arm feels almost totally inert. Accidentally smacked Marta when my dead arm whipped around as I turned to greet her. Not good.

The doctor with the Jesus tattoo, cerebrovascular accidents and a less than strenuous life … 

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