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Spacing out to pass time

 HOOKER: I really spaced out this morning. Sitting on the couch for over an hour, the dog asleep on my lap, cool jazz playing on the Echo, my thoughts all over the place.

BEAR:' Thinking about Maggie?

HOOKER: Not so much. This wasn't about grieving her loss. I'm not sure what it was. An escape from boredom maybe.

BEAR: I have yet to find an escape from boredom. Our Tuesday ritual, of course. An occasional visit from granddaughter number one. An even more occasional phone call from my son. A home basketball game to watch granddaughter number two. Otherwise I'm climbing the walls.

HOOKER: What 's your mind doing then?

(Bear laughs.)

BEAR: I think your mind is more active than mine. I don't remember thinking about anything. So what were you thinking about?

HOOKER: Mostly about my past and about bad moments when I screwed up something.

BEAR: I don't remember too much of that.

HOOKER: Well, I hardly felt like sharing it at the time. 

BEAR: Give me an example.

HOOKER: Remember when I was drinking too much?

BEAR: Oh yes. I see what you're getting at now. We had to cancel a gig once.

HOOKER: Twice, Bear. 

BEAR: That's what you're thinking about?

HOOKER: Partly. But mostly about a few hearts I broke in my drinking days, before meeting Maggie. First class women. And they made the mistake of falling in love with me at a time when I was in love with partying.

BEAR: I know you drank a lot back in the day bu I never thought of you as an alcoholic. Were you one?

HOOKER: Some people thought so. I don't think it matters since I quit.

BEAR: Why did you quit?

HOOKER: My doctor got my attention. He gave me only a few years to live at the rate I was going.

BEAR: Jesus, Hooker, I had no idea this was going on.

HOOKER: I wasn't big on sharing. I still keep some things private.

BEAR: Everyone does. Roving mind or not, Hooker, all that happened a very long time ago. Don't let it upset you now.

HOOKER: Easier said than done, Bear. Easier said than done.

(End)



 

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