And then there was Joey

"The only guy I ever lived with was Mike," she said while sweeping the floor, "and oh yeah, Joey." Her co-worker said, "Joey is Joey." She nodded and said something I couldn't hear. And then the conversation moved on to bowling.

Raspberry Season at the Coffee Shop

Her hair was a bright raspberry pink. I don't know if hair dye now comes in that color or if she was using Jello, which makes a pretty inexpensive substitute. She had on a pale pink t-shirt with horizontal stripes in the same color as her hair, and her daughter, about 6 years old, had the same color bows in her many braids, and trim on her jeans pockets.

My Catholic Cabal

Today at the coffee shop I consulted with two Catholics I see regularly on Saturday and Sunday. One usually tries to convert me, and the other likes to talk about opera. I asked both if they were happy with the selection of Benedict XVI. The answers surprised me.

Frank, the conservative Republican of Irish descent, was not happy. He said the new Pope was too old to be a world leader, and he's also quite unhappy with Bush's performance and I think wanted a Pope who would bring him in line with more conservative thought and fiscal management. How a Catholic Pope does this for a Methodist president, he didn't explain.

Pat, the liberal Democrat of Italian descent, seemed pleased. He calls himself a "cafeteria Catholic," selecting was he likes in the faith.

Politics and religion in the coffee shop. Sometimes there are surprises.

Mr. Coffee Nerves

James Lileks has collected some interesting strips for "Mr. Coffee Nerves" who tried to break up families in the 1950s. He writes: "Coffee was the crack of the 50s, apparently. Mothers would turn into hideous witches, twitchy and snippy creatures who pecked their children until they trudged out into the cold to join the circus, or live in the jungle." I remember seeing these--and they are fun to review or read the first time with Lileks humorous side comments.

See his collection here.