Saturday, April 30

12:45 am
Hotel

Thank God the day is over.  It's been one of the longest of my damned life.

The Youth thing was good.  Some great kids, lots of volunteers doing good work.  I tried my best to stay focused, but it was impossible.  Kept thinking about Richie, about Cate, about Dorothea and my kids, about Ava.  And I just felt helpless.

It was like I was in a trance, sleepwalking through the day.  Saw a couple press photos; I look like Hell.  The last couple nights have done a real number on me.  I have wrinkles upon my wrinkles.  Jesus, I look like I aged 10 years overnight.

I feel like I aged 20.

My Saving Grace was coming back to the hotel after the Youth thing and finding Cate waiting for me.  She changed her flight, left the office right after her meeting and caught an earlier plane.  God Bless my Wife.  I really need her here.

Tonight we put in our unofficially required appearance at the performer's lounge then disappeared into the Quarter.  Found a little hole-in-the wall place with dark corners and candlelight and shared wine and wonderful food and some quiet time together.

Then we strolled through some of the shops that were still open.  Cate led me into one of those VooDoo shops that seem to be everywhere, she was intrigued.  We kinda poked around and the manager asked us if we were looking for anything special.  Cate said she was just curious and kinda half-slyly asked if the dolls and gris-gris really worked.

My Wife was a little shocked by what happened next.  The proprietor looked her up and down and got this big grin.  Then she turned around and took this doll off a shelf, one that looked like a broom wrapped in pink and blue cloth.  She handed it to Cate and said  "Here. When Baby comes you tell me if it works."

It was a fertility doll.

That made me really smile for the first time in this whole long day.  I just put my arm around Cate and handed the doll back to the lady and told her we'd take it.  And a couple of gris-gris just for good measure.

A little VooDoo can't hurt, right?

I had the ShopMistress make a gris-gris for Richie, too.  Good Health and Spiritual Blessing.  I'm sending it to him tomorrow, from both of us.

After that we found another little dive and snuggled together in another dark corner and listened to some jazz trio and an incredible blues Mama.  Then we headed back here, snuck in the side entrance with a little help from Matty.

Now I'm right where I wanna be, in bed, waiting for Cate to slip into my arms and soothe my tired, aching soul.

Got that fertility Mojo Bag under my pillow, just in case.