Thursday night, Nov. 21, 2025 

Just saying Amen …

to a quick hot shower after running in the cold and wet at the track after sunset 

to air-frying the steak quesadilla Peter made last night and set aside for me … and savoring it standing up in the kitchen

to sailing down Green Tree hill and through the tunnels to receive a weathered city that only glistens at night

to having a pick of parking spots next to the park where people are still pickleballing under the lights 

to the luminous marquis of the old Garden Theater standing as proud reminder to never let our past define our possibility 

to walking into Alphabet City and finding it full, just as the mighty Alexis was preambling the evening’s program 

to grabbing the last seat at the bar, left open because it couldn’t see the stage … but it could see the drummer, which is exactly what you came to see 

to a septet breaking into Perdido breaking like a fresh egg over your week’s bowl, seeping down and through all the way to the bottom

to the drummer excusing everyone but the piano, bass and guitar, leaving them to Nat King Cole the shit outta’ Stompin’ at the Savoy, painting life so beautiful in black and white

to the trombone player’s tone on I Can’t Get Started, as full and warm as the bourbon in my second Soothsayer

to the piano player pouring himself Body and Soul, exploring till he found that chord he knew was in there, causing the sax player bowing her head to smile around her mouthpiece … and look up and over to him and nod 

to the in-betweens of the bandleader preaching sermons on St. Norman Granz and Jazz at the Philharmonic

to listening with an irrepressible smile of my own to 90 minutes of combinations, educations and improvisations orchestrated as neatly as a bento box, leaving me not full just satisfied

to driving back home in reverie in no great hurry

to pulling in the driveway pushing 9:30 and finding the outside light on and Peter shooting hoops 

to stepping into a rebound and dishing his layup 

to settling into old familiar rhythms

to knowing it’s in when it leaves your hand

to feeding him in stride and him splashing one after another after another

to seeing your November breath while staying out way past dark on a school night 

to calling it, but not before each ending on a make

because that’s the rule