Abe Update

Abe is alive and well in New Orleans. I received a call from our favorite former resident of Stockton, USA last night around 9pm. I will admit that he sounded mildly intoxicated. However, as everyone knows, it is the sincerest form of flattery to be the receipient of a friend's drunk phone call. It means in the midst of that person's good time and mellow mood, they're thinking of you.

As you know, Mardi Gras is this coming Tuesday. Predictably, the festivities have been underway for sometime down there. Abe was accosted by a religious figure of some sort shortly before he called me. Since he was walking alone, Abe theorized that is was possible that he looked lost. When I inquired if he meant lost in the spiritual or physical sense, he replied that he was not sure. I wonder how many souls are "saved" in New Orleans during this time every year...

Anyway, Abe has taken a single-bedroom apartment outside the downtown area - actually well outside - perhaps as far as 10-15 miles outside of the city, and he has a three-month lease. The apartment required him to have a job to sign the lease. Unfortunately, the job he held for one day turned out to be somewhat of a scam. From what I could gather from Abe's description, it seemed to involve managing an outfit that sold counterfeit perfumes, and the job fell through when a court ruled the company could sell the fragrance, but only under a different name.

So presently, Abe is without a job and subject to terms of a fairly expensive lease. He is actively looking for a job on a regular basis, although he may be wrapped up in the celebrations next week.

Abraham has decided on the next goal in his life, and it may take him to culinary school. That's right - Abe wants to be a chef. I, for one, can certainly see Abe in a chef's hat - cooking up a storm in a fancy kitchen somewhere.

The three-month lease will afford him the flexibility to extend his stay if he finds a job he likes, or to return relatively soon - presumably in April.

Although he has not met many people, he was nearly propositioned by a well-endowed woman who claimed it was her birthday. Abe was not taken in by the ploy for endless free drinks - he provided the woman with only one. He assured me that her breasts were larger than his head, and that, as he said, "was just one of 'em!" Remarkable, indeed.

There you have it - your Abe update. Be sure to drop Abe some birthday wishes soon - his 24th is coming up next Friday, February 11.