Buck 102 - Mary

My final buck. And no better place to leave it. I dropped my spare key in Mary's mailbox and tucked Buck 102 under her doormat. I would say all kinds of sappy mushy things about Mary and our friendship but I am sitting at the Enoch Pratt Free Library and don't want to start crying. And I am leaving in a few minutes to meet Mary, Whitney and Heather for lunch. The 3 people I will miss most in Baltimore. Ok, if I start thinking too much I will be a sobbing mess at lunch. In the spirit of Mary I will try to be Westfield wise-cracking sarcastic which should keep the tears at bay.

Aw buck up Nico and start thinking about your new life back in westernmass.

Bucks 99 - 101 Shot Tower

Early morning Baltimore and driving to a friend's house to leave a spare key. I drove down 83 and got in the left lane to turn onto Fayette. Looking at the Shot Tower I remembered how we heard about it during our first pre-decision AFS trip down and how I just recently told that story again to the Warren family when they visited. We are really going to miss Baltimore. Then I noticed the guy walking from car to car for money. I was happy to leave it here in Baltimore and pulled out my last numbered bucks. I gave him Bucks 99 - 101 and saved Buck 102 for my last stop.

Dilemma

I got Bucks 99 - 102 crumpled in my jeans pocket. I really need to number Bucks 103 - 106 to catch up to today, but, I have no money, kinda. We are in the process of moving back to westernmass, selling our rowhouse in Baltimore, starting a business and necessarily re-embracing our former frugal Yankee selves. Frugality, I welcome you with open arms. It is my nature and I love the challenge of making, fixing, creating, reusing with little money. I will admit, we have thoroughly enjoyed the frugality hiatus of recent years with purchases of art, designer toys and a few well-designed pieces of furniture. But, back to being poor and my dilemma. Do I take $ out of the bank to continue this blog? Of course I don't want to be a quitter, but not sure I can be a throwing bucks away daily kind of girl when we have no income. I guess if I put it that way, my decision is clear. And sure, the people finding Bucks were probably pleased for a moment, but they won't miss it. Well, don't have to decide this minute. I will carefully rid myself of Bucks 99 - 102 and think think think of what I will do after that. Maybe I can combine creativity and frugality and come up with something clever. I'm pretty tired though. I guess I have 4 Bucks worth of time to decide.

Buck 98 - beat up

It sucks getting beat up. I hate to see people who've been beat up. They might have deserved it, but still. Guy with a black eye asked me for money at intersection of Pleasant and Main, gave him Buck 98.

Buck 96 + 97 - what's that sound

coming out of the hole in the wood . Buck 96 to the guitar player usually stationed in front of Bueno y Sano. And Buck 97 to the other guitar player down by CVS.

Buck 95 - woman at light

If you spend the day standing on the median with a cardboard sign - you really do need money. Women in front of the Walmart got Buck 95.

Buck 94 - Look Diner

Ah, the Look Diner. I remember you well. Actually, well might be stretching it. It's more of a hazy post-night-of-drinking-pre-coffee-then-salvation sorta feeling. It was one of my favorite feelings. You know, maybe you spent the evening with your best friend driving to Northampton to drink at Sheehan's Bar and then you decide to see the movie playing across the street, Slackers, and you sneak in a couple of beers because how you gonna stop drinking for 1+ hours, and then you head back to Sheehan's and run into a friend who is on his way to see a band at UMASS and you squeeze friend into the back seat of the Karmann Ghia and see Superchunk at the Blue Wall with about 20 other people and are blown away and so want the night to never end and head back to Sheehan's for more drinking and then an after hours party and then wake up early feeling groggy and nauseous and want food and coffee and if you don't rustle your friends up there will be no more homefries at the Look so you pester and prod them and smoke and back in the Karmann Gia with the top down and hair blowing and clumped and reeking of beer and kinda still drunk and then coffee, coffee, eggs, bacon, homefries and homemade bread toasted and then you walk out satisfied, feeling a little clearer and then the favorite feeling: a perfect night was granted you with an amazing show, good movie, friends, too much drinking and now you are on the sunny Rte. 9 roadside with a full stomach and fading hangover and you feel alive and happy and wouldn't change one little thing. Dropped Buck 94 in the Look Diner parking lot.

Buck 93 - Red-headed stranger vet

Same vet, same can, same location on Main St. in Northampton. Buck 93 this time.

Buck 92 - Fireman

My neighbor in Baltimore is a fireman. First fireman I have known. Firefighters were out in wmass over Labor Day weekend trying to raise money for the department. Stuck Buck 92 in the fireman's boot at the intersection in Easthampton.

Buck 91 - Bueno y Sano

J and I both brought Bueno y Sano t-shirts to our relationship. Weird huh? J got his as a gift. I bought mine used at Savers. Jim's has passed. But I still have mine, with holes and a stain. Oh and then crazy dichotomy - we both had Bueno y Sano t-shirts, BUT we had no common CD/cassette/record! Not a one! It's hard to believe. Not a Ramones, not a Butthole Surfers, not a Beastie Boys. When my friend Holly moved in with soon-to-be-husband John, they allowed another super organizy friend Beth to merge all their CDs with the offer that she could keep all duplicates. Beth got tons of music for her efforts. I think, like, 70-100 CDs. I would not have expected that for us, but never, never would have guessed 0 duplicates. There's a Bueno y Sano in Northampton now (yeah) and I left Buck 91 on the bench.

Buck 90 - "downtown" Southwick

Who knew there would be so much foot traffic on College Highway in Southwick at 9pm. Summer House parking lot is rocking. Couplets of young girls walking the roadside in shorts and tanks, looking for boys. Groups of young boys on bikes, doing tricks, ignoring girls. Dropped Buck 90 out the window.

Buck 89 - morning routine

Coffee and bagel again at Bruegger's. This time meeting Verizon guy at space. Another buck, Buck 89 to vet with can.

Buck 88 - Main to replace Mt. Royal and North

Once we move back permanently, I expect most of my bucks will go to someone on Main St. This could get even more boring, fast. A challenge I suppose. A challenge left for a more creative mind frame.

Coffee and bagel and meet flooring contractor at the space. Veteran with can sitting outside Bruegger's - put Buck 88 in his can.

Buck 87 - drive by the Stop & Shop

Radio on. I'm in love with Massachusetts. Radio on. Heard Jonathan Richman's "Roadrunner" on the drive up, twice (same show). Perfect welcome home music. And when I went to the Stop & Shop first early morning to get coffee for the condo - thought of Jonathan again. Dropped Buck 87 outside the Stop & Shop. Radio on.