Four Fighters In a Texas Town

I passed this day quietly. Slept in (though not as much as over the weekend), and spent a lot of the day doing the writing for If I Don't Do It Now.... I have to know what's holding me back. What's wrong with me? Why can't I find a regular job? Why have my few interviews not worked out? How can I meet more people who can really help me? How can I work past my fears and doubts?

There was an envelope with a notice from the Union in the mail. They said they'd take away my benefits if they didn't get payment papers from the disability checks in the mail! I called them and told them I hadn't even gotten them yet, and probably won't until the beginning of next week or the week after. They said everything was fine, as long as I remember to send them the payment papers when I do get them.

Shortly after that, I decided to finally sweep the porch. I probably shouldn't have, but the leaves were piling up, and it looked awful. Besides, it was a gorgeous day, warmer than it has been, but not out of line for mid-October in southern New Jersey, breezy, sunny, and blue. The leaves are finally beginning to turn colors here. I swear they turned much earlier in October last year. I'm so frustrated that I can't go out and enjoy it. I  don't have enough money to browse in local towns or at yard sales. I can't even go for a nice little walk around the neighborhood. My favorite time of year, and I'm missing it. It isn't fair.

Vacuumed the apartment next. I put it off earlier in the month because of my foot, but it was getting really grungy, especially the kitchen. I have no idea why my kitchen is carpeted. It's a mess, but what can you do with carpeting in a kitchen? I did as well as I could with my foot.

After I did a little more writing, I started leftovers for dinner, with Cranberry Flummery over marble bunt cake for dessert, while watching Rio Bravo. In this classic John Wayne vehicle, he's a tough sheriff whose Texas town is invaded by a gang determined to break one of their number out of jail. He's determined to do it alone - one of his deputies is a lame, if energetic, older man (Walter Brennan), one is an inexperienced teenager (Ricky Nelson), and one is a drunkard (Dean Martin). A local scarlet woman (Angie Dickerson) wants to help out, too. He rejects all of their offers to join him - until the men take off with Martin, and Wayne finds himself learning a lesson in teamwork.

Howard Hawks directed one of his best westerns, a tight tale of how it takes a lot more than one big John Wayne to really bring down the bad guys...and that when you help a friend, you help everyone. Martin was especially good in one of his best performances as the drunk deputy who finally sobers up when things look bad.

(Hawks loved the premise so much, he essentially revised it as the later El Dorado and Rio Lobo, both darn good westerns in their own right, both again with Wayne.)