#pete thom

[idontknowwhyimhere102]

I just love to babygirl that old fucking man

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Gabriel Sherman at Vanity Fair:

In the past week, Donald Trump has signaled a desire to rule like a strongman rather than a president constrained by constitutional norms. Last Friday, Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, scolded democratic NATO allies and met with the leader of Germany’s extreme-right AfD party. On Saturday, Trump declared on social media: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” This Tuesday, Trump blamed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the brutal war that was launched by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. “You should have never started it,” Trump falsely said of Zelenskyy, when in fact Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The US president then doubled down on the feud Wednesday, calling Zelenskyy a “dictator.” Democrats are in the minority in both the House and Senate, which means the federal courts and congressional Republicans are the only guardrails on Trump’s second term. So far the judicial system seems to be holding—though a Trump-packed Supreme Court is now destined to rule on all manner of alleged overreach in the coming months. (And it’s an open question as to whether Trump will actually abide by rulings that go against him.)

Republicans in Congress, however, have consistently folded—approving all of Trump’s Cabinet picks, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, with only a faint whiff of pushback on some of their boundary-scorching backgrounds. The confirmations predictably short-circuited many Democratic observers, but the rolling headlines of late have even some Republicans decrying the seeming erosion of checks and balances in recent weeks. “These are the heirs of the Greatest Generation, and they turned out to be the worst generation,” says Stuart Stevens, who served as a chief strategist on Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign and has since left the GOP, joining the anti-Trump Lincoln Project as a senior adviser. “It’s tempting to compare Republicans to Prussian aristocrats in 1930s Germany. But Prussian aristocrats were more responsible. They were dealing with civil unrest and the threat of a communist takeover. Republicans today have historically low unemployment, a record stock market. What’s their excuse?”

Political survival is one. Senate and House Republicans know Trump will orchestrate the running of a primary challenger backed by Elon Musk’s unlimited resources if a member defies him. But this is not the whole story of Republican subservience to the president. In private, Republicans talk about their fear that Trump might incite his MAGA followers to commit political violence against them if they don’t rubber-stamp his actions. “They’re scared shitless about death threats and Gestapo-like stuff,” a former member of Trump’s first administration tells me. According to one source with direct knowledge of the events, North Carolina senator Thom Tillis told people that the FBI warned him about “credible death threats” when he was considering voting against Pete Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary. Tillis ultimately provided the crucial 50th vote to confirm the former Fox & Friends host to lead the Pentagon. [...]

From the moment Trump descended his golden escalator in June 2015 to announce his first run for president, he injected menace into his political rhetoric. On the campaign trail he talked about wanting to punch protesters in the face. During his first term, he praised Montana’s then representative Greg Gianforte for physically attacking Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs in 2017. “Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!” Trump said. (Gianforte later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and received a six-month deferred jail sentence.) When protests erupted after a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd in 2020, Trump called protesters “thugs” and said: “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” The phrase echoed a remark made in the 1960s by a Miami police chief associated with stoking racial tensions in the city (Trump claimed he wasn’t aware of its origins). In a September 2020 debate against Joe Biden, Trump refused to condemn white supremacist violence and told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”

January 6 further catalyzed GOP fear of Trump-inspired violence. Romney told his biographer, McKay Coppins, that an undercurrent of anxiety thwarted Republican efforts to formally punish Trump for his role in inciting the riot. “One Republican congressman confided to Romney that he wanted to vote for Trump’s second impeachment, but chose not to out of fear for his family’s safety,” Coppins wrote in his book. “When one senator, a member of leadership, said he was leaning toward voting to convict, the others urged him to reconsider. You can’t do that, Romney recalled someone saying. Think of your personal safety, said another. Think of your children. The senator eventually decided they were right.” Former Wyoming representative and prominent anti-Trump Republican Liz Cheney told CNN that House GOP members confided to her that they were “afraid for their own security—afraid, in some instances, for their lives.” Representative Jason Crow of Colorado told NBC News after January 6: “I had a lot of conversations with my Republican colleagues last night, and a couple of them broke down in tears—saying that they are afraid for their lives if they vote for this impeachment.”

Republican Peter Meijer, then a Michigan representative, told Atlantic writer Tim Alberta in 2021 that one colleague seemed to nearly have a nervous breakdown over fears of being harmed by MAGA supporters if he were to vote to certify the 2020 election results: “He asked his new colleague if he was okay,” Alberta reported. “The member responded that he was not; that no matter his belief in the legitimacy of the election, he could no longer vote to certify the results, because he feared for his family’s safety. ‘Remember, this wasn’t a hypothetical. You were casting that vote after seeing with your own two eyes what some of these people are capable of,’ Meijer says. ‘If they’re willing to come after you inside the US Capitol, what will they do when you’re at home with your kids?’” Trump’s mass pardoning of January 6 participants has recentered those events in Republican minds of late.

Gabriel Sherman wrote a solid column in Vanity Fair on how the threat of political violence from far-right MAGA cultists serve to keep Republicans onside in enacting the dangerous Trump agenda.

See Also:

NCRM: Cowardice’: GOP Faces Backlash After Report Suggests Death Threat May Have Swayed Vote

[iloveraxacoricofallapatorius]

i wanna get back into emo tumblr

and also freak tumblr(if there is something like that)

[protytwo]

Anybody remember the L'il Subs? Actually, they were just some kids getting a tour of the Legion HQ. Doro stands in for Calamity King, and wears his traditional green. There are kid versions of Night Girl, Color Kid, Antennae Boy, Infectious Lass, and Porcupine Pete. From Legends of the Legion #2 by Jeffrey Moy, and W.C. Carani.

[sparepartsbacc]

[casualoptimist]

Book Covers of Note April 2024

[filosofablogger]

We Are Here ...

Yesterday, Felon Trump gave a speech to soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, ostensibly to recognize the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, but in reality it was something much darker.  Historian and author Thom Hartmann shines a light on Trump’s true purpose … Trump Is Preparing the Military for Political War—And He’s Using a Confederate Traitor to Do It By rewriting history, staging…

[letterstomyrepresentatives]

The Illusion Is Shattered—Republican Senators Must Act NOW

Dear Senator Tillis,

The illusion is over. You can no longer pretend that what’s happening under DOGE and this administration is some grand strategy or master plan.

This week’s catastrophic Signal leak shattered that lie. When senior Trump officials carelessly exposed sensitive military plans in a group chat that included a journalist, the American people got a clear look at what’s really driving this administration: recklessness, incompetence, and a staggering contempt for the very institutions you swore to protect.

For months, you and your colleagues may have chosen to believe—or at least tolerate—the narrative that Elon Musk’s takeover of federal agencies through DOGE was part of a complex, calculated effort to "fix" government. That fantasy has collapsed. The leak makes clear what many of us have long understood:

There is no strategy. There is no genius at work here. There is only greed, chaos, and brazen self-dealing.

While you stood by, DOGE has:

Fired thousands of career public servants.

Dismantled critical agencies that serve veterans, families, and farmers.

Redirected public contracts and sensitive government data into Musk’s private empire.

Hollowed out programs Americans rely on—healthcare, education, weather forecasting, food assistance.

And now, exposed national security secrets in a display of sheer recklessness.

You cannot look away from this any longer. You cannot keep pretending this is about "efficiency." The American people can see exactly what this is: a smash-and-grab operation happening in plain sight.

The question now is whether you will confront this reality—or continue to be complicit.

I am demanding that you, and every Republican Senator, face this moment with honesty and action:

Speak out—publicly and unequivocally—against what DOGE is doing.

Demand a full investigation into this week’s leak and DOGE’s broader misconduct.

Halt further firings, contracts, and data transfers immediately.

Restore oversight and accountability over these agencies before more irreversible damage is done.

The American people are watching. History is watching. This is your moment to decide whether you will serve your constituents—or serve a billionaire dismantling our government for profit.

[accurate-alignment]

Why Hegseth is Trying to BAN Military Religious Freedom w/Mikey Weinstein

[erebusvincent]

I read recently an article alleging that populists eventually collapse because they only know how to destroy. There’s no plan afterwards for what the brave new world should look like. Eventually, progressives gain power by fixing the problems caused by populists and creating the mechanisms for a functioning government. Let’s hope so.

Tillis could have told Danielle Hegseth that there was no point in telling people how abusive Pete Hegseth was and she needn’t put her name out there. I wonder if the point of his jackassery was to make sure the American people fully knew what a terrible person Hegseth was and had him forced on us anyway. Just as women fail to appreciate how much men hate them, Americans fail to appreciate just how much our government loathes us.

[bandcampsnoop]

5/21/24.

Bungler is the work of Paul Hewes (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) who is pretty up-front about his mental health struggles and the important role of music in his life.

"Glen Providence" is a cassette release by label Strange Mono (also Philadelphia). This is indie pop/rock - kind of straight ahead, but with some interesting chords and progressions.

Hewes vocals kind of remind me of Thom Yorke crossed with Tap Tap and/or Pete & The Pirates.

[thevellaunderground]

Magazine: The Post-Punk Trailblazers and Their Quest for Peace

Magazine, the iconic post-punk band, emerged from the creative explosion of the late 1970s. With their unique sound and thought-provoking lyrics, they have left an indelible mark on the music industry and continue to influence artists today. But beyond their musical prowess, Magazine’s relationship with the concept of peace is a testament to their depth and the power of music as a force for…

[yourreddancer]

FROM PUBLIC CITIZEN

On Friday night, 50 United States senators — all of them Republicans — voted to put our nation’s security in the hands of a man who is laughably unqualified.

Except it could not be less funny.

With a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance, Pete Hegseth will now be Secretary of Defense.

Pete Hegseth isn’t qualified to be shift leader at a Dairy Queen (nothing against Dairy Queen). Putting him in charge of the entire United States military is a perversion — and every one of the 50 senators who voted for him knows it.

So why did they do it?

Because they were afraid that if they did the right thing and rejected Hegseth, Donald Trump would back someone else in their next election, and assistant president Elon Musk would spend millions to defeat them.

That’s why Trump defended his nominee so aggressively once news reports indicated how horrible Hegseth’s record is. It was a test. “Look how much they fear me.” “Look how willing they are to prostrate themselves at my feet.” “Look what I’ve turned them into.”

It’s really quite pathetic how craven and insecure they are.

Especially considering that even if they did lose their seats, ex-senators do pretty well. There are cushy positions on corporate boards or as high-paid lobbyists. There are deals to be had for books, podcasts, and speaking gigs. There are roles as pundits and hosts on Fox “News.” There are shady right-wing nonprofits and “think tanks” to run. There are car dealerships and cryptocurrencies to profit from. And on and on and on.

But no, these 50 senators were so afraid of Trump and so addicted to the illusion of political power (we say “illusion” because in reality they have forsaken any actual power in abject fealty to Trump) that they were willing to put Hegseth in charge of the $900 billion Pentagon, its 3 million employees, and all its warfighting capacity.

This is a man who has shown himself unable to run a small nonprofit. A man about whom there are credible reports of excessive drinking and out-of-control behavior. And a man against whom there are multiple allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence.

This is also a man who refused in his confirmation hearing to renounce the use of torture. A man who at his hearing was unaware of a major international alliance. And a man who has argued that women should not serve in combat roles.

Let’s not forget that for generations, it is Republicans who have held themselves out as the party that supports the military and is “strong on defense.”

In case you think your senator would never jeopardize America’s national security, here are the 50 Republican senators who just sold out our troops, our veterans, and our country:

Jim Banks, Indiana John Barrasso, Wyoming Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee John Boozman, Arkansas Katie Britt, Alabama Ted Budd, North Carolina Shelley Capito, West Virginia Bill Cassidy, Louisiana John Cornyn, Texas Tom Cotton, Arkansas Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Michael Crapo, Idaho Ted Cruz, Texas John Curtis, Utah Steve Daines, Montana Joni Ernst, Iowa Deb Fischer, Nebraska Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Charles Grassley, Iowa Bill Hagerty, Tennessee Joshua Hawley, Missouri John Hoeven, North Dakota Jon Husted, Ohio Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Jim Justice, West Virginia John Kennedy, Louisiana James Lankford, Oklahoma Mike Lee, Utah Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming Roger Marshall, Kansas Dave McCormick, Pennsylvania Ashley Moody, Florida Jerry Moran, Kansas Bernie Moreno, Ohio Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Rand Paul, Kentucky Pete Ricketts, Nebraska James Risch, Idaho Mike Rounds, South Dakota Eric Schmitt, Missouri Rick Scott, Florida Tim Scott, South Carolina Tim Sheehy, Montana Dan Sullivan, Alaska John Thune, South Dakota Thom Tillis, North Carolina Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Roger Wicker, Mississippi Todd Young, Indiana

(Here are the three Republican senators who did not vote for the charlatan: Susan Collins, Maine; Mitch McConnell, Kentucky; Lisa Murkowski, Alaska.)

If you are feeling angry and/or fearful about what it will mean to have someone as devastatingly unqualified and dangerous as Pete Hegseth running the Department of Defense, join Public Citizen in a message to the 50 senators who just voted for exactly that.

Those who serve in uniform, our nation’s veterans, the hundreds of thousands of civilians who work in the military, and — most crucially of all — every single American deserve better (far better) than Pete Hegseth. You have put us all in harm’s way for no reason other than your own cowardice in the face of Donald Trump. Shame on you.

Click to add your name now.

Thanks for taking action.

For progress,

- Robert Weissman & Lisa Gilbert, Co-Presidents of Public Citizen

[pupsmailbox]

MUSIC ID PACK

NAMES︰ abby. ace. adagio. adam. adria. adrian. adriane. aero. alex. alice. angus. ann. anthony. apollo. ari. aria. ariane. ariette. avril. axl. axton. bill. billie. billy. blaze. bohemia. bon. brad. brian. bruce. cade. cadence. cadentia. cantrelle. charlie. cher. chester. chordelle. chordette. chordiene. chrissie. christine. cleo. cliff. coda. cosmo. crescenette. crescenne. cresciene. cruz. dahlia. danny. dave. david. dax. daze. dolce. dolcette. dolciene. dolciette. don. doremi. duff. dusty. echo. eddie. electra. ember. ensemblette. enslette. enzo. eric. estelle. faye. flash. fleetwood. florance. floyd. flux. forte. frank. freddie. geddy. geezer. gene. george. ginger. glenn. glimmer. grace. gregg. halen. halo. harmonette. harmonie. harmony. harp. hayley. helena. iggy. isis. izzy. jack. jasper. jett. jimi. jimmy. joe. john. juno. kade. kai. kairo. keira. keith. kian. knox. krist. kurt. larkin. larry. layla. liam. lindsey. lio. luna. lux. lyric. lyrical. mac. malcolm. maynard. medley. meliene. melodie. melodiette. melody. micheal. mick. mitch. moxie. muse. musette. musine. nancy. neal. neil. neon. nick. nicko. nicky. noel. note. notesie. notesy. nova. octavia. onyx. orchestrae. orchestraette. orchestraine. ozzy. paul. pax. pear. pete. peter. phil. piper. pulse. quest. randy. rave. rhea. rhythm. rick. ringo. riven. robert. roger. ronnie. rosa. rose. sabbath. sable. serj. sierra. sky. skye. sona. sonata. sonette. songbird. songesse. songette. songstress. sonia. sonic. sonnet. spark. steve. steven. stevie. strobe. symphonia. symponiette. talia. taryn. tempo. thom. tim. tom. tony. treble. trix. vibe. viola. violette. violiene. vyn. xara. zack. zeppelin.

PRONOUNS︰ aero/aero. ba/bass. band/band. base/base. beat/beat. black/black. blink/blink. bpm/bpm. chili/chili. crash/crash. cream/cream. cue/cue. cure/cure. door/door. dor/doremi. drop/drop. dru/drum. drum/drum. eagle/eagle. echo/echo. electric/electric. electro/electronic. fla/flash. flu/flute. flute/flute. for/forte. forte/forte. glo/glow. guitar/guitar. gun/gun. har/harp. heart/heart. hot/hot. hx/hxm. hy/hym. iron/iron. jam/jam. journey/journey. jump/jump. ke/key. kiss/kiss. la/lala. las/laser. loud/loud. ly/lyric. machine/machine. maiden/maiden. mel/melody. metal/metal. mix/mixed. mu/muse. mu/music. muse/muse. music/music. ne/neon. nirvana/nirvana. no/note. noe/note. note/note. oasis/oasis. oct/octave. pearl/pearl. pepper/pepper. perform/perform. pi/piano. pia/piano. piano/piano. pink/pink. queen/queen. ra/rave. radio/radio. rage/rage. re/reverb. red/red. reverb/reverb. rhy/rhythm. riff/riff. rock/rock. rose/rose. rush/rush. scorpion/scorpion. scream/scream. shred/shred. shx/hxr. shy/hyr. sing/sing. soe/song. soe/sonnet. sol/sola. song/song. spike/spike. stone/stone. string/string. stud/stud. sync/sync. tem/tempo. tempo/tempo. thxy/thxm. thy/thym. tra/track. tre/treble. treble/treble. trumpet/trumpet. tu/tune. tuba/tuba. tune/tune. vi/vibe. vio/violin. vocal/vocal. wa/wave. yell/yell. 🎤. 🎧. 🎵. 🎶. 🎷. 🎸. 🎹. 🎻. 🎼. 💥. 📹. 🔊. 🔋. 🔌. 🗯️. 🤘. 🥁. 🧑🏻‍🎤.

[thatliminal-wanderer]

Rock Music ID Pack

Requested by Anonymous

Names

Abby, Ace, Adam, Adrian, Aero, Alex, Alice, Angus, Ann, Anthony, Avril, Axl, Bill, Billie, Billy, Bohemia, Bon, Brad, Brian, Bruce, Charlie, Cher, Chester, Chrissie, Christine, Cliff, Danny, Dave, David, Don, Duff, Dusty, Eddie, Eric, Fleetwood, Florance, Floyd, Frank, Freddie, Geddy, Geezer, Gene, George, Ginger, Glenn, Gregg, Halen, Hayley, Helena, Iggy, Izzy, Jack, Jimi, Jimmy, Joe, John, Keith, Krist, Kurt, Larry, Liam, Lindsey, Mac, Malcolm, Maynard, Micheal, Mick, Mitch, Nancy, Neal, Neil, Nick, Nicko, Nicky, Noel, Ozzy, Paul, Pear, Pete, Peter, Phil, Randy, Rick, Ringo, Robert, Roger, Ronnie, Rosa, Rose, Sabbath, Serj, Steve, Steven, Stevie, Thom, Tim, Tom, Tony, Zack, Zeppelin

Pronouns

aero/aeros, beat/beats, black/blacks, blink/blinks, chili/chilis, crash/crashes, cream/creams, cure/cures, door/doors, dru/drum/drums, eagle/eagles, electric/electrics, guitar/guitars, gun/guns, heart/hearts, hot/hots, iron/irons, jam/jams, journey/journeys, kiss/kisses, loud/louds, machine/machines, maiden/maidens, metal/metals, music/musics, nirvana/nirvanas, oasis/oasis’, pearl/pearls, pepper/peppers, pink/pinks, queen/queens, radio/radios, rage/rages, red/reds, reverb/reverbs, rhy/rhythm/rhythms, riff/riffs, rock/rocks, rose/roses, rush/rushes, scorpion/scorpions, scream/screams, shred/shreds, stone/stones, vocal/vocals, yell/yells, 🎵/🎵s, 🎶/🎶s, 🎸/🎸s, 💥/💥s, 📹/📹s, 🔊/🔊s, 🔋/🔋s, 🔌/🔌s, 🗯️/🗯️s, 🤘/🤘s, 🧑🏻‍🎤/🧑🏻‍🎤s

Titles

A Rock Fan, A Rock Lover, A Rock Producer, A Rock Song, A Song With Loud Noises, Lover of Rock and Roll, The Drummer, The Guitarist, The Hard Rocker, The Headbanger, The Rock Fan, The Rock Musician, [prn] Inviting You to a Concert, [prn] Who Listens to Rock

Genders

Aggrorockvolic, Bassgender, Bassguitagender, Delinqxenifemasc, Drumgender, Guitargender, Guitarweaponic, Rockcothrillic, Rockfem, Rockgender, Sleepyguitaric

Other mogai

Aldembodirock, Alderguitar, Aldermusicae, Musicperspesque, Musictasteperspesque, Musicvior, Musivesil

[sutherlins]

In November I wrote 'it was night when you died (my firefly)' - a mostly canon compliant fic following Sydney and Mikey's friendship prior to his death. I intended to rewrite the first episode with the added context of that fic but it's not working out so for anyone who liked that fic, this is a scene of how Sydney came to own the beaded Thom Browne shirt she wears the day she meets Carmy.

Sydney had set out her clothes the night before, her hand softly caressing over the beaded fish on the Thom Browne shirt she had chosen for her first day at The Beef. Sydney slid it on like an armour, each button a reminder that this was a second chance, for her and for Mikey. 

They’d just left Gino’s, the sun was high in the sky but neither of them were in a particularly good mood. Emmanuel and Donna both applying pressure to them from opposite ends of the loving scale. Sydney’s dad, so worried, so concerned, desperate to make up for the hurt he had caused her. Donna, lashing out, blaming everyone but in the absence of Carmy and with Nat pulling away with encouragement from Pete, it was Mikey who was receiving all of the fall out. They didn’t know the exact details of course. Those boundaries were maintained, but they both knew that neither of them wanted to return home. They’d just kept walking and talking instead, not stopping until they stumbled across a vintage store called Mathain. Mikey was holding the door open before Sydney had even had time to look in the window but when she stepped inside she was in awe. The brass tin tile ceiling stood in contrast against the black walls, and the rails were lined with the most beautiful fabrics. Mannequins stood flanking the cash register with vintage designer gowns. Mikey weaved through the racks heading for the jackets and Sydney made her way over the shirts. White button downs were a staple of her wardrobe and she expected that to be the case until she could one day save enough to get herself a really good quality chefs jacket.  The metal squeaked a little as she pushed the hangers along the rail but she froze when the fifth shirt appeared. The shirt looked simple at first, a basic but luxurious feeling white oxford weave short sleeve shirt. The point collar was sharp and the short sleeves had a little cut out detail pointing towards the buttons.  The beaded detail was what caught her attention though. Fish and floral designs had been embroidered across the shirt. Sydney flipped the shirt, the signature grosgrain tab and the square patch on the lower left of the shirt confirmed her suspicions. It was a Thom Browne.  The very worst part was that it was in her size. Had it been too big or too small she could have walked away happy but knowing the most perfect shirt was out of her price range made her bad mood worse.  “Shit, that’s fucking dope, Syd.” “For $200 it’s not.” “$200 is a fucking steal.” He whispered, taking it off the rack and inspected it. “What’s your budget?” “$2 plus, uh, I guess if I move some money around and pull from my savings I could add an extra dollar.” “I’m being serious.” “Fifty. I doubt you can get it down to fifty.” Mikey held his hand out and Sydney pulled out some notes and he snatched them from her, walking away with the shirt in his hand and a smirk on his face. Sydney watched from the accessories section as he leaned across the counter, tipping his head just right at the blushing cashier. At one point he leaned across and moved her hair from her face, tucking it behind the woman’s ear and the giggles in response filled the entire room.  Sydney tried not to roll her eyes, having to fake a cough to cover her laughter over the ridiculousness of Mikey. Ten minutes later he rejoined her, a bag in his hand and holding the door open, a final wave given back to the woman at the cash register.  “You’re shameless.” “The opposite in fact, you’ve not been paying attention in group. I'm filled with that bitch.” “Shut up. What did you get it down to?” “I don’t think that’s what’s important. The Mikey charm got the shirt and-” He held out the business card of the store, the number scratched out and the name and number of the woman written instead. “A date.” “Lovely. How much was the Mikey charm worth?”

She took fifty off.” “Only fifty?” Sydney sputtered out. “That’s $100 more than I can afford.” “Syd, consider it $100 I can no longer put up my nose.” Sydney blinked and them rubbed her temple, his jokes about his addiction always taking her by surprise. “Jesus, why are you like this?” “Lot’s of reasons and I think you know them all.”

“Thank you, Mikey. I don’t know how to pay you back.” “I know how…” “How?” “Get me a table at your fancy spot for the date I just promised her.” “Ugh, fine. I’ll ask when I’m back in tomorrow.”