Friday May 23rd, 2008 - Fond Du Lac, WI/Oak Lawn, IL

I was literally all over the place today but it was worth it. First I took my new old car up to my friend Jack Bennett’s car lot in Fond Du Lac, WI. Jack has always done me well on many levels and I wanted to pay him a visit mainly because I haven’t seen him in a while.

The other reason was that the exhaust pipe came disconnected when I hit a pot hole and it sounded like a Cessna crop duster. It was a little loud at the auction and I knew it but to have to replace it two days later was unexpected. It was also a surprise when the infamous ‘check engine’ light popped on during the trip north. I began to wonder if I’d been had.

Jack’s mechanic is a whiz kid and he replaced the main pipe in about ten minutes. Jack ordered the pipe at his discount and it was half off. It would have been $250 but he let me have it for $125 installed. Along with shutting the check engine light off and oil change it cost me $165. I gave him two $100 bills because the mechanic deserved the extra money.

Now that thing is purring like a kitty cat. What a sweet little cherry that thing is. I’ll use it as a spare car until I find someone who needs it. At these times with the gas panic I will not lose money with it. I was glad I bought it and even gladder after the work was done.

Jack has always taken care of me. He took my class way back when I started teaching in 1993 and I owe him a lot. He’s found work for me at events he’s been in charge of and he always made sure I was paid well and taken care of on every level. I still owe him a lot.

He’s a very talented actor and his work ethic makes me look like a lazy bum. He always has three projects going at any one time and is one of the most optimistic people I know. I would love him to be involved in the Uranus Factory Outlet commercials at some point.

We talked about it as we waited for my car to get finished and he had some solid ideas I hadn’t thought of. Jack has always been a helper and I’m glad we reconnected. I know it’s out of the way but even with gas at $4.12 a gallon it was worth the drive. I got my muffler fixed but also bounced around some quality ideas with someone who knows the business.

Tonight I went to Oak Lawn, IL to visit Bill Brady at his comedy club Barrel of Laughs. It was Bill’s birthday and I wouldn’t miss it for anything. He’s really a super person and it also was worth the gas to be there with a room full of comedians singing Happy Birthday. His family was there too and this was one of the few surprise parties that was a surprise.

We took pictures and hung out and he seemed genuinely touched. That’s what life is all about and I’d have hitch hiked down there if I couldn’t afford gas. Life is about taking the time to acknowledge special moments. If we don’t have those then I don’t want to live.

During the party there was a comic named Tommy Johnagin who made his debut on the David Letterman show. He opened for me a couple of years ago and we all stopped to see his set in which he really delivered the goods. It was very impressive and he deserved it.