Flatbush Tom

Passing storm dusted the Salt Lake area yesterday with just a little snow however behind the “storm” freezing their grasp the Valley and of course today was a busy day for me to be out on the tarmac. I was a little worried and I still am to some degree about my butt because yesterday I thought that I really damaged my skin. I wore a corduroys. I have a black pair corduroys that I've hardly ever worn and now I will probably never wear them again. I wish I thought the idea through but I think the chords on the corduroy worked like a file on my skin as I roll around yesterday and might power chair. By evening I felt sure that I had developed a wound, later on going to bed at felt like there was a skin breakdown. Of course this was the last thing I needed today.

For the the past number of years I have been the Santa Claus at the Independent living center holiday party. This is an event that Utah Independent Living Center holds for its clients/consumers and anybody in the community who would like to attend. They dress me up as Santa Claus I go out to pass out candy canes to a line of individuals wishing to have their images taken with Santa.. I did not know how to get out from going to this function without me the would've had no Santa. I suppose I flatter myself to a certain level thinking that I'm the only Santa out there but still the consumers look forward to my Santa. I didn't want them down by saying that I couldn't come because of the skin breakdown though they would certainly understand.

As I said the function is not only for consumers, folks who use our services but also for other government/private nonprofit agencies that service folks with disabilities. Utah State Office Of rehabilitation or rehab works very closely with the center. In fact and I don't want to get into a giant dissertation here, now, Rehab things they on us or the independent living center. So rehabilitation is always had a presence at these kind of functions. Flatbush Tom is the state emissary it seems. Tom always shows up to our functions. I: Flatbush Tom because in his day yet the best pompadour hair style I have ever seen..I wish I had images from the past and Tom look so elegant. When I saw Tom in his glory reminded me of the Lord's of Flatbush, a group New York of the same name. I did not mean the name to be derogatory. Over the years I've lost my hair and all Tom still has ruminants of the pompadour the pompadour is flattened out quite a bit. I like Tom he seemed a little distant as he came up to my table. We greet each other and then he began to talk about having cancer. Tom has cancer. He says is okay. I don't know how you're ever okay with cancer. He qualified his statement by saying it's okay this cancer will not kill me stop that kind but I'm very very tired. I tried to find an element of hope in his face I did not. But spooked me was that what I did see was resignation. Tom I think it's significantly older than myself by about 5 to 10 years at least. I mean I think, I'm sure he was a greaser in 50s and it was cool to be a greaser i.e. pompadour wearer. I wish I could have given a gift. I don't know what however.. I wish I could give them time I don't know if Tom wants anymore time. He seems so, so tired. I don't think I've ever seen that before then again I don't know how many people I have known with active cancer sitting right in front of me dwindling away. I wish to marry Christmas, I was in my Santa get up so I certainly looked the part. I gave in the candy canes that is giving everybody and shook his hand who knows maybe for the last time marry Christmas Flatbush I've always appreciated your hair.