Hospital common area, 11:40 p.m.

I have to say that it is very eerie being the only person within sight, even though I know that there are hundreds within just a few feet. It is amazing what darkness does to the human psyche.

Where am I?

As you know, my laptop is destroyed. Not just injured, but destroyed. In trying to save it from the soda, I grabbed at the LCD screen a little too fiercely and cracked that as well. For an Apple, a cracked LCD screen is the kiss of death.

Anyway. I borrowed a janky old Dell from work - a fossilized machine so old that the battery doesn't even work on it. It has to be plugged in to actually power on - and lo and betide anyone who trips over the cord. Instant data loss.

I didn't manage to get the machine until very late this evening - at which point I was wrapped up in a huge project - thus reducing the writing time to the very late hours of the night. This again brought into the play the issue of where to find a safe place after the sun goes down. I did see a hotel with an open lobby near my office park tonight. I might try that soon. I prefer places with people around. I have issues.

I'm further restricted tonight, becuase I have to have a place to actually plug the computer in. While I'm not averse to being outdoors, I'd rather not fight off freshwater and saltwater mosquitoes the size of F-11s. Where to go? Where to go?

Most of the booths at the few fast food places don't have outlets. I could hang out at the Service Desk of a Wal-Mart, but I'm leery of stepping foot inside one of them ever again. Where do people go at any time of day?

The hospital. That's right. The hospital.

I'm on the second floor patient wing, sitting in an area that's used during the day for community classes and and a gym/workout center. I can look out over the parking garage and see the hospital security guy roll past every few minutes.

Aside from the fact that I had to hunt around in the dark for a power outlet, and then drag a table and chair over, I'm doing OK. I'm not too keen on the dark - I keep thinking zombies and ghouls and all sorts of rogue vampires straight out of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" - but in general I'm doing OK.

This is actually the first time since my computer died that I think I might live to see a new day.

I actually did think about going to the ER admitting room - but gave that a pause. I've accompanied friends into the ER - and it is not a pleasant place. Plus there's a uniformed cop there at all times. I"m not sure I want to waltz in, plop my laptop down and start writing.

OK. There is some serious banging behind me. There's a gate thing pulled down over a snack bar area. I hope it is just rats. I pray it is just rats. I had the choice of sitting with my back to the giant plate glass window, putting my back to the direction people are most likely to come from, or turning my back to the the locked gym. I have my back to the gym so that I can watch the parking lot and the approaching hallway.

So far I've only seen one guy - who looked like night maintenance. He did not see me. If I were more paranoid I suppose I could lock myself into the bathroom and write - although that would make me look like a heroin addict or something. And just plain weird.

I guess I should tell you what's going on here. Not much of anything.

The lights are off. The furniture is very "modern hospital common area" and arranged in conversational groupings so that family members can take a moment away to get a breath of air, relax, have a soda or make telephone calls. I suppose this also allows the staff at the hospital a nice place to have lunch or take a break if the weather is bad.

There a tons of plants around - not real though - I just checked. The fake plants contribute to the air of "pseudo-modern sensitivy" that pervades the place.

You know it's not real, no matter how nice it is. No hospital, however nice, will ever replace home.

Balrog. I just coughed. It echoed for what seemed like miles. And now I feel a draft. Did a door open? Is my jig up?

I guess I better get rolling.

Peace out.