Lunch With Jim

Walked Kimball, then did the usual Sunday stuff.  Char called to say she didn't feel up to going, so it would be just Jim and me. Actually, I enjoy talking to  him one on one, so I didn't really mind that she cancelled. Changed, got the remote for the gate out of the car, then walked the mile and a half to the Victorian Pub.
I was early, so thought I'd wait inside, but what a racket! The place was jammed and there were about a dozen televisions, all blaring with some football game. I waited a while, but then decided to meet Jim outside and see if we could go somewhere else.
He got there and, since Marie Callender's is close, we walked over there. That was also jammed, not with football fans, but because it was their last day open. (Somebody had told me at the party they were closing.) We walked to Jasmine Thai, which doesn't have a T.V. and found it busy, but quiet. We got a nice booth and settled in.
We had a good lunch and some good conversation. Poor Jim; he's adjunct faculty at Ventura College and it looks to me they're trying to force him out. They "took" his intro to logic course away and gave it to someone else and there are other signs I recognized. Jim is not an outgoing, glad-hander and he tends to drone when he talks. I know his classes hadn't been well-attended lately and I'm afraid his personality is the reason. I urged him to talk to the dean and see what the story is and to contact the faculty union. He said he did, but was told there was nothing they could do, the bastards.
We also had a wide-ranging discussion on other topics, from the general employment situation to critical thinking to religion to capitalism and so on. It's like a breath of fresh air to talk to somebody who's familiar with these things and is neither bombastic nor meek.
We left about two  and I let Jim drive me back to my apartment entrance. He dropped me off and I went in to get a few things, then high-tailed it to the bus stop and went to town. I got off about a mile sooner than usual, as I wanted to walk a bit more.  Did so and got in about two, I guess, before I caught another bus back.
Woke up this morning to 1. rain, which I understand will continue for four days and 2. a cold and sore throat--damn! I'm supposed to meet Carolyn B. for lunch today and I have other outings coming up. I hate to cancel at the last minute, so took some aspirin and will see how I feel later.