Well, life with Rachael never gets boring. Yesterday afternoon we dropped her mother off at the Queens County Small Claims Court to fight a case against Rach's ex-roommate. Meanwhile, Rachael and I decided to find a bar to hang out in. We drove around Jamaica and passed "europa bar" but soon saw that it was a "Gentleman's Club" and decided against it. We pull up alongside a white minivan and ask the driver and his 5 year old daughter at 6pm on a Tuesday night if he can direct us to a bar. He suggests Jamaica Avenue but then tells us to keep driving, turn right at the light and we'll find one. We drive several miles and see nothing. At long last, we see "Restaurant and Bar." We are listening to Eminem in a town where no one is white and Rach has the window down, blasting the music... I advise against this. We exit the car, frightened but determined, approach the restaurant... luckily the door was locked. Well, we tried. We ended up at a Portuguese bar drinking rum and Diets and eating pork rinds and lupina beans (which I flicked everywhere. accidents happen). Her mother finally calls from the court house, having successfully taken a stand for something she believes in. We drive to pick her up, Rach in the car with a cigarette, wagging her finger and shaking her head, saying, "I shouldn't be driving." (the rum and diets were a bit strong). We laugh.

Her mother is sitting outside of the courtroom, she's happy, we pick her up and end up downtown at the Corner Bistro... meet up with Betsy (her cousin), and my friend from med school Adam... laugh all nite over beers and burgers about Rachael's ex-boyfriend possibly being gay. Mrs. Hilfiger has to be escorted out of the bar against her will, and picks up a bottle of Coke to make rum and Cokes when we get back to Rach's apartment (mind you it's 1am and she is "crocked"). Fun night, ending with me listening to Mrs. Hilfiger on Rach's balcony for over an hour about alcoholism running in her family and her "fears" about her daughter Rachael heading down that very path. I nod in agreement and smile.

~Hope