Street Jazz

At the treatment center where Tracy undergoes her chemotherapy, when an individual has at last finished their  weeks or months of chemo, bells are rung, and loud cheers can be heard from staff and some of the other patients. It's hard to be cynical at times like this.

We've had to go more frequently lately; Tracy's blood count was down, and she had to go in for a series of shots.

While we are there, I notice that some people come and go by themselves, with no family or friends to accompany them, or sit with them while they are having chemo. I find myself hoping that they at least have people at home, waiting for them. I wouldn't want to go through something like this by myself.

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Sometimes Art really Does Reflect Life Department

Tracy and I are working our way through season two of "Babylon 5," and the episode we were watching yesterday is a perfect example of how I feel a lot of the time, committee work being the bane of my existance. One of the alien races on the station is feuding, and their battles are getting out of hand. Basically, one faction wears green scarves and the other faction wears purple scarves, and they battle for domination over each other.  

In exasparation, the second in command of B5 removes the green scarf of the leader of one faction, and they all declare her to be their leader. "But I'm human!"

No matter, the aliens explain to her. The rules concerning combat go back generations - long before contact was made with other species.

"Rule changes," one says, in a state of chagrin, "lost in committee."

Yeah, I thought. I know just how you feel.

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And while we're on the subject of science fiction, it's pretty sad when a person can find better SF movies on Turner Classic movies in any given week than on the Sci Fi Channel.

rsdrake@nwark.com