Jen wrote: “And I am sorry, Mr. Incredible Hulk, about the results of your visit today...” which resulted in phone calls from a few concerned citizens. I am fine. They x-rayed my chest am I am not infected or contagious. I have, however, been exposed to the disease. My immune system is healthy and has smashed it, but it’s still in there in a latent form. Since it’s airborne, I will never know how I got it or when. If you’ve been around the same people and places as me you might want to get tested. You didn’t get it from me, but we both might have gotten it simultaneously from some infected person.

So, starting today or tomorrow I will begin a course of antibiotics that will clean my system out so that my “sleeping” exposure never develops into the active form of TB. This will mean a major lifestyle change for me, as I cannot drink any alcohol while on this medication. I need to be on the meds for nine months. My next gin and tonic will be consumed in March of 2006. Erica and I had a goodbye party last night for all the distillates I’ve loved before, who’ve traveled in and out my door. I’m glad they came along. I dedicated a song to all the distillates I’ve loved.

If you’re wondering what I am having for lunch, I was thinking some kind of cold turkey.