Out of curiosity yesterday, I did a search on Google for the address of the old house_of_clocks. First I tried "1261 Mass Ave". Nothing. I tried "1261 Massachusetts Avenue" and found the building. Finally, trying a combination of both approaches with "1261 Massachusetts Ave" I found the old house_of_clocks being listed for sale as a condominium. Having passed by the old house_of_clocks in Arlington Heights many times recently, I knew that the old apartment was being sold as a condominium, however it was interesting to read the description given of the place:

Arlington – $409,900 Spectacular renovation in 2004. This top floor 3 bedroom unit features new kitchen with granite, stainless appliances, ceramic tile floor, and new baths with ceramic tile floor. Hardwood floors throughout, spacious living room, private W/d, rear porch, large storage area, and deeded parking for 2. Windows, heat and hot water systems new in 2004. Steps to the "t" & shops. Don't miss this one! Listing Information Amenities and Features Listing ID 70332410 Near Public Transportation Price $409,900 Swimming Pool Bedrooms 3 Tennis Court Type Condo Walk/jog Trails Sq. Ft. 1,256 Baths 2

The apartment I remember is quite different. It was billed as a 4 bedroom with 1 bathroom. It definitely didn't have anything like stainless appliances, ceramic tile floors, or a granite kitchen. The building had neither and still has neither tennis courts and swimming pools, I imagine that the references to those in the listing are meant as "nearby" as is with the bike trail and public transit.

When we lived there, the entire three decker was completely run down and neglected by an elderly landlord that was in over her head trying to manage her many properties. Due to the dilapidated condition, we used to jokingly refer to our place as "the Crackhouse of Clocks". purpleglitter is making arrangements for us to look at the place as "potential buyers". I'd really love to see the changes. I doubt I'll recognise it at all. Just from the times I've passed it, I can see how much it's changed. The white picket fence in the neatly trimmed front yard advertises the new nature of the place. Time moves on.

IN THE OLD HOUSE OF CLOCKS

photo by purpleglitter

I just got back from having my hair cut and dyed at Judy Jetson's Hair Salon with on of the gift certificates zarthon got me for my birthday. I didn't get bright purple as I had planned, and instead went for more of an eggplant. Here are some photos of my new hair that purpleglitter took.


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I don't wander to far on Mass Ave on my 3:00am walks. I tend stick to the side streets. Much safer, because no one is there. Case in point was a 20 minutes ago. I was on Mass Ave walking back to the house. A red car passed. The driver turned and looked at me in my pink night gown and cat's eye glasses holding Lilly the (stuffed) Skunk. I watched the driver after he passed. I always make sure the cars leave my sight before I take my eyes off them. He didn't. He turned around a couple blocks down the road. I ran quickly to the house and hopped inside, keeping the light off. I saw him pass. Not seeing me he turned around again and went of in his original direction. Instincts developed during homelessness still pay off. However, I have no plans to stop my walks.

I went to Man Ray last night. purpleglitter took some pictures of my outfit. I ran one of them through Photoshop, and here it is:

Last Thursday, I went to my 3:00pm evaluation at the Crisis Center at the Lexington Center for Mental Health. We were evaluated by a person name Susan for about half an hour and she determined we were in need of hospitalization. I was okay with that, but made it clear that we did not want to go back to Holy Family. I told them "Anywhere but Holy Family.".

After I had been waiting in the waiting room for quite some time (I don't know exactly how long, time was a blur), Susan came back and told us that she had section 12ed (involuntary committed) us to Holy Family. I told her I wasn't going to go. I asked her to find someplace else. I begged her to find someplace else. She replied that it was too late, I was already section 12ed to Holy Family.

I told her that I wasn't going to back to Holy Family. I started for the door. Susan told me that if I left, she'd have to call the police. I left anyway.

Knowing the police would be coming for me, and that they'd eventually find me, I made my way quickly to the Brooks Pharmacy in a nearby stripmall. At Brooks, I bought 2 bottles of Nyquil, a bottle of sleeping pills, and some candy.

Leaving Brooks, I saw a police car entering the parking lot. I quickly ducked into a clothing store. Pretending to browse behind the racks, I kept an eye on the window. The police car drove slowly by, but didn't see me.

A minute or two later, I peeked out of the store. The police car was still in the lot look in the windows. I quickly and calmly walked in the direction opposite the way the police were heading. I walked into McDonalds and out the other side.

I scurried off into the woods and took the sleeping pills, washing them down with one of the bottles of Nyquil. I also ate a few of the candies.

After the drugs had started taking effect, I decided I wanted to say goodbye to some of those I love. I was in a quite delirious state at the point, and didn't fully realize the risk of capture involved in such an endeavor. I left the woods and walked back to the strip mall. I brought my bag of goodies with me, because I didn't want to litter. I noticed another police car enter the lot, and I quickly ducked back into the McDonalds and sat down at one of the tables.

The police officers spotted me this time. I was pretty unmistakable in my satin and velvet pajamas, silk bathrobe, wild pigtails, and cats eye glasses. I'm sure the officers didn't have much of a problem identifying me at all.

As the police entered, I quickly finished what little was left the bottle of Nyquil, and downed a few stray sleeping pills that had fallen into the bag. Not the wisest move at that point, I admit, but I wasn't thinking very clearly.

The police asked me if I was Karen Luketin. To which I replied truthfully, "No". Our name is Beverly Luketin. I showed them our ID to prove it, holding my thumb over the word "Luketin". I said smugly, "See, my name is Beverly". Of course, the police took the ID, looked at it, and noted that my last name was Luketin. They knew I was who they were looking for.

The preceded to ask me about the pills, about which I was very cryptic. Knowing what I had taken, they called in an ambulance. They told me that they had me on a section 12, and there was nothing I could do.

When the ambulance arrived, the police told the paramedics that they were to wait, that the crisis center was sending it's own ambulance. However, when I collapsed simi-conscious onto the ground, the paramedics said they weren't waiting any longer, and rushed me to the emergency room at Waltham Deaconess Hospital.

The emergency room was a blur. I was plugged up to so many things, I felt like a borg. They fed me much charcoal. Apparently our heart rate went up to 175 while we were unconscious. Throughout the night I drifted in and out of consciousness. I made several delirious phone calls trying to tell people where I was. I kept talking to people, then turning my head to realize no one was there. I was hold and looking at things, only to find my hands were firmly and motionlessly folded on my stomach.

purpleglitter and zarthon tried to visit me around 3am, but the emergency room staff wouldn't let them see me. They were told that they weren't my "real" family, and that they would have to go. I didn't even find out that they had tried to visit until I talked to purpleglitter over the phone the following afternoon.

At some point after that, the emergency room staff decided we were in the clear physically. I was told that we were still going to Holy Family. I was very upset, and started ripping out the monitors and the IV. I told them there was no way I was still going after all that. Four orderlies held me down and I was given an quick injection. I awoke Friday afternoon at Holy Family.

I met riga_mortia at the Diesel Café this morning, at around 11:00am. We had coffee, then I went to the Social Security office to hand drop off papers and hopefully meet with someone. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes and being told that I'd talk to the caseworker over the phone tomorrow, I met up with riga_mortia again at Goodwill.

At Goodwill I found a fabulous blue dress that looks right out of the 50's. It goes perfectly with my cat's eye glasses.

riga_mortia and I went back to my house, I changed, and we went to the Great Meadow. Decided to wear a pair of shoes that have been lying around the house for some time, but were falling apart. I very quickly screwed them back together before we left. Unfortunately on the way to the Great Meadow, the screws started poking up into my foot (the flat ends, not the pointy ends, but it still hurt my feet).

We had a very nice picnic of oranges, grapes, green olive tapenade on mini toasts, and green tea. The clearing we chose was very peaceful, sitting on the side of a hill with a nice view of the sun drenched meadow.

Getting up after the picnic, I learned a very important fashion lesson: white nylons are a poor choice if you plan on sitting on the ground..

On the way home, walking by Mal's Towing, one of the workers looked at me and said "How's it going?". Thinking nothing of it, I nodded and walked on. Annoyed he said that he was just trying to be polite because we were neighbors. I didn't recognize him as one of the downstairs tenants. I apologized and said I was just spacey. But, honestly, I still didn't recognize him.

Madeline is so cute! She's very big for 2. She looks a lot like Shirley Temple. Much more so than the child actress who plays Shirley Temple in the new movie on TV. She's got the cutest banana curls. We went to Boston Public Gardens. Madeline loved the squirrels. She kept trying to feed them, but they wouldn't come up and take the food from her hand, so she'd end up throwing the food at them. She wanted to see and feel everything. Every rock, every tree, everything. Her big eyes just beaming to take in a world of marvelous things. She collects rocks. She loves them. Next time I see her I'm going to make sure I have a nice rock to give her.

After the walk, Madeline was tired so Bridgette left her with Christian's (Madeline's father) mother. Bridgette, Christian, and I then went to get lunch. Christian is a very nice person. Very intelligent. I got along with him well.

On my way home, I stopped at 7 or 8 shops looking for cat's eye glasses. Didn't find any.

purpleglitter showed me three new outfits she picked up for me while she was out at the Salvation Army. All of them are wonderful and monochrome jewel. I really needed some new outfits that go along with my new style, as I only had 4 outfits that really fit.

I sat on my cat's eye glasses and broke one of the hinges in half. I don't think it can be fixed.

Just to prove to the other selves that the bingeing and purging was purely self-harm, I ate a meal after purging. Not a big meal, but more than a snack. Most people would say, "Ewwwww! How can you eat after purging?". Vomiting just doesn't gross me out, if it did I'd make a very poor bulimic.

It felt somewhat freeing to purge. I felt I was purging out a lot of my feelings with the food. Scary, because that could become an addictive reason.

I was in a bad place for three reasons:

1) I forgot to wear my 50's glasses when going out to see Petra. Shirley was wicked neurotic. She went into Osco Drugs and bought a new $12 pair of sunglasses. We only had about $40 in the bank! It was night! We couldn't wear them to the Diesel anyway!

2) I saw an old lady sitting alone on a park bench having a conversation with herself. People were just staring at her as they walked by. I though, "That's going to be me in 40 years."

3) We got nasty comments from two different groups of asshole strangers on the way home.