Short Pours: The Stan Chronicles

The Stan Chronicles Low Ray was down to one leg again. When I saw him that morning, leaning against the trashcan down on East 12th Street, it was obvious he was, once again, shy one flipper. "Hey Ray, how's it going?" I asked, planning to walk on by. "Oh great," he said. "Never better. Just...fricking great." He threw me a look as he slid himself down and bounced his backside onto the sidewalk. "Um, did you lose your leg again?" "No, Stan, I'm having it re-chromed and polished so it'll go with my tux when I'm out dancing at the Ritz-fucking-Carlton." He glared at me and slapped his empty pants leg against the garbage can "Sorry man, what happened? Did you leave it somewhere? Can I - " "Couple of goddamn roofers stole it," he said. Another day, and another dose of crazy comes bubbling up from the pavement down on Stan's side of town. The street guys out there are always poking each other with sharp sticks, and Stan, he just can't keep his nose out of it. These are his stories. --------------------- Hammond's first book, From Here to Paris, is a memoir recounting his life changing adventure of getting fired, selling his house, buying a barge in France and taking it to Paris. "When the young VP of HR handed me my termination papers, patted me on the shoulder and said, "Have a nice life." I thought, "Why the hell not?"