Vaughn Taylor

            On Saturday after midnight I did another search for bedbugs and when I poked a skewer stick into a small hole in the plaster on the wall behind my pillow a young bedbug was disturbed. When I killed it it had fresh blood inside and seemed healthy. That's the first one I've seen in five days but it's pretty frustrating. They must be getting in from outside my place somehow because I'm pretty sure I'm not bringing them in. 

            I memorized the chorus and the second verse of “Cuti–réaction” (Skin Prick Reaction) by Serge Gainsbourg and changed the translation of the line that literally translates as “Mongolians of the Satyricon.” It makes no sense and so I went with “dominatrixes of the Satyricon.” 

            I weighed 88.6 kilos before breakfast. 

            I called the landlord about making an appointment with pest control. Nobody else calls him about having bedbugs but I'm pretty sure they have them. I know Benji has seen a few. I wish everybody would just get over worrying about the stigma. It's better to not have bedbugs than it is to pretend you don't. 

            In the late morning I took my bedding, including my comforter and my clothing to the laundry. While my things were in the wash I went to No Frills where I bought four bags of green grapes, some Empire apples, a whole chicken, a loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread, and two containers of Greek yogourt. I took the groceries home and left them on the counter while I went to put my laundry in the dryer. I went home and put my food away and then did the dishes. I got the laundry home at around lunch time.

            I weighed 88.9 kilos before lunch. I had saltines with five year old cheddar and a glass of lemonade. 

            In the afternoon I took a bike ride to Yonge and Bloor. It's getting darker at that hour and so I'll have to start taking my ride with flashers soon or else ride earlier. It was drizzling a bit as I went down Yonge but the horizon was bright and when I passed an open space where a building had been demolished there was a rainbow on the other side. I rode to Richmond and headed west. 

            At Richmond and John there's a mural of a two faced woman with flowers in her hair and there's a bear in the lower right corner. I've passed it many times but now that I've started reading The Winter's Tale I think I recognize that the mural might have been inspired by the play. But looking it up I see it maybe isn't. The mural is called Reflections and it overlooks the big open eating area called RendezView between Duncan and John just south of what used to be the City TV building. But I see now that it's more of a two faced girl than a woman.

            On the way home along Queen the rain started harder even though it was still bright in the west and I was soaked before I got to Ossington. The rain stopped of course before I reached Parkdale. I weighed 88.8 kilos when I got home. 

            For dinner I made pizza on a slice of Bavarian sandwich bread. I added Toscanese sauce, a cut up slice of roast beef and extra old cheddar. I had it with a beer while watching an episode of Gomer Pyle. 

            In this story Gomer is walking through a rural area on his way back to the base when he stops at a diner, outside of which a horse named Dolly is tied. Gomer makes friends with Dolly and then learns from the farmer that owns her that he has no choice but to put her down since she can't work anymore and he can't afford to just keep her. Gomer doesn't want Dolly to be killed and so he buys her. He takes her back to Camp Henderson where he tries to hide her until he can find her a home. But Dolly unties her rope and is discovered wandering around. Carter tells Gomer he has to get Dolly off the base. He ends up hiding her in an old tool shack but it turns out that the shack is targeted for the demonstration of a new plastic explosive. When they are about to detonate the explosive Gomer runs to the shack to save Dolly. The colonel tells him he has to get Dolly off the base and return her to the farmer even if he will be putting Dolly down. While walking along the country toad with Dolly, Gomer sees a man in a clearing painting on a canvas. Gomer approaches the old man and learns that he is retired and owns the property he's painting on. Gomer gives Dolly to the man to paint or just to be friends with and the man accepts her. 

            The painter was played by Vaughn Taylor, who started out working on the small stage and radio until he finally appeared on Broadway in 1948. He had most of his success playing supporting roles on television and was nominated for two Emmies. He also worked in film and played the deacon in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and Janet Leigh's boss in Psycho.