Today’s Word of the Day on my 2021 calendar is “Flaneur,” an idle man about town. It’s a sophisticated description of a retirement bum like myself. So little to do and so much time – that’s my new motto. There are active moments like the morning run and the repair of my chair, but otherwise I’m indeed an idle man. As part of that idleness, I started watching “Flight Attendant” last night, trying to soothe the anger from another frustrating basketball loss. A brand new bottle of Angel’s Envy bourbon provided little relief to my grief. 

“Good Grief” is what Charlie Brown would say as Lucy moved the football he was approaching to kick it. “Good Grief” is the current state of I.U. men’s basketball. Fortunately, the Hoosier women are having a good year. Fans are screaming for a new coach, and I have no defense for Archie. He’s had four years to rebuild the program and has failed miserably. Michigan State now Rutgers have added nails to his coffin. I turned off the game last night in disgust. “Good Grief!”

Tomorrow is another “Leadership Meeting” and Sunday a trip into wine country. Otherwise, I’m an idle man, a stroller, urban explorer, lounger, saunterer, or loafer. The poet Charles Baudelaire made such a figure the object of scholarly interest in the 20th century. 

To compare, I am a male that does not work, dressed in my stylish retirement uniform and definitely blasé. Crowds are not allowed in these pandemic times, so I remain apart from it and masked. I do not stroll – only run – and drink, but soon to leave this emerging city. I am the 21st Century Flaneur!

A second consecutive day of sunshine was the highlight of my morning outing, although the temperatures are still in the chilly 30s. I’m back in the warmth of my home office with the TV providing background noise. The chair I’m sitting on is worn and stained after four years of retirement. It rarely got use before that time, but now in need of repair. The edges are particularly tattered from watching I.U. basketball. (See Post #1604).  Today’s project will be to install new foam rubber padding and fabric in an attempt to restore the original appearance. The new cushioning will also help my aching back, after too many hours of sitting here writing and watching.  

I have a staple gun and tacks ready to put to use, a rare construction effort for me. My wife will provide the necessary supervision because I’ve never been much of a do-it-yourselfer. It should be done in time for tonight’s televised game against Rutgers. I’ll add extra padding around the edges and tighten up the loose screws that cause it to rock. I might have to cover it with plastic to keep from spilling anything on it before it soon sits in my new Florida office. 

Yesterday, I read an Indy Star article by Gregg Doyel about the chair that Bobby Knight threw in a Purdue game back in 1985. My chair isn’t nearly as famous but could tell many stories, as well. The funny thing about the famous Knight chair is that no one really knows which of 100 plastic chairs was actually that chair, although several people claim to own it. It’s the most famous chair in NCAA basketball history, but there’s no way to prove which one was which. Apparently, there are still sixteen left from the original 100 in a dusty Indiana University storeroom. The rest have either been damaged beyond repair or stolen. One was autographed by Bob Knight and sold at auction. My seat just needs to be repaired, as if anyone else might want it!