Who were they?
This is Gaither Pratt and Hubert Pearce. Gaither was a scientist, and pretty much the second-in-command at the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory. Hubert Pearce was the best ESP subject they ever found. Look at them. They are 22 and 27 in this photo. So serious. They’re just starting out in their lives. Both wanted to become ministers at one point. Gaither changed his mind, but Hubert did go on to become a Methodist minister in Arkansas.
And both are now dead. I can never meet them. But I’ve been writing about what they were like for the past month or so. It’s insane when you think about it. I’ve been searching through various archives to find film footage of them, but so far I haven’t turned anything up. But I am in touch with their children, who have been helping. I was just emailing with Gaither’s daughter Ellen last night. And I have talked to a bunch of people who knew them. But still. It’s weird. Luckily, there are a lot of records, tons of letters. I can immerse myself in the correspondence and get a feel for what they were like, and their relationships with other people.
I rescheduled my library visit yesterday. It was just too hot. It would have made an enjoyable thing not fun. I want to go when I can enjoy myself. But this weather is getting to me. I’m doing another fun thing tonight, I’m being interviewed on a BBC show about the cold case book, but right now I’m dreading getting on the subway and going uptown. I’m going to get there early to give myself a chance to cool down before the interview.
The second a fort is provided, a cat jumps in to occupy it.
My friends pointed out that there’s a Popeye’s next to my gym and how messed up is that? 
Procedure done! Thank God I no longer have that hanging over me, or any other medical procedure. I’m drinking coffee with half and half, the way it should be drunk, (is the grammar correct there, because that doesn’t seem quite right) and I am done done done. My hand is bruised from the needle that fed me the drugs to make the procedure bearable, but again, I am done. I am begging the medical establishment to come up with a better way, however. I don’t have to do this again for five years, you can do it in five years, I just know you can.
The paperback for my last book came out yesterday! I should have done something, had a little party or something. I haven’t been doing much of anything to promote the paperback, I have to admit, which is so unlike me. As distasteful as I find the whole promotion process, I recognize it must be done and usually dig in. Alright, next week I put together a plan.