Sally seems about the same as yesterday, maybe a little less responsive. I went to see her at about 6 p.m. and played and sang for her. She still isn't responding to the music, and didn't respond to the nurse: of course, he didn't clean her mouth when I was there, as he had last night, and that's what evoked her biggest response to him. The doctor to whom she said "Hi" last night was off tonight, and while I was there no other doctor came (I was only there for a half hour--I was replaced by two other members of the group, Josh and Nancy, who continued seranading her, I don't know to what effect).

After leaving the hospital I went to the Starry Plough where I had a hamburger and a couple of pints of the vile black stuff: I only drank half of the second (not that it didn't taste good--my conscience made me give a little nod to my doctor's orders). After I had waited through two solo sets, Shay finally called on me and I announced that I was going to surrender one type of Plough virginity: I was going to sing a capella: not a great idea--particularly with "Finnegan's Wake," which I started about a fifth two high: I could hit most of the high notes, but didn't have much room for expression; I also blew a couple of the names of the instigators of the riot, sang too fast, failed to stop for breath--all the things one is likely to do when one is terrified.

But I'll try it again next week--but I will depend upon my banjo at least enough to find the key for me.

--seed