021204

 

San Antonio, TX

Thursday February 12, 2000

     6:00am  I took off from my mom's house. I'm going to walk all the way to the Walmart. Like two or three miles. I'm going to have a productive day today. Not like yesterday. I did go to SAC and typed for a couple hours. I need to get another pocket calendar and buy a new watch band. I'll think of other stuff to do.

                   I'm going to get some Total cereal at Walmart too.

     6:56am  I'm at the Walmart. Just stepped onto the parking lot. I'll calculate how long it took me when I type this up. Then you'll know how far the Walmart is from my mom's house.

                   Fifty six minutes.

     7:00am  I'm in the Walmart. First I'm going to get some Total cereal.

     7:01am  I saw a bench and I stopped and rested.

     7:06am  I asked somebody if they had some wool gloves. The lady told me, "I don't think we have any for men, but we have them for women." She showed me these ones that will do the trick. They're just warm gloves. They're unisex, damnit. They shouldn't be just women's. I'm going to go look for my pocket calendar now.

                   I left my watch at the watch place and I'm going to shop some more.

                   Guess what. I just realized I left my money at home. I walked all the way down here for nothing. Well actually, I got some great exercise. That sucks.

                   I don't know what time it is because I don't have my watch, but there's the 610. Cool, I didn't have to wait that long.

     7:39am  The bus driver gave me a transfer for the cause. Thanks a lot, brother.

                   Got me a transfer for the next bus, perfect.

     7:43am  I'm on the 609. I'm going to get off at Braun and Tezel and walk to my mom's and get my money. Then, I'm going to walk back to the Walmart.

                   I just got off the 609. I had asked the driver, "Next stop, please." When he stopped the door open and I just stood there. He was all waiting for me. Oh shit, here's my stop.

                   Okay, there's my mom's house. I'll check the time when I get inside. Even though the clock in the kitchen is like off by five minutes. On purpose. I hope the back door's unlocked. I think it is.

                   I left it unlocked. I'm going to go in the house now. Let me tell you what time it is. On a working clock.

     8:15am  The clock in her room is right, I think.

                   Damn, it's all early in the morning.

                   My mom is so wasteful. She always leaves the heat on during the day. For no reason. Nobody is home during the day.

     8:22am  I'm going to start walking back to the Walmart.

                   I'm going to walk a different way though. I'm going to walk down Wickersham all the way to Guilbeau.

                   Hehe, I'm all barking back at the dogs.

                   I'm over here on Wickersham and Guilbeau already. I've discovered the secret to quitting smoking. Anytime I want a cigarette all I have to do is either go for a walk, or find somebody to tell my story to.

                   Which means I'll walk more and tell my stories more.

                   Which means I'll be free and let something else guide me. I'll let chance and coincidence and odds guide me.

                   I don't know what time it is but I'm walking in the Walmart parking lot already.

     9:10am  I got here like five minutes ago. I got a watch. My rainbow bracelet is missing. I hope I find it when I go home.

                   My total was like fourteen something, so I got like five dollars change.

     9:13am  I got everything I needed. I got gloves, two pairs. One to give away. I got my watchband. My composition book for email addresses and I got me my cereal. Four things. Good job.

                   And I bought me a breakfast burrito at the McDonald's. I'm going to eat it at the bus stop. I think I'll go to SAC again.

                   Right when I got to the buses they both took off. Oh well, I'll just sit here, smoke some weed and wait for the next bus.

     10:06am  Man, I just had another presentation with this guy. I don't know his name and he didn't have an email address. I got on the 88 when it came. I'm having a good day so far. I had a big long walk in the morning, obtained some supplies and I got to tell my story. Awesome.

                     Oh yeah, and I smoked that dude out at the bus stop.

     10:41am  I'm at Travis Park. I'm going to buy me a chilidog.

     10:45am  I'm going to jump on the #4 going to North Star.

     10:54am  I'm at SAC. The Shitty Ass College, hehe.

     10:57am  I'm about to walk in the library at SAC.

                     I'm leaving SAC. I typed up seven days today. I'm proud of myself.

     2:54pm  The driver wouldn't give me a ride. He said, "You can't ride for free." Wanna bet?

     3:05pm  I'm walking to, the 92 doesn't stop over here, so I'm walking to the street where it does pass. Over by the VIA main headquarters. By San Pedro Springs Park.

                    I walked to North Flores. I thought the 92 passed by here, but it doesn't. It used to. Sweet, I'm following this big peace sign. I'm walking through this alley and I see in front of me this big black dumpster that has a big peace sign that says, "No war."  

                    Oh yeah, I put a new tape in. I'm going to take a picture of that.

                    It's in front of the Comal Counseling Center. 1731 North Comal Street. I'm not going to talk to these people. It's not even their dumpster.

                    Whoa, there's an apartment in front of here. I wonder how much it is a month.

                    I walked up to the #2 stop. At 1805 North Comal. There's a apartment right there. It's got this cool hippie picture of a moon and sun. I thought maybe people there would listen to my ideas. I'll have to come back and check though. Nobody is home right now.

                    I went in the Rainbow Bakery Store and bought me a brownie for a quarter.

                    I walked down North Comal, turning right on Hickman. I'm just going to walk and see who I run into. At the other place I had asked some guy smoking a cigarette if he had time for a story and he said, "Nope, gotta go back to work." I'm walking.

     3:22pm  I'm going to change into my thermals in front of the San Pedro Springs Park. Here at the bus stop. I don't care if people see me. I'm going to take my pants off and put my thermals on.

     3:29pm  I'm finished changing. I'm going to walk around this little park.

     3:30pm  I walked up to some history here. "King's Highway Camino Real. Old San Antonio Road. Marked by the Daughter's of the American Revolution and the state of Texas. A.D. 1918."

                  There's a big star here on the ground. It looks really old. I don't know what it means, but I'm going to take a picture of it.  

                  San Pedro Springs Park is a beautiful place. I've never been here before. It's awesome. I took another picture.  

     3:40pm  I saw some girl walking. I went and hit her up for a story. She said she didn't have time. She had to go pay some bills. I got her email address. First person in my composition book I bought yesterday.

     3:50pm  I came over to the corner of, I walked up West Laurel to Howard. There's this big old antique building. I want to see what the hell it is. It's over by SAC. I think it's apartments.

                   Oh shit, they are apartments. I'd love to go in this building.

                   The Aurora Apartments on 509 Howard Street.

     4:02pm  Germans settled here. Cool, ran into some history. Built in 1929. That's awesome.

     4:05pm  That guy came up and told me about the building. I went, "Hey, do you have time for an interesting story?" I gave him my intro and asked him if he was willing to listen. He said, "Actually no, I gotta work." I went, "Okay, but I want you to do me a couple favors . . ." I told him and he laughed. I told him, "Tell your friends."

                   I have to tell people the same thing.

     4:07pm  I'm walking North Main. Sweet, burgers and fries. I'm going to try and score me some food.

     4:10pm  She didn't hook me up. She's not the manager.

                   I'm going around in circles. I'm back at SAC. I might as well go in the library and get on a computer. Type up some more days.

                   Oh yeah, earlier when I went in that Aurora place I told the guy, "I was just walking by and saw this interesting building." I asked a lady, "Can you give me some history on it?" She told me, "Well, it was built in 1929." That's all she told me. I asked the security guard if it has always been apartments?" He told me it was opened up as a hotel. I asked, "Hey, I don't suppose I can go up on the roof and take pictures." He told me, "No, but you can take pictures of the fireplace 

around the corner. It's pretty nice." He showed me where it was and I took a picture of it.

                    I'm walking down Lewis now just passing Cypress. I'm just walking in this direction for no reason.

                    Oh yeah, I'm walking to exercise, hehe. I always have a reason to walk.

     4:40pm  The 92 gave me a ride. I appreciate it, brother.

     4:46pm  I just finished telling Bridgette my story on the bus. I had started telling her at the bus stop. I scored a courtesy ride so I could tell her the rest of it.

     4:52pm  Oh yeah, I got on the bus and the 92 was all packed. I was standing up. I noticed this couple laughing behind me. I turned around and asked, "Hey, are you guys laughing at me?" I told them, "Hey, can I tell you what I'm doing?" They told me yeah, sure. I told them what I was doing. I gave them my intro and asked them if they were willing to listen and the guy said, "No, maybe some other time. I always see you around." I told him, "Well, you can just wait to hear about it when the rest of the world does. Ignorance is bliss, I guess." Dude, I told him, "Thanks for proving me right. You see how ignorant this world is?" He didn't say anything. I just got off the bus. I'm over here by, there's a sign for a miniature golf course. I've always wanted to come out here and check it out.

                    I want to bring a girl with me to this golf course on San Pedro.

                    Turning right on West Mulberry, coming off of North Calaveras.

                    Passing North Zarzamora.

     5:02pm  That's so funny I still have the box of Total cereal I bought yesterday in my bag. That will be my reward for when I get home.

                    I'm going to turn around on Elmendorf.

     5:04pm  Turning left on North some street.

                    I'm in the Monticello Park Historic District. With all these hippie houses.

     5:15pm  I saw on the sidewalk something someone had written into it when the cement was drying years ago. It has these little baby's footprints and the date it says, "2-23-54" I wonder who's feet 

those are.

     5:18pm  West Summit tee's at Kampmann. Still in Monticello District.

     5:25pm  Kampmann Blvd swerves to the right right here, but I'm going to keep going straight through this alley back behind all these houses.

                    I just walked into this alley and this dog started barking at me. I went, "Oh, come here. I'll give you some lovin'." He came up to the fence and smelled my hand and started licking me. Aww.

                    I had a good presentation with this girl walking down the street. She listened to me. Then her ride came and picked her up. Oh yeah, while I was talking to her these two old ladies pulled up in a car and said to the girl, "Do you need a ride?" Like I was going to rape her or something. Me, this weird hippie-lookin' dude. People need to mind their own damn business.

     5:35pm  Man, I am walking so much today. I'm addicted to walking. I walked all the way to the Walmart this morning, then caught the bus back to Braun and Tezel and walked Wickersham to my mom's house. Then I walked all the way back to the Walmart. Then I caught the 88 bus and went to SAC. I typed up like seven days worth and now I'm making my way back home. I'm walking North right now. I'm looking at the compass on my stick.

     5:39pm  I walked down to West King's Highway and turning right on Manner.

     5:41pm  Turning left on Senisa.

     5:44pm  I saw some girl walking her dog and I asked her if I could tell her a story. She told me she was in a real big hurry. Oh cool, an ice cream truck. I've got two dollars.

     5:48pm  Turning right on Morning Glory. Walked up Senisa to Morning Glory. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I bought a Snicker's Ice Cream Bar for a dollar from the ice cream truck. Rip-off.

                    I'm going to walk down this alley back behind the houses. I'm going to smoke some weed somewhere.

     5:55pm  I forgot to tell you. I've been sitting here at the 524 bus stop. Resting my feet. If the bus comes I'll ask for a courtesy ride. If he doesn't give me one I'll just walk.

                   I need to be over at Medical Center by 7:15 to catch the bus over to my mom's.

     6:00pm  Joe is hooking me up with a courtesy ride on the Koger Center bus. I forgot what it was. 89 or something.

     6:15pm  I just had the greatest presentation on the bus with that guy who gave me a courtesy ride. His email is elbruto@msn.com. He agreed with everything I said! He kept saying, "That's right, that's right."

                  Oh yeah, now I'm back on Callaghan close to 410. You know what, I can walk to Medical Center by 7:15. I'm going to walk.

                  It's cool because when the 89 had pulled up, he waited for me to run across the street so I could get on.

                  Joe agreed with everything I said. He's going to tell all the guy's at VIA. I'm sure.

                  When he does, most of the other drivers will tell him, "Ah, we already know about it."

     6:32pm  I just took a picture of my future headquarters 

right in front of the running track at the hospital. The building with the big rainbow in front of it. 2020 Babcock. It's right here. Right where it should be. Right where I need it. It's kind of dark outside.  The picture might not come out.

                   It's so cool. That last bus driver gave me a transfer. I don't need to worry about bumming a ride from the 610. I've bummed a lot.

     6:38pm  I walked to the hospital. I took my time walking through the field.

     6:48pm  Geez, these idiot girls. Their dumbasses. I talked to these girls and asked them, "Hey, have I told you guys my story before?" They said no and I said, "Well, can I?" I told them my intro and this one bitch started shaking her head. She says, "You know what? I'm in the Navy. That goes against everything I believe in." "Will you let me tell you how I'm going to do it then? Have you always been this ignorant?" She said, "I think this conversation is over." I told her, "Well end it then." She was all, "No, why don't you go away?" I smiled and told her, "Make me."

                   Hahaha, they think I'm all crazy.

     7:06pm  David just took a picture of me at the transfer center.  

     7:46pm  I'm off the 610 over by my mom's.

     7:56pm  I'm walking up to my mom's.

     8:00pm  I'm inside the house now. The back door was unlocked. I'm going to sit down and eat me a bowl of cereal.

     8:08pm  I finished my cereal. I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed. I'm going to keep doing this early to bed early to rise thing.

     8:10pm  I just took off my shirt and I found my rainbow bracelet! It's been up my arm this whole time. Awesome.

                  Well, I was right, when I came home I found it.

     8:52pm  I ate a peanut butter sandwich. My mom left me food. When she got home she asked me if I had eaten. I told her I had a bowl of cereal. She said, "Oh, there's some peanut butter there." She bought all this food. She's all being cool with me.

                   I love my mom. She has finally accepted me. She doesn't bitch anymore. I hope she sees how hard I'm working. I am ecstatic that it finally happened.

Next day..