032507

 Portland, OR

Sunday March 25, 2007

     12:36am  I just messed up again, dude. It's raining hard. I just got splashed by a car. I have decided I am going to walk all the way to Alberta. To the Alberta House. From where I am. I don't know where I am. I'm at Tillamook and 42nd Avenue. Oh yeah, I went to the 75 bus stop and I saw somebody crashed on the bench with a blanket over them. I asked him if he wanted to wake and bake and he said hell yeah. I blew his mind with my presentation. He was all appreciative. Then I decided I was going to walk all the way to the Alberta House. Then the bus pulled up and I thought I'd walk it if the driver didn't hook me up. He didn't hook me up and after he drove off I noticed I had a good transfer in my pocket. So if another one comes I'll flag it down.

                     Oh yeah, I'm counting on that the door will be unlocked at the house on Alberta. If not I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess I'll just walk around all night and wait for the sun to come up.

     12:44am  I am walking down Knott Street. Knott and 40th. I am aiming for 33rd. I don't know if that's going to be close to Alberta.

     12:54am  I just got to 33rd. I don't know which way to turn. I'm going to check the bus stop.

     1:03am  Damnit, I walked the wrong way on 33rd. I ended up on Broadway again. I asked some guys how far and they said like four miles. Oh shit.

     4:45am  She wouldn't tell me her name, but at the McDonald's this girl is giving me some food for breakfast. I appreciate it.

     5:51am  I'm here telling my story to Dave at the 7-11. Dan just gave me a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother.

     7:04am  Man, I have just walked a shitload. Like fifteen miles, I'm guessing. Man, I am so tired. Then I realized, of shit, it's Sunday. The bus doesn't come until eight forty seven. I've got a long ass walk.

     7:26am  Man, I am walking around in circles. I'm back to Marine Street. I've been here before. This really sucks.

     9:00am  The 12 bus finally came. The driver all asked me, "Why don't you have busfare?" I told her, "Because I thought I would be able to walk all the way home but I got lost." She let me on. I need to get off at 33rd and Sandy.

     9:32am  Man, what a crazy night. I can't believe I haven't slept. I walked a good fifteen miles last night, man. I am walking to the Lloyd Center now, the mall. I got all mixed up riding the bus last night. I don't know this town at all. I'm walking by the Portland Tennis Center. I'm going to go scavenge some tennis balls for my stick.

                     The lady behind the desk found five dead balls for me. Nice. I guess this is a resource I can tap if I stay in Portland for a while.

     9:54am  I have to wait until ten seventeen for the 10 bus. At the Lloyd Center, the mall. I have to take a piss.

     10:00am  Albert me dio un cigaro en Lloyd Center. To lo agradezco senor. Todo el mundo recibe credito, gracias.

     10:32am  I have landed on Alberta and 15th Street. Oh shit, I'm going backwards. I need to be going up, not down. 33rd is what I'm aiming for. I'm walking down Alberta Street holding my WPTMJ sign.

    10:43am  I passed by the laundromat on Alberta. I think, "Oh shit, I'm wearing wet clothes." Let me see if I can find some way to get some quarters for the dryer.

                     Adam was nice to give me a whole dollar's worth of quarters. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     11:23am  Finished up my laundry.

     11:58am  Oh, I never told you I got to the house about half an hour ago. Cool, I'm going to score me a shower. Oh yeah, and I told Smiles that I wanted to have a house meeting. I will tell them, "I have things to do. I need to get back to San Antonio and type up all my stuff. I am having so much fun in Portland. I can do so much work in this town and out of this homebase I've been blessed with, The Alberta House. I just want you guys to know that whenever I have worn out my welcome, to please just let me know. I will go willingly and in peace."

     5:56pm  I rested at the house a little bit and I walked down Alberta again. I am in front of this other taqueria sitting down resting my feet.

     6:50pm  Holy shit, I could've sworn Fonzy would hook me up again. He copped an attitude and said, "Nah, we only do it once, man." I thought he'd be cool with it. I remember him really enjoying my story the other night. He said they only do it once. What if I only told my story once?

                    I have an update to make. The tape ran out and I didn't notice, so I lost a lot. The greedy ass wouldn't hook me up at Don Pancho's. He had been such a great listener to my story last time. I thought for sure he would hook me up again. After I left empty-handed I walked down Alberta a little more and I was asking people for a rolling paper. This guy asked me if I knew where to get any weed and I told him maybe. I walked to the house, like five blocks at 33rd. Russell wasn't there. Nobody else there knew where to get an eighth, which is what the guy wanted. But, Robin gave me a baggie with three ganja brownies and a mushroom chocolate. I tried to sell them to the guy, but he didn't want any.

Next day..