033108

                                                                                                              Gulfport, FL

Monday March 31, 2008

     10:03am  I don't know how much I slept last night. I didn't set my watch. I think I went to bed around midnight but soon after Billy Beck and Nikki woke me up and smoked me out. I went back to bed though. I'm going to go walk around today.

     11:04am  I am leaving The Blueberry Patch. I am totally free today. I'm not bringing any bags. I even have a new walking stick that Nikki and Billy got me last night when they woke me up. It's real light. I should take a picture of it. I'm going out without my backpack too. My shirt is all exposed. WORLD PEACE THROUGH MARIJUANA.

                     I'm going to go hit up the Gulfport Family Restaurant for breakfast.

     11:07am  The greedy asses at the Gulfport Family Restaurant told me no. This old white lady shook her head the whole time. I told her it's okay. That I was just testing her. Everybody gets credit. I walked out talking into my tape recorder. Let me take a picture of the sign outside.

     11:19am  The nice bus driver gave me a ride on the 23. I appreciate it, bro. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.

     11:20am  Hell yeah, I got me a courtesy ride. I went and hit up the restaurant. They told me no off the bat. They all shook their heads right when I walked in. Hehe, I'm wearing my shirt all loud, WORLD PEACE THROUGH MARIJUANA! I don't have my backpack on so it's totally clearly visible. I left the place and wondered if I could get a courtesy ride to downtown Saint Pete, since I didn't get any food. I saw the bus coming and I flagged it down. He motioned me to run to the bus stop around the corner. I got on and asked for a courtesy ride and I hit him up. He asked me, "You don't have any money?" I told him that my job didn't pay 11 money, that I worked for free. That I was a volunteer, a journalist. He let me on. See, the bus said Tyrone Mall on it so when he asked me where I was going I said to the mall. He told me I had to catch a different bus. I insisted and told him, "I don't care. If you don't plan things you don't get let down. I'm free." He hooked me up with a ride. Perfect, man. Let's see where I go today.

     11:23am  I impulsively got off the bus not that far from where I was at. I'm going to go hit up some restaurants and try and get some breakfast. There's a KFC over there. There's a Lake View Shopping Center.

     11:27am  I changed my mind about Church's. They didn't have too much chicken made. Then I saw a Taste of the Islands Restaurant. I'm going to go hit them up. In Spanish, if I can.

     11:32am  Courtney and the nice people here at Taste of the Islands are hooking me up. I really appreciate it. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     11:33am  Hell yeah, I got the hookup! It's a Jamaican restaurant. They hooked me up rowdy. I went outside and took a picture of it. I'm going to walk a lot today.

     11:43am  I started eating it outside, but it was so good I went back inside and sat down. Jamaican food is divine. I'm going to take a picture of this place.

     11:50am  Crossing 18th Avenue S.

     11:58am  Man, I was wanting a cigarette so bad. I'm walking down 34th and I found one! A whole cigarette. Thank you, Love. Presto-manifesto. I'm going to keep walking on 34th though. I'm passing 11th pretty soon.

     12:05pm  I stopped at the bus stop a little after 11th for a smokebreak. After-meal smoke. I'm going to keep walking now.

     12:13pm  The nice bus driver is giving me a courtesy ride.

     12:14pm  Man, I wasn't even waiting for the bus. I had seen this seagull in the middle of the street and he got run over by a car, but was still flapping around. I saw another car run over and him, but yet he still kept flapping around and trying to walk away. I ran out in the middle of traffic and rescued him. So when the bus pulled up, she overshot the stop and waited while I ran up to her. I got on and told her, "I just saved a bird from getting run over. Can I please get a courtesy ride?" She smiled and let me on. Hell yeah. I don't know where I'm going.

     12:17pm  I just got dropped off at the Central Street Terminal. Hell yeah, courtesy ride. Hehe, everybody's looking at my shirt. I'm walking downtown from here.

     12:28pm  I'm walking down Central and Martin hooks me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.

     12:49pm  I had a damn good presentation with Martin. I told him the Note From the Rich and everything. He hooked me up with like four cigarettes in the end. I appreciate it, brother.

     1:03pm  I was just walking down Central and Walter just hooked me up with a nugget. I really appreciate it, brother. You made my day.

                   That was some awesome magic that just occurred. I was just walking on the sidewalk and this guy saw my shirt and just hooked me up! He saw my shirt and commented and showed me his sack. Of course me, "Smoke a brother out? For the cause?" He gave me a good nugget, like a joint's worth. I needed to find a place to roll it and I walked a little more and ended up at this perfect little garden. I'll take pictures. I came here and sat on a bench and picked out the stems and seeds and rolled a joint. I'm going to smoke it here too. Oh yeah, and right before then this black lady pushing a stroller stopped and talked to me. She was wearing a red shirt that said GOA. She gave me a hug in the end. She totally loved me. I gave her my website and told her I love you, sister. She thinks I'm beautiful. She said she would sign my guestbook.

     1:32pm  I smoked half of that joint. I'm all stoned walking around downtown Saint Pete. I am totally free today. No bags or nothing. Me, my new walking stick and my water bottle. That's all I got. That's all I need. I am really loving this trip. Florida is so much fun.

                    I love my shirt. I love you, Ezrah. Thank you so much.

                    Some guy

                    Damnit, I forgot to take pictures of that little garden I stopped at. I'm all stoned. That's why, hehe.

     1:41pm  I'm walking down Central right now. I walked by and noticed this homeless dude sitting on a bench. He asked me for a cigarette and all of a sudden this old dude sitting in front of some store started yelling at the homeless dude, "You know you can't panhandle here!" I took that as my cue and yelled back at him, "Since when does it hurt to ask?! Ask and thou shall receive. The rules haven't changed." The old man mumbled, "Well, they did." I am recording myself in front of him now. Thanks for making my story so interesting, grandpa. Ha! Since when does it hurt to ask? It's all about freedom and personal liberty. If he doesn't fuck with you, don't fuck with him.

     1:47pm  Heather hooked me up with a cigarette at Third and Central. I appreciate it, Heather. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                    Sweet, I found Williams Park. A lot of buses stop here. There's tons of people in the park I can hit up for my story. Mostly homeless people sitting on park benches and stuff.

     2:01pm  I found this cool park and these two brothers saw my shirt and are smoking me out. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot. It's a good cause.

                    It's so cool, because the sun is out and it's all hot, but it's drizzling at the same time.

     2:17pm  It was Adam I just had a great presentation with.

     2:21pm  I came to Williams Park and Amber saw my shirt and immediately volunteered me a cookie. She said, "I like your shirt." I appreciate it. Everybody gets credit, thanks a lot.

                   Random downtown shot

     2:56pm  I walked along the water to North Straub Park. I took a picture. I'm going to walk through it.

     3:51pm  I had such an awesome, superb presentation with these kids, Adam and his friends. I took their picture in the park. It was weird, I was just randomly walking around letting people react to my shirt.

     4:01pm  I was walking down I don't remember what street. I saw this lady walking pulling some luggage. It really seemed like she needed help. She was all breathing heavy and stuff. I immediately offered my assistance and she agreed. I asked her, "Can I help you? I am always glad to be of service." I brought her stuff closeby in front of this building. She ended up handing me a wad of cash. I appreciate it, sister. Everybody gets credit. Nobody is paying me to do this. Every little bit helps. I accept donations, I just don't expect them. I love surprises.

                    Yeah, score! I totally wasn't expecting money. Sweet, I got paid. She gave me eleven dollars, hell yeah.

                    It's 5th Avenue I'm walking up. Fifth Avenue before First Street.

     4:10pm  This bus driver who just pulled up while I was walking is hooking me up with a ride.

     4:11pm  I just got delivered back to the park.

     4:38pm  Right now this guy just pulled up to the stoplight. He asked me about my shirt and I gave him my website. I offered to tell him my story and he pulled over and listened to it. I am having a great day. Very productive.

                    Liz with the dreadlocks and Leslie is her friend. I took their picture. They listened to my story in front of The Kitchen.

                    I have had such a damn good productive day. This is a magic shirt. I'm going to get shot, hehe.

     5:08pm  I am walking up Central and Josh just hooked me up with a cigarette. He liked my shirt. 

                   I forgot who they were, but they listened to my story.

     5:50pm  It started sprinkling so I sat down and smoked a bowl. With the stuff I got hooked up with this morning I was able to roll a joint in that wooded garden area where I came before. Serenity Garden. Those kids I had a great presentation with told me they'd see me tomorrow at The Blueberry Patch. It's a big event there. It's Patch Night. Oh yeah, they had hooked me up with a pipe. The kids I told my story to at Straub Park. I have a replacement for Brian's glass pipe that got broke last night. I harvested all the resin from the broken one. Nikki had dropped it accidentally and it shattered. I have some money too. I stopped at the store and bought me a pouch of tobacco and some snacks for like four dollars total, or something. I have enough money. I need to buy me some razors so I can shave for Patch Night tomorrow. Hell yeah. I'm excited. My mission is evolving. It's going to happen soon.

                   Pictures of me

     6:17pm  I am going to go hit up La Nueva Cabana. I'll go talk Spanish to them.

     6:18pm  Umm, I had been here before. I had totally forgotten. The girl inside told me, "You've been here before. You gave me a little piece of paper." I felt stupid.

     6:43pm  I just got off the bus at 49th Street and 15th Avenue. I rode the #5 bus.

     7:11pm  I just now got back to The Blueberry Patch.

     11:23pm  I have secured my campsite for the night. Behind these benches at the stage. I'll take a picture in the morning.

Next day..