052404

 

San Antonio, TX

Monday May 24, 2004

                    Okay, it's actually the next day and I am typing this up from memory. My minicassette recorder finally gave out and broke all the way. I had an important day yesterday where I had to go to the Internal Affairs Department of SAPD and file my complaint. It was a very important day and I couldn't afford not to log it somehow. So I did. In my little composition book I keep my email addresses in. I just put time-stamps and jotted down something to refresh my memory when I type it up. Let's see how I did. I had already tried this the time I went to LA and got all my stuff stolen. I still have the loggings I've just never gotten around to it. Okay, time to start on Monday May 24, 2004.

                    I woke up at seven. Since I was going to Internal Affairs today, I left my walking stick at home. So they wouldn't think I was crazy, you know. I felt so naked without my stick. I've been using a walking stick for years now. My stick is what gets me all the attention. Anyway, I wore my classic uniform today. My cargo khaki cargo shorts, my blue pinstriped uniform polyester shirt, my Nalgene water bottle, my rainbow beanie and my badass Nike Air Shox shoes my little brother gave me. The shoes kick so much ass. I can almost fly with them. My little brother runs track, so they're designed for running shoes. I can walk so well with them. I can't wait to take off traveling again with them. Whenever I get the sign to leave. Oh yeah, I also made sure to have my statement I printed out at the library the other day.

                    Anyway, I walked the fifteen minute walk to the Citgo on Guilbeau/Old Tezel. It took me like five minutes to get there with my shoes. I was raising my arms and everything. I felt so free without my stick. Damnit, I don't even need that anymore. I was on a big independence-trip.

                    I was almost to the Citgo when I see the 610 pass going towards Medical Center. Shit, that's the one I wanted, but I can catch it going the other way to Ingram Mall and catch a bus downtown from there. My appointment with IA is at nine. I went to bed early last night.

     8:05am  Arrived at Ingram Park Mall.

     8:16am  I caught the 82 going downtown. I asked the bus driver what his ETA downtown was. He said 9:01.

     9:00am  Downtown.

     9:07am  I got off on Martin and Culebra and sped-walked to the Vista Verde Plaza where Internal Affairs is. I went up to the third floor where IA is. I opened the door and told the receptionist I had an appointment at nine. She asked me who with and I told her I didn't have a name. She told me to hold on and walked away. Just to make sure my appointment was at nine, I thumbed through my pocket calendar to where I had written it down. Damn, my appointment is supposed to be at one! Just after I noticed, this detective guy walks out. I tell him, "It turns out my appointment is at one this afternoon. I just realized, my bad." He tells me, "That's Okay, we can do it now."

                   Score! Dude, I was psyched the day had started out so well. So he takes me back to this room and I tell him, "I'm just here to make a formal complaint and get the ball rolling on having justice done. I realize justice requires some protocols." I handed him my statement and asked him if I could get a copy of it. He gave me some papers to sign about the steps and procedures I had to go through. I then swore that the statement given was true in front of a witness. And then bam, followed through on that project. It was easy as pie. I am really glad I had typed up that statement beforehand. Saved a lot of time.

     9:40am  Left the Vista Verde building.

     10:05am  I walked all the way to Travis Park. In front of St. Anthony's Hotel I saw April, James' pregnant girlfriend. I told her I really needed my NOFX hoodie back from James, that it's part of my acquired-uniform. James also has my belt I want to get back. That belt has a lot of history. I'm rather proud of the whole seven other holes I put in it because of my weight loss when I started walking so much. Anyway, April told me she was going to Ms. Winnies to eat. Ms Winnies is a care center where they give you clothes, food, you can take a shower and stuff. I had only been there once, but since I was hungry I followed April.

     10:15am  In line at Ms. Winnies. Ran into Apok.

     11:37am  Walked to Travis Park and hung out for a while. The Fish and Loaves people pulled up in their van and had a feeding. I was telling people at the bus stop, "If you're hungry, there's free food for everyone." Like three people got up and got in line. While I was in line, this older lady who worked giving out food handed me a cup of punch. She complimented my rainbow beanie and I just dove in with my presentation. This lady actually listened to me. I got all the way through my odyssey story with her. I even got past the part where I mentioned the spirits. This lady was a big Christian handing out food and she actually listened to my story. Man, she's going to tell everyone she knows!

     12:24am  I got bored in Travis Park so I went up to where the buses pass. I got on some random 92 and asked the driver, "Hey, can I get a courtesy ride? I don't have any money." The lady quickly told me yeah and waved me on. Thanks a lot Ms. Ellis. I appreciate it.

                     Just like that, I'm off.

     1:20pm  I got off the 92 in Medical Center. On Louis Pasteur right after the bus turns left off Fredericksburg. Mr. Piña, the lawyer I'm talking to had given me the assignment of going to Internal Affairs. He told me to bring him a copy of the complaint after I made it. That's what I'm going to do. I'm walking all the way to Datapoint/Fredericksburg where his office is at the Ariel House.

     1:25pm  Right when I walked in front of the Black Eyed Pea this random car drives past me and this girl inside gives me the peace sign. I didn't recognize her, but I was sure I had told her my story before. She's smoking a cigarette, so I give the universal bum-a-cigarette hand gesture. She nods her head and hooks me up with two Marborlo Red 100's. Score!

     1:50pm  Leaving the Ariel House. I wasn't able to speak with Mr. Piña, but his cute assistant came downstairs and talked with me. She made a copy of my statement. I told her that I had a court date on June first and she made me an appointment with Mr. Piña on Wednesday May 26 at two.

     2:42pm  Walked down Datapoint to Gardendale. I went to the Habib-mart on Wurzbach and smoked a cigarette. Then, I walked into the Dove Tree apartments, just to walk around and be seen. I was hoping I would run into some cool kids and tell them my story. I never did, so I just walked through the next complex, Sundance. No one there to talk to, so I went across the street to Auburn Creek and walked Bluemel to Mission Station. I cut through Mission station, over the pet trail and into Woodtrails apartments. I walked to the pool where I knew there was a picnic bench. I sat down and took my second to last hit of weed. After I took the hit of weed I started craving a cigarette. Just then, these two girls walked by and one was smoking a cigarette. I started following them. When they got within earshot I asked one of the girls if she could spare a cigarette. She told me she didn't have another one. I told her thanks anyway. Anyway, I go sit back down at the bench. I had left my Adidas bag there. Then, the girl I had asked for a cigarette comes back and tells me she has some upstairs. She was wearing an Austin shirt. She goes upstairs and comes back with two cigarettes! Awesome. I pull out my little composition book and tell her, "I usually have a tape recorder, but it's broken. I am writing a book on generosity the whole world is going to read, and you're in it." Sandy Chang hooked a brother up. Anyway, I asked her if I could tell her what I was doing and she recommended we sit down at the bench. She listened to me soooo well. Then, her friend showed up and I didn't have Sandy's full attention anymore. I heard Sandy mention to her friend that she wanted to smoke some weed. My ears perked and I went, "Smoke a brother out?" Sandy said sure. We went up to her apartment and waited around for some guy to get there. I went out on the front porch and smoked one of Sandy's Camel Wides. The dude finally shows up and he's got the best weed I've smoked in a while. Beautiful stuff. Great smoking. Sandy had to go to work, so I took off walking.

     4:48pm  I walked Gardendale all the way to Datapoint. I had a cigarette and I wanted to find a good place to smoke it. I walked over to Rosemont Crossing apartments, where they have this big field with some trees. I found a chill spot and sat in the grass and smoked. Afterwards, I took off walking through the complex looking for people to tell my story to. I had a great presentation with these kids eventually.

     4:56pm  Walked up to the Islamic Center on Fairhaven. Good presentation there.

     5:20pm  I walked through the Fountains of San Antonio apartments, but didn't talk to anybody. I had to jump the fence in front of The Stratford Apartments. I spotted these two black dudes and a chick outside. I walked up to them and told them, "Can I tell you guys a really interesting story? I'm not asking for anything. I just want you to listen." They heard me out and agreed with everything I said. They liked my marijuana rag sticking out my pocket, hehe. After that, I was walking through the apartments to Medical Drive and spotted these two girls walking out of the corner of my eye. I gave them my full presentation without the odyssey story and I got an email address.

     5:47pm  I walked Medical all the way up to Fredericksburg. I was kind of hungry so I walked into Blanco's Mexican Restaurant, by the Papa John's. I went inside and took a leak then I came back out and asked them if they could hook me up with a taco. The older lady told me, "Every day?" I told her, "I am writing a book. Great things just keep happening and I have to keep track of it. I've never told you what I was doing?" I started telling her my presentation then this dumb younger girl who works there butts in saying stuff like, "What about all the people out there who work hard for their money!?" She was all disagreeing with me and not letting me finish. I had told them how the world's greatest problem was ignorance and the girl was dumb enough to start displaying it. She even had the gall to call me ignorant. I told her, "How am I ignorant. You are the one who isn't listening to me." She couldn't give me a justifiable answer. In the end I asked her, "Have you always been this ignorant?" I also told her, "Thank you so much for proving me right and making my book so interesting." I walked out of there. Damn the ignorance in this world.

     6:12pm  From there, I walked all the way to University Hospital where the buses come. I took my awesome hike through the UT Health Science Center. I love San Antonio.

                   When I got to the transfer center, I saw Renee, my friend who drives the bus. She's got really pretty hair. Anyway, she hooked me up with a transfer for the 610 back home. I wanted to go home early and type all this up.

     6:35pm  Got on 610.

     6:42pm  Edited my Love quote in my composition book on the 610. Here's what I have so far:

                  "We choose in what we believe to be true, but we really have no choice in the absolute truth. The absolute truth is either true of false. The absolute truth is Love. Everybody has it in them and it's all the same Love. Love has been translated by humans in many different ways. Call it what you will. The only name it needs for me is Love. If whatever way you were taught Love and it's basics makes you understand Love then you are doing no wrong. Once you see firsthand the difference True Love can make you will be practicing Love on a daily basis. Love makes so much sense. Praise Love."

     7:22pm  I ran into Steve. Some older dude who I smoked out at the Walmart one time. He offered to smoke a joint with me and we rode the 610 to Dover Ridge close to Weybridge. We went in this ditch and under a bridge and we smoked a joint. Steve let me keep the roach for later.

     8:00pm  I walked all the way home through all the neighborhoods. When I got home the door was unlocked and cracked open.

Next day..