053003

 

San Antonio, TX

Friday May 30, 2003

     6:00am  I just woke up at Sam's and I'm walking to the Park and Ride. I need to refill my water bottle, so I'm going to stop in this Taco Cabana. Haha, I went into Taco Cabana and right when I walked in the door the security guard asked me, "Hey, can I borrow that real quick?(my walking staff)." I said sure and he says, "Good, I need to beat somebody upside the head with it." I told him, "Ok! For free!" When I went to the fountain to get my water this other kid working there who had two earrings said, "Oh, are you a god?" I told him I wasn't a god, that I was Victor. I told him about my plan. He thinks I'm crazy, hehe.

                  Okay, here's the plan for this morning. I have to be at Amy's at one. It's still early so I'm going to ride the bus to my mom's house. She's going to be at work and oh shit. I forgot to get that blank CD from Sam's that I need. Let me go back.

     6:10am  I just went up to Sam's and got a blank CD from him. Now, I'm going to go to my mom's house and make a backup of my current shit. Argh, I have all morning. I might as well stay and type some shit up. I have to be at Amy's at one. Screw it, I'm just going to take off.

     6:31am  I'm at the Crossroads Park and Ride. I got a cigarette, whoopee! A Doral.

     6:38am  I'm on the 92.

                   There's a big gap of time right here. I probably spent it waiting at the University Hospital Transfer Center. I don't remember.

     7:55am  I'm walking to my mom's house.

     8:20am  I guess my mom locked the door. I have no way inside. All the windows are locked. I climbed up the tree onto the roof. While I was climbing up this branch broke and I fell onto the roof. I could've killed myself. Now, there's this big branch up on the roof. I wonder how long it'll stay up there. Hmm, I'm going to go up and see if I can disassemble the attic vent.

                   Okay, with the screwdriver on my Swiss army knife I was able to take the three main bolts off the attic vent cover. You know, the kind that spin around in the wind. Now I have like a foot in diameter hole. Let's see if I can make it inside.

                   Okay, I tried and I couldn't fit. Now I have to put this cover back on.

                   Okay, I'm all the way back on solid ground now. Shit, I was scared the branches were going to break but I was able to hang off a branch and jump down. Hmm, I guess I'll walk to the bus stop.

     9:00am  Screw it, I'm going to walk all the way to the grocery store. Mile and a half walk. That sucks I couldn't get in my mom's house. Oil well, I'll show up at Amy's, do some brainstorming and come back tonight to my mom's.

                    I'm walking to the grocery store now. I'm going to stop and see if I can get a resin hit off my one-hitter.

                   Whoa cool. I was able to shake out my water bottle pouch, where I keep my weed and was able to get one good hit.

     9:30am  I'm walking. Earlier I had seen this lady jog by. She was way older but she was jogging! She had a radio strapped to her arm, she was wearing shorts and a tank top and she was just running along. She was old, too. Like elderly. I really commend that.

                   She was jogging in the opposite direction and when she came close to me I walked up to her. She took off her headphones and I told her, "I really commend you for staying active. It's the fountain of youth, isn't it?" She smiled and said, "Amen to that, thank you."

     9:40am  I just got to the grocery store and I'm on the 87 bus headed downtown. I'm going to try to make my way out to the Southside and see what happens. Hmm, I have time to kill. Let me think of what I can do.

                   I was just riding close to Bandera and Evers and I just got this weird impulse to get off the bus. I thought maybe I would go walk around these apartments where I've scored weed before and just ask hip-lookin' people if they'll smoke a brother out. I was walking up the street when I saw a fruiteria, a fruit vendor. I went up to it and told the manager I was a long-distance walker and if he could spare a banana. He seemed impressed and came back outside with four bananas for me. Badass. I told him, "I'm writing a book on generosity that the whole world is going to read and you're in it. What was your name?" Paul at La Guerra Fruiteria on Bandera road.

     10:25am  Sweet, that guy hooked me up with four bananas! And he refilled my water bottle with ice water too!

                   See, I got off the bus because I was riding by this apartment complex where I've stumbled onto some weed in the past. I was going to see if I would run into it again. I'm going to walk to the Diamond Shamrock and see if I can bum a cigarette first. Then I'll go to the apartments, sit down in the courtyard or something and if I see anyone cool I'll ask if they are willing and able to smoke a brother out.

                   Nobody had a cigarette at the Diamond Shamrock, so let me walk towards these apartments. Regency Manor.

                   I stopped into the Papa John's Pizza right here. I asked the manager for a cigarette and he told me he didn't have one, that his wife had taken his cigarettes. I told him thanks anyway.

                   Hehe, I walked into the Papa John's and asked for a cigarette. I used to work for them in Medical Center.

     10:42am  I went to the apartments and spotted these guys moving stuff. I asked them if they could spare a hit of weed. This dude told me, "Wait, let me go ask my friend," and took off walking towards this guy I had already asked. I knew he was going to tell me no, so I offered to help them move. I helped them bring these bed parts down from the top floor since I'm so tall.

                     I had walked into the Conoco gas station and asked this Middle Eastern guy if he could spare a cigarette. He told me, "Of course, brother." I smiled and thanked him and he told me to be careful. What a nice guy.

                     I walked to Sunpark apartments and it had a gate and I couldn't get in. I saw some guy walking up to the gate and I followed. He didn't have his key either, though. We walked to the other side and the gate was locked. Just then, this guy was coming out. We walked towards him and he asked, "Do you guys live here?" I pointed to the other guy and said, "He does." So he said okay and let us in, thinking I was with the other dude. Cool. Path of least resistance, hehe. We walked in and I took off about the complex just wandering around. There wasn't anyone outside and I got bored. I walked to the front of the complex and the gates were locked from the inside, too. Shit. How am I going to get out? I considered trying to squeeze through a part in the metal fence, but I wasn't going to fit. Just then, this car pulled up and the entry gate opened. Cool. I'm outta here.

     11:15pm  I'm sitting down at the bus stop here across the street from Acemart. I'm in front of this church that says, "Jesucristo es el señor." It's already like eleven fifteen, I should be getting over to Amy's. Oh yeah, I'm going to eat me another banana. They're good.

     11:29am  The 88 finally pulled up in front of that church. I got on and asked the driver, "I have an hour and a half to get to Lackland Air Force Base. Am I going to make it on the bus?" He told me I should, but I would be better off going back to the Bandera Park and Ride and catching the 551, the looper bus, to Lackland. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm getting off and catch the 88 on the other side of the street. Going back to Bandera and Loop 410.

                     At the Bandera Park and Ride this pretty black girl Genetta hooked me up with a cigarette. I had told Genetta my ideas and mission just earlier. Cool.

     11:49am  I'm on the 551. I asked the driver for an ETA to Lackland and he said we should arrive around 12:17pm - 12:25pm.

     12:03pm  The bus was just sitting at the park and ride, so I asked the driver if I could step outside and smoke a cigarette. I did and Genetta who had given me a cigarette earlier asked me if I wanted a couple more. Badass. Thanks Genetta.

     12:53pm  Man, I got over here quick. I'm already over here. At Amy's apartment and everything. So, now I'm going to smoke a cigarette and wait until the appointment time, just like last time. Sweet, now I can get over here real quick. Now I know. Awesome.

                      I knocked on her door and this dude answered. He was the guy that's taking care of her kids or something. He was in the military and had a buzz cut. Now, I really should have told Amy not to tell him about my ideas, seeing as how he was in the military. The guy who answered the door was this dude, I forgot his name. Amy referred to him as the "fat guy" when I talked to her last time. I ask him if Amy is there and he tells me that she's in bed sick. That it must've been something they ate. I ask him, "Is she going to be out all day?" and he tells me yes. Hmm, that's strange. I thought we had an appointment today. She didn't email me or anything.
                      The paranoia kicked in and I immediately doubted him. It had felt kind of odd being on this part of town. Amy is the coolest chick in the world, but she lives in the lion's den. She totally doesn't belong among the military. I started thinking shit like, "Man, the feds have been watching me and don't want me to talk with Amy(remember she's a published writer and I thought might be my big break)." I told him okay, that I would call her and left to wait for the bus again. That sucked. I walked all the way back to the 619 bus stop and waited. I saw a bus coming and I stood up. It was the 551 again. That sucks. I have never seen a 619 pass, ever, so I'm going to walk my happy ass to the Diamond Shamrock again, like I should have done in the first place.

     1:30pm  I walked to the Diamond Shamrock, borrowed the phone and called to see what time the bus was coming. They told me it came at one thirty one. Any minute now.

     2:02pm  Okay, I'm at some street on SW Military waiting for the 46 bus downtown.

     2:10pm  I'm on the 46 heading downtown.

     2:45pm  I'm downtown finally. This dumbass in a car right now drove by and said, "Hey, it's Osama Bin Laden." I gave him the finger. I get that shit all the time because of my long goatee and the fact that I'm the same height as him.

     3:05pm  Hey, I just saw my good friend Elva. My backup-mom. I gave her a big hug and she asked me what I was doing. I told her how I was paranoid about that military dude. Now, I have to go to the library and type up some stuff so I can keep recording.

                   The stupid security guard told me I couldn't bring my walking stick in even though I've been coming to this library for months with it. Idiot.

     4:26pm  I spent my hour on the computer. But, I think I typed up the same stuff I typed up before at my mom's.

     4:47pm  I'm on the 91 heading to Babcock North.

     5:05pm  I saw a guy pull out a cellphone on the bus and I asked him, "Hey brother, can you spare some minutes on your phone?" He asked me for the number and I looked up Thorne's number in my pocket calendar and gave it to him. Thorne is this trucker who gave me a ride to California from the Warfield Truck Terminal in Odessa.  I called Thorne and he said he was in California right now loading up some cars. I asked him when was the next time he was going to drive through San Antonio heading west. He told me he should be leaving Florida by the end of next week, so I'll give him a call then.
                   Anyway, the dude who let me borrow the phone asked me, "Hey, you want a job?" I told him, "I don't know, give me a job description." He told me that he couldn't tell me now, that I would have to page him sometime. I got his pager number and I might check to see what kind of job this is. If it turns out to be anything gay I'll tell him, "Hey man, I'm as straight as an arrow." Let's see what happens. Shit, I'll never page him, hehe.

     5:25pm  I'm on the 91 and we just turned onto Medical from Fredericksburg. We are at the stop light at Merton Minter and guess what I see. Ducks. Like a family of ducks crossing the street. In Medical Center, San Antonio! That's the craziest shit I've seen in a long time. Like two parent ducks and fifteen little ducklings. Crossing the street!

     5:36pm  I'm at University Hospital.

     6:05pm  I'm on the 603 and I've just decided I'm going to check my PO box on DeZavala. The 604 doesn't come for a long time and that would take me right to the post office. But, the 603 will get me to I10 and Dezavala and it's not that long a walk. A couple blocks. After that, I can walk to West Telemarketing and catch the 91. I'm not going to go back to my mom's house. Shit, I think I should. Damn, I have ten minutes to get off the bus and walk to the 605 stop. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going back to my mom's. The 605/620 are at University Hospital at twenty after, so I have a small wait.

                   The 603 driver, some black dude kept going straight on Floyd Curl. I thought he was going to turn left onto Floyd Curl from Louis Pasteur. He had stopped on Louis Pasteur and Floyd Curl for the red light. I asked him, "Sir, do you think I could get off here?" He told me, "No, I stop at bus stops." What a prick. I told him, "Oh yeah, I might get hit by a car on the sidewalk, I forgot." He told me, "Don't get smart with me." I said, "Well, don't get stupid and tell me no." He's was all, "Sometimes I let it go.." I cut him off and said, "But this time you didn't, so why are you even telling me?" I got off at Medical and Ewing Halsell and walked down one block to Floyd Curl. While I was waiting for the 605 I saw that family of ducks I had seen earlier again. They were coming out of a bush and all the little ducklings were falling out of it stumbling. It was so cute. A perfect Kodak Moment.

                   The 605 came running late as usual. That fat guy who is always late was driving it. That same dude who gave me a courtesy ride when I offered him a donut. I knew he wasn't going to make the transfer time so I got off on Braun Rd before he got to the grocery store. It was a more direct walk home. I crossed the street and went to the Exxon. I was going to see if I could bum a cigarette from anyone. As I crossed the street I saw some dude driving a truck turning left in the direction of my mom's. I yelled, "Hey, can I hitch a ride to Old Tezel?" He told me that's where he was going and to hop in the bed of his truck. Badass.
                   Now this whole time I've been playing the clock. I didn't want to crash at my mom's, just burn a CD of my files and leave again. The whole 605 being late thing messed everything up though. The last bus passed the elementary school at seven forty. If the 605 would've been on time and I was able to catch the 622 to the elementary school, I would've arrived home at seven, after a ten minute walk. Which would hopefully give me enough time to burn my CD, leave at seven thirty, catch the last bus at the elementary school at seven forty and the last 605 to the hospital at seven fifty. When I got off on Braun Road to walk home, I threw that whole plan out the window. Until, I scored that ride home.

     7:04pm  Here I am. I thought I wasn't going to make it. I've got like twenty minutes to burn my CD and get to the elementary school. Shit, my mom's not home.

                   Whew, my little brother's home.

                    I did it! It's seven twenty nine and I'm already back at the grocery store. After I burned my CD I left walking for the elementary school. All of a sudden, my friend Brian Moreno stops and offers me a ride. He gave me a lift to the store, kickass. See how things works out for me? The last buses leave here at seven fifty.

     7:51pm  Okay, I'm on the last 605 heading to University Hospital. I can't believe I got everything done today. Just like that. I needed to get home and I needed to burn my stuff(well, I needed someone to be there because I didn't have the key), my little brother was there. I screwed up at first and I put all my files in a hidden folder(this cool Alt+255 trick I learned years ago). I was dumb. I pulled up Nero and added the files to burn, then I hid them in an inactive folder and then tried to burn the CD. Stupid-me. I had a problem at first getting my stuff back. For a minute there I thought I had deleted it all. I was freaked. In the end I was able to figure out how to get it all back. And all in the nick of time. I burned my CD real quick. Then I put the last toaster scramble that was left in the toaster and toasted it. When it was done, it was too hot. Since I was in such a hurry, I put it in the freezer for about twenty seconds. Then I grabbed my cooled snack and left walking for the bus stop. Then Brian picked me up. I got to the store a whole fifteen minutes early. What a great day I'm having. Now, there is one last destination for today. I have to be by Travis Park by nine to meet Elva. She's going to give me a ride to her trailer and I'm going to crash there.

     8:49pm  I'm on the 91 downtown and I'm talking to Kelly and Thomas. We've been having a great conversation. Kelly said to read Matthew 24 in the King James version of the bible.

                   I met Elva at the park and we drove to her trailer about a mile away. I met her son Ricky. Ricky is cool as shit. He's twenty three, I think. I told him all my ideas and he agreed with everything. He asks me if I know where to score some bud and I tell him yeah, but in Medical Center. So we even drive all the way out there. The dude I had in mind wasn't home, so we had to come all the way back empty handed. That sucked.

                   Back at Elva's it was a typical Friday night. They bought beers. We just hung out and shot the shit.

Next day..