061909

                                                                                                  Oregon City to Portland, OR

Friday June 19, 2008

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     7:15am  I woke up not too long ago and haven't been too descriptive. I got hit by a car last night. Well, I was right in front of it when it started moving forward. The guy eventually noticed, but not after I rolled off of his car. I hit my knee. I woke up and I can really feel it now. It's sore. It'll get better. I'm going to walk to a bus stop now and ride it into town. I am in Portland already! Well, right at the Southern edge. Oregon City technically.

                   Last night I crashed underneath Highway 205. I am at Willamette Drive and Halloway Street over by the Shell station.
                  
     7:22am  I was walking in front of the Shell station and I saw a butt on the ground and I bent over to pick it up. Then Tatiana in her truck asks me if I wanted a cigarette. I appreciate it, sister. Everybody gets credit, thanks a lot.

                   KAZ191, that was awesome, I just got mobilized a little. Tatiana gave me a ride to bus stop ID 6334. I need to take a shit.

     8:28am  This ignorant bible thumper walked up to me at the bus stop and asked me how I was doing. I gave him my usual happiest man in the world line. He tried to hand me some of his bullshit pamphlet that is nothing new. I wasn't surprised when he refused my website. I tried giving him a taste of his own medicine. NOBODY WANTS WORLD PEACE! That's right, be afraid! Good little slave!

                   Tatiana loved my story. She said I gave her a lot of food for thought. Music to my ears, hehe.

                   I have half a mind to take a shit here at the bus stop somewhere.

                   Ah, I don't want to miss the bus. He might catch me with my pants down, hehe.

     9:07am  At long-last the 35 came and the nice driver gave me a courtesy ride into town.

     9:40am  Downtown Portland. Salmon Street and 6th Avenue. I'm going to find a public restroom somewhere.

     9:48am  I came to Pioneer Plaza and I took a picture. I need to do laundry somewhere. I'm going to go to Alberta Street. I know there's a laundromat there[3-25-07 : 10:43am].

     10:25am  I got on the yellow train to Alberta and didn't pay fare. Fuck the system.

     10:42am  I just got off the train at Killingsworth and Interstate. I'm going to catch the 72 to Alberta Street.

     10:55am  Getting a courtesy ride to Alberta on the 72. Just like old times. "I'll walk it if I have to. It's not that far." Actually, I'd limp it if I had to. My knee hurts from last night.

     11:07am  I just got dropped off on Alberta Street. I have to walk back a little bit to the laundromat. I'll spare change for laundry.

     11:32am  I am standing in front of the Alberta Wash House asking random people for spare change. Nobody is giving me anything. I was just testing you, anyways. Nobody wants world peace!

     11:37am  Maybe I'll go to 82nd and Powell and spread the word there. I'll manifest some weed too. Then I'll come back and do laundry.

     12:00pm  I went to the Star E. Rose. I asked them about the computer I had gotten for them at Free Geek[5-5-07 : 10:08pm] last time I was there. She couldn't remember, but the nice lady inside let me check my email. Right now I walked by Don Panchos[3-23-07 : 8:23pm]. He didn't hook me up the second time[4-30-07 : 5:44pm] I hit him up last time. I'm not even going to try. I'll save the possibility for later. There's another taqueria that hooked me up a lot last time on Killingsworth[3-28-07 : 12:38pm,  3-30-07 : 10:48am] . Ole Frijole I think it was called.

     12:08pm  Sweet, I walked by the donut shop on Alberta and remembered they had a bountiful dumpster in the back. I walked back there and found a huge bag of donuts. I stocked up.

     12:37pm  I got a courtesy ride on the 72. I'm going to 82nd.

     1:00pm  Powell and 82nd. Homebums everywhere. There's even one at my spot. That sucks.

     1:25pm  I should make an update. I went across the street from the cabinet outlet, which is caddy-corner from my spot in front of the 7-11. I was in front of the cabinet outlet and noticed my spot had been abandoned. I grabbed all my gear and limped to it. Soon after this one hippie kid walked up and told me he had been waiting for that spot for over an hour. I ceded it and came back in front of the cabinet outlet. SUPPORT THE CAUSE

                   The dude got off the corner and told me to run over there before another bum got it.

                   31995, Oregon, this dude just hooked me up with a nugget! It's good to be back! It's good to be back!

                   Dude, that hippie dude came over and let me know he was giving up the corner, that I should assume it before someone else does. So I'm back on my corner.

                   Whoa, I just handed my website to a dude in a car and he told me he had already seen it. I went, "Seriously, like from two years ago?" He said yeah. I told him to check it out again, that it's way different now. I told him I just got back today.

     2:03pm  Tyler hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, bro. Way to support the cause.

     2:15pm  Steve hooked me up with some weed! This dude parked in front of the 7-11 and walked up to me and asked me what kind of cause did I mean? I thought he said college and I told him the school of reality. He promptly holds out his hand and drops all these weed roaches in my hand! Way to support the cause!

                   Man, I am putting smiles on people's faces left and right today. I'm getting tons of thumbs up, sweet.

     2:28pm  My giveaway got rained out. It's pouring hard now. I was underneath this tree while it was drizzling at first, but it started pouring hard and I had to haul all my stuff to in front of the 7-11.

                   I got tons of weed! I missed Portland. I'm never leaving again, hehe.

                   Rachel and Keeley. It started raining hard so I was bored. These two girls went in the 7-11 and when they came out I hit them up for a really interesting story. I told them the important part and note from the rich. They told me, "Thanks for talking to us." She had a great tattoo.

     3:44pm  I stopped spreading the word again because I'd get splashed. It's still drizzling. I am all suited up though and ready for it. I don't have any more clean socks, so I have to go to a laundromat and ask for spare change. I need to get socks before it gets cold tonight. Since it's all wet I took off my socks and I'm walking with just my sandals not caring if they get wet. I've been wearing my sandals the whole time. I'm going to wear them until they die because the other shoes I have hurt my feet. The Timberlands I scored in San Luis Obispo[3-30-09 : 10:35am]. Hmm, I'm going to walk to the thrift store. I'll explain my situation to the manager.

     3:57pm  RJ gave me a couple cigarettes and a dollar! I appreciate it, RJ. Everybody gets credit, thanks a lot. Bless your heart. Laundry money.

     4:15pm  I came to the thrift store, Value Village. They have these perfect Nike ACG hiking boots, size 12s. GoreTex and everything. The price tag says fifteen bucks. I walked up to the front with them and asked to speak to the manager. When Shelly came out I told her I was a freelance journalist, long distance walker and that I had been walking around the country for seven years conducting a study on generosity versus ignorance that a lot of people are reading on the internet. I told her, "I know you guys don't pay for any of this stuff anyway. I really need these boots and it's raining. I've got a dollar." Shelley was nice enough to let me have them for only a dollar. I appreciate it, sister. Way to support the cause.

                   Presto-manifesto! I didn't tell you that on the walk down here this old guy across the street, I hit him up for a cigarette and he gave me two. I logged his generosity and he gave me a dollar! That's where I got the dollar from.

                   Oh yeah, after I got the boots I hooked them to my pack and went back to the shoes to look again. I found me these badass size 12's also ACG Nike sports sandals. Remember my Columbia ones are about to die. Well, I put them on and walked to the front with them on, carrying my Columbia sandals. I was going to see if they would let me trade my Columbia sandals and my Timberland boots for the Nikes. As soon as I walked up the lady was staring at my feet. I hit her up for a trade and she got all cocky telling me they weren't going to do it again. I even asked them if they could put them to the side while I manifested the ten dollars they cost. They told me no. Whatever.

     4:38pm  I just waltzed into Fred Meyer wearing all my raingear, my big blue poncho and shoplifted some socks. Fuck the system!  Three pairs. I've got my waterproof ACG boots on. I'm going to manifest ten dollars for those sandals. I have work to do. 

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     5:40pm  It started raining hard again so I took shelter at the bus stop here at 78th Avenue and Foster Road. This homeless bum walked by and I offered to smoke him out. I tried telling him my story. He listened to a lot of it actually. Man, I am making people's day. This one lady earlier at the 7-11, she was all mad and stressed out and yelling. I walked up to her and asked her if she was having a bad day. She said yes and I asked, "Would some marijuana help?" She told me, "No thanks, sweety." I told her my story and I totally brightened her day. She gave me a big hug and everything. I love Portland. Oh yeah, and I just remembered I have a contact to call here in Portland. I remember Aaron giving me some girl's number. I have to find it now.

                   Shit, I am missing my Ziploc bag with my razors and other random stuff. I think I put that girl's number in it, damnit.

                   Check this out. That bum just told me that he just got busted at Fred Meyer for criminal trespassing. He was seeking shelter from the downpour and the dickheads working there told him to leave or they would call the cops. Dude! I just walked in there and shoplifted a pair of socks right off the shelf and then I hear around the same time this dude was getting a ticket. I've got some protection.

                   It totally sucks that I lost my Ziploc bag. If I could call that girl I'd have a place to crash and it's raining. I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

     6:22pm  I had a great presentation right now with these kids in front of Fred Meyers. Sixteen year old kids. What did you guys think? Them: "It was very interesting. We liked it."

     6:30pm  I'm going to go hit up Don Pedros #3 Mexican Food. I've got my rain poncho on so I look all homeless. I am still walking in the rain staying dry. These shoes feel great.

     6:32pm  La gente amable en Don Pedros Mexican Food #3 me estan dando comida. Te lo agradesco. Todo el mundo recibe credito. Gracias.

     6:57pm  Bob is being nice enough to give me a cigarette in front of the Walgreen's on 82nd. Everybody gets credit. Thanks a lot.

     7:25pm  Badass, see, I needed to manifest ten bucks so I could get me these sandals at the thrift store. I walked all the way back to Powell in the rain. It was all raining and I thought I couldn't be flying my support the cause sign. But screw it. I took off my bags and set them down in front of the 7-11 where I can keep an eye on them. I've got my rain poncho on and I'm going to walk up and down the traffic here with my hook a brother up/smoke a brother out sign. I just got hooked up with, "Here's five bucks for your sack." Some cool black guy right now, cool.

     7:47pm  This girl just gave me a dollar bill. Four dollars to go and I have my sandals.

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     8:48pm  Man, the greedy asses at the thrift store. After I had six dollars I started walking to the thrift store. I walked up and told them, "I got six dollars. Can I please get those sandals? It's for a good cause." The girl told me, "No, we're not going to help you again." They close at nine so I'm going to walk around and ask people for money.

     8:50pm  Dave is being nice enough to give me two dollars for my sandals. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit. Way to support the cause.

     8:55pm  Presto-manifesto! Right in the nick of time. The lady went outside and started barking at me telling me I can't ask people for money and that I had to leave, just after I asked this dude for money. I told her, "Ha, I already did." The cool dude gave me two bucks and I walked right past her saying, "I'll leave after I get my new sandals." I went inside and went straight to the shoe racks in the back. I had put them on the very top when I was there earlier. When I walked back there only one was there. Luckily, I found the matching sandal on a lower rack. Man, these sandals are such an upgrade from my Columbia ones. They're brand new and they're Nike ACG's, just like the boots I got at the same thrift store earlier today for a dollar! I've got matching Nike ACG footwear. Relax, I'm a professional.

     8:57pm  Andrew is the nice guy's name who gave me the last two dollars to get my sandals. I appreciate it so much, brother. Everybody gets credit. I was just testing you, bro. You passed with flying colors.

                   Andrew is giving me directions to a squat closeby. Andrew: "Okay, check this out. Go to 82nd and make a right on Foster. Then there's another street Harold. If you go down Harold on the next block you'll pass like a furniture store, there's these big things in the back and that's where you can stay. I've slept there before."

                   Man, what a magical return to Portland I've had today. What a great day. Everything lined up perfectly. I might stay here for a while.

     10:40pm  I don't know where I'm going to crash yet, but I just had a badass presentation with this one girl in front of Brown's Bar and Grill. She listened to me great and agreeing with everything I said. What a great day of peace through marijuana spreading I've had.

     11:33pm  I found my squat about ten minutes ago. I went down Foster and turned at some YMCA Art Camp thing. I cut through there and ended up on Holgate. I found this spot behind a store parking lot behind some grass. I threw my portable floor down. The grass is all wet but my military rain poncho will keep me dry. I'll take pictures in the morning.

Next day..