062003

Ruidoso to Tularosa, NM

Friday June 20, 2003

     6:05am  I kind of crashed out here at the Denny's. I put my head down and caught a couple z's. This cool older man sitting next to me, Leon, offered to give me a ride to the Walmart. See, with the five dollars that girl gave me, I thought I might be able to buy a thermal top or sweater or something.

     6:44am  Leon is being nice enough to give me a ride to the Walmart. I asked Leon if he could spare a couple bucks in case I needed more than five. He smiled and pulled out the bills. Let's see what I can get. If I don't have enough, I'm going to have to steal a toothbrush.

                    Damnit, you would think that up in the mountains of New Mexico, the Walmart's would have thermal underwear in stock all year long. I can't find any warm clothing anywhere, except these fleece shirts for $6.44. Might as well get it.

     8:10am  I just got the idea to go to the Greyhound station here in Ruidoso. I'm going to ask them if there are any churches in town that provide traveler assistance. Let's go see.

     8:25am  I'm going to go ask them at the Church of Christ. I'm going to see if they'll let me take a nap somewhere.

     8:34am  I'm leaving the church. I asked the guy at the church, Arthur, if he knew of any place I could take a nap. He told me there was a park a couple blocks away and that no one should bother me there. Cool. I then got the idea to ask if they had any shower facilities there. Sure enough, they did. He grabbed me a towel and showed me to this badass shower room inside. Man, it was just what I needed. The shower had great water-pressure and I just soaked there for about ten minutes before I started bathing. It was damn exhilarating. When I finished, I got out and dried myself off. In the sink they had, I found a roll of toilet paper and little bottles of shampoo. I even got some things of bath soap. Perfection, once more. Thanks a lot, Arthur.

                    After my shower I walked to the park, but couldn't find a dry spot. I saw there was a big blue plastic covering at the park. I'm not sure what is was used for. It was, however, dry underneath. I forgot the business that was there, but I went inside and asked them if I would get in trouble for taking a nap in the park. They told me no, that it was a public park. I then asked them if they minded me crashing out underneath the big blue dome thingy. The lady thought for a minute and told me to go right ahead.

     2:10pm  I walked outside, took out my raincoat and put it on, and crashed out. Man, I slept great. I got like four or five hours sleep. I just got the idea to go to the Greyhound station in every town I go and ask them what the next town West is. Usually, it only costs like ten dollars to go about fifty miles. So, in every town I went I was going to walk to the churches and ask them if they could help me out. Seeing as how I would be asking for a smaller amount, and I would also make them aware of the cause they were helping, I thought maybe I could get all the way to California like this. Then, on the bus, I could tell the driver my ideas and see if he'll let me keep going. Hey, it's an idea. I was told the next town from here is Alamogordo. It'll take eleven dollars to get there on the Greyhound.

     2:24pm  I totally called it at the Subway. I got hooked up, just like I said I would. Hehe.

     2:36pm  I started walking down I70 West and I got this great idea. I already have my script prepared for my bus fare solicitation: "Hi, my name is Victor. I'm a long-distance walker/journalist. I'm writing a book on generosity that the whole world is going to read soon. I am trying to round up eleven dollars to get to the next town West, so I can document the generosity there. I don't suppose you could spare anything to help me out? It'll go right in my book."

     2:50pm  Dude, I just went in this gas station and asked the cashier if she had a spare cigarette. She told me sure, and handed me six spare cigarettes! Her name is Lotzi(or Roxie, I couldn't make out the recording). That's very generous of you. It'll come back to you. I guarantee it.

     3:32pm  I'm talking to Kat. I was telling her my story and my mission. Her generous soul is giving me all eleven dollars I need for my ticket to Alamogordo. I'm going to go document the generosity there. All the way to California. Here I go.

     3:41pm  I stopped here at Frank's Food Market and asked the cashier, Janelle, if I could get a banana. She smiled and said no problem. So now, I'm going to walk to the Greyhound station and eat it.

     4:04pm  I stopped in at the Denny's again. I ate my banana and smoked my cigarette and guess who I ran into again. Good 'ol Leon. They guy who had given me a ride to Walmart this morning. I'm walking to the bus station now. Leon told me that if I wanted to stay north not to go to Alamogordo, because I would be back towards I10. He suggested I get off in Tularosa. I'm going to go back to the Greyhound and if it's not any cheaper, I'll just ride it all the way to Alamogordo and get back on I10.

     4:20pm  Time to celebrate somewhere, hehe. Wish I had enough to smoke those kids out. I just walked past a house and saw these teenagers outside. I told them about my plan and one kid suggested I get porn legalized. I told him not only was it perfectly legal already, but you could get as much as you want of it for free. I told him to download IRC at www.mirc.com, install it, get on any Undernet server and list channels for "warez" and "porn". He took down notes. It's as simple as that.

     4:29pm  I just bought my ticket to Tulorosa. Damnit, I couldn't remember whether it's spelled Tulorosa or Tularosa, so I did a Google search for both of them, and both ways gave me results. Shit. I got two dollars left. Not enough for cigarettes. Well, if I lower my standards, I guess. Oh hey, I just weighed my bulging Adidas bag on the scale here at the Greyhound station. thirteen pounds exactly. It sure beats the sixty I lugged around in my rucksack.

     4:40pm  At the Greyhound station, I overheard these two old dudes bitching about money. I went inside and told them what I was going to do. Marijuana and everything. The minute I said marijuana the guy who worked there shut his ears off. He told me, "You know, I'm not for that at all." So I told him, "Then you don't have to smoke it. No one is going to make you." He then told me, "All you're going to do if you keep talking to me is piss me off." I looked him in the eyes and said, "Ignorance is bliss," and just walked off. I've got a good hour and fifteen minute wait for my bus.

     4:59pm  I still have an hour and five minutes to wait for the bus. An hour and six minutes, to be exact. I'm going to walk back to the Fina and go hang out with Kat. I can see if she'll give me a pack of Marlboro's for two bucks. Man, I could just sit here for another hour.

     5:14pm  I went back to the Fina and this nine year old kid who was sitting behind the counter with Kat wanted to give me a quarter. I told him not to worry about it, but Kat said, "He wants you to have it." So I accepted it. Wow, it's so cool to see generosity in someone so young. Bubba has a very promising future.

     5:17pm  Kat just hooked me up with three packages of donuts(six donuts each). Great. I'm hungry, too. I won't eat them all, Kat. Hehe.

     5:24pm  I'm out here smoking a cigarette and getting my weed ready. That little kid, Bubba came outside and held out his hand to me. In it he had some bubble gum, a little yoyo, and some sunglasses. I told him, "Man, why are you giving me all your stuff?" He said because he has a lot of stuff. Bubba told me it's because he heard me tell Kat that I wanted to make everything free. Like I've always said, kids have always known better..

     5:35pm  Dude!! Bubba gave me a backpack!!! This is exactly what I needed. I was carrying so much shit in my Adidas bag. I mean, if I emptied out my Adidas bag I would be able to roll it up into a little ball in the palm of my hand. I was a bit worried the straps would break eventually because of all the stress. But now, Bubba solved my problem!! Yeehaw! Dude, you have to see this backpack and how well it matches me and my uniform. It's a big bag with tons of pockets and it's blue, black and white just like my shirt and water bottle. It fits me perfectly. Oh yeah, it also says "NO BOUNDARIES" on the front of it. How fitting, eh?

                   Now, I can have my Adidas bag on my front and wear the backpack on my back. I can keep my Muscle Blast 2000 in it too. Happy day!! What a pal you are, Bubba. Wait let me check the nametag on the backpack real quick. His name is Bubba Martin. I am so ready.

                   My Triforce of Wealth just evolved into my Quadforce of Wealth.

     6:04pm  The bus had already pulled up when I got out of the restroom. I'm on my way to Tularosa. When I got on the bus I scanned the passengers for any young people, but I couldn't see any. I guess I won't be telling people my ideas this time. It's a pretty short bus ride, anyway.

     6:43pm  I just got off the bus in Tularosa. After riding the bus for five minutes, I noticed this very pretty Hispanic girl sitting in the front seat by herself. I was like two seats behind her, so I got her attention and asked her if she wanted to hear a really interesting story. More like a legend, hehe. She said sure and I asked her if I could sit next to her. I put on the greatest show for her and she seemed intrigued. A couple times I paused just to see if she was listening and she would tell me, "Yeah? What happened next?" Hehe. Her name is Julie and she was the only cute girl on the bus. She told me she was heading to Las Cruces and I got really tempted to ask the driver if he would let me ride all the way there. Following Julie was only a pipedream and before I knew it we were already in Tularosa. Now I'm in Tularosa. Just got let off at the Chevron. I'm going to go see how generous this town is.

     6:46pm  I'm passing St. Francis and Bosque.

                   I just walked in front of the St. Francis de Paula Franciscan mission. Founded in 1865. It's an old church. What history.

                   Once again, the doors are unlocked and open and there isn't anyone here. I walked up to the altar and looked through the back window and saw all these people in a room having some service.

                   I just stopped at the Mission 3 Movies. I asked the lady inside if there was anything interesting nearby. She told me nope, nothing. She suggested I go look at the Franciscan church, but I already had. I told her what I was going to do.

                   I walked into Tulie's Sidewalk Cafe. I told the Mexican lady inside what I was going to do. When she heard marijuana she was all, "No, no, no. Go to the mental hospital so you can see for yourself all the damage marijuana does. It's a drug." I laughed out loud. I smiled and told her my name is Victor. Before that lady made me laugh, she gave me directions to a truckstop. So I might go there and see what happens. Man, I kind of want to stick around this little town and talk to some people. Yeah, I'll go to the truckstop later.

                   Man, there are some old buildings here. There is so much history in this town. I'm going to go walk through the neighborhoods and see who I can talk to.

     7:20pm  Bill at Subway is hooking me up. That's very generous of you, Bill. It will come back to you.

     8:21pm  The coolest shit happened. I was walking down the main drag in Tularosa. I walked past this donut shop and I saw this cool-looking dude outside with tattoos all over his arm. I walked by and he told me hello before I could tell him hello. I walked up to him and gave him my shpeel. I told him all my stuff and he excused himself. He said, "I gotta go get my son. He's down there having trouble with a truck." His wife came outside and told me their son was only fifteen. Kickass. I have to talk to their son. I am positive he will agree with me.

                    Sure enough, he did. What was your name? CJ? CJ agrees with me and he wants to help.

     8:23pm  Dude, CJ just hooked me up with a blanket. Something I can make a poncho out of, a big blanket. And guess what. It fits perfectly in my new backpack! All this time I didn't think I would need warm clothes, remember? Wow, it just doesn't get much better than this. I was all bitching earlier because it was cold and I went and bought that fleece shirt at the Walmart. Man, this is so cool.

     8:45pm  I'm telling CJ my California story. Oh yeah, and Celso, CJ's father just hooked me up with two dozen donuts. Perfect traveling food.

     9:11pm  Man, this is the coolest town, I swear. CJ's dad, C owns this donut shop. The donuts C gave me are delicious. They just melt and fall apart in your mouth. They're addicting, too. I'm going to eat a couple more then smoke a cigarette. Then, I'll go to the church and crash out.

     9:45pm  I came over to the bar across the street from the donut shop. What's the name of this bar? The Shitty Bar? Hehe, just kidding. It's called The City Bar. I'm talking to Melanie in the bar and she has agreed to buy me a drink. I swear, the minute I walked in she saw my hat and walking stick and waved me over.

     10:24pm  I'm talking with Mark here at the City Bar. Where do you suggest I go? Homerspit, Alaska. Someday.

     10:56pm  What was your name? Kelly Scraggs is going to carve her initials into my walking stick. Kelly Joe Scraggs.

     11:15pm  Peter is giving me a ride to the church from the bar. That's very generous of you, Peter. Thank you.

     11:20pm  Okay, I'm at the church, but the doors are locked this time. I wonder what happened. They were open earlier. I guess I'll just find a corner out here and fall asleep.

     11:27pm  Okay, I found this corner over here in front of the priest's house, I guess. I'm going to crash out on the floor. Even though there's roaches around. Goodnight. That's cool. Melanie bought me a rum and coke. With my low tolerance, I'm all drunk.
 

Next day..