072404

Albuquerque to Santa Fe, NM

Saturday July 24, 2004

     4:35am  I never told you. I came back to the Greyhound station and was able to fall asleep sitting down in a chair. There were like three other people, travelers, sleeping and I figured nobody would come hassle me for my ticket(which I don't have).

     4:47am  Ronnie hooked me up with a cigarette outside the Greyhound station. I appreciate it, Ronnie.

     5:38am  I am sitting here at the Greyhound station. I was able to crash out for about three or four hours, I don't know. It's almost six. They're supposed to feed at the mission at six. I wonder if Slim last night was full of shit. He probably was. He turned his back on me at the last second. I thought I was having a warm welcome in Albuquerque, of all places. I just got the impulse to leave the bus station and bam, I run into Slim. I guess I freaked him out with my story because he changed his mind. I don't know.

     5:45am  I'm at the rescue mission waiting to eat. They feed at six.

     6:18am  Mike hooked me up with a cigarette at the rescue mission. I appreciate it, brother.

     7:15am  I need to find a tennis ball.

     7:43am  I forgot to mention that I took a picture of these hot air balloons. Like four or five of them. Walking down 4th Street. The picture didn't come out.

     7:46am  What was your name again? David suggested I go to Durango, Colorado. I asked him why and he said I would know when I got there. I told him my head injuries story.

     8:00am  I'm walking around looking for a tennis court. I got directions from some guy at the park I went to by the highway. He said go down Indian School, past McBride.

     8:20am  I walked down Mountain by this produce store. I'm going to go see if they hook me up with a banana.

     8:22am  They didn't have any bananas. That sucked. They gave me better directions to the tennis courts.

     8:29am  I was able to put my worn-out tennis ball back on my stick. I cut a little hole in it. It's probably not going to last that long. Hopefully until I find a replacement. Anyway, I am walking down Broadway.

     8:32am  Alright. Odelia turns into Indian School at Edith Street.

     8:35am  I walked up to Locust. I'm at some apartments. Corporate Suites. I'm going to see if they have a tennis court anywhere.

     8:37am  I am here at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park. City of Albuquerque Park Management Division. I'm going to read the history of the park name: "This recreation area was completed in June 1985 in a cooperative effort between the owner of the land, Albuquerque Public Schools, the City Drainage Program and the Park System. This name was suggested by a resident of the Santa Barbara Community in order to remember three young men from the community who had died as a result of the Vietnam War. They are Juan Mora, Juanito Perea and Juan Martinez. The Parks and Recreation Board selected the name, "Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park" in order to remember all those who fought and died in that war."

     8:42am  I just took a picture of Downtown Albuquerque 

from the entrance to these apartments. I'm going to wait for a car to go though so I can walk through the gate.

     8:47am  Scored a tennis ball, badass! One so far.

     8:48am  Two balls so far.

     9:00am  I am leaving those apartments. I'm also going to check the highschool across the street. See if there's any tennis balls there. I have two so far.

     9:05am  I walked to the Albuquerque High School. I walked all the way back around to the auto shop. I don't see any tennis courts anywhere. There's a big football field, but no tennis courts.

     9:13am  Located the tennis courts. They're on the other side of the school. I hope there's some balls.

                   God-damnit, those aren't tennis courts. They're baseball fields. 

     9:17am  I found the tennis courts. All the nets are messed up. I doubt anybody plays here. No tennis balls.

     9:24am  Man, nobody is waving back when I give them the peace sign here. I've been doing it since I started walking. Every single car. Nobody waves back whatsoever.

     9:32am  I switched out my tennis ball. I'm glad I got some new ones.

     9:48am  I came and took a shit at the Chevron. There's a Taqueria Mexico across the street. I'm going to see if they can hook me up with some food.

     9:57am  I got put to work! This is the first time this has happened in all the years of my mission.

     10:27am  I just asked this lady for a cigarette and she wouldn't give me one. It's okay. Everybody gets credit. I said that real loud in front of that lady so she could see me logging it on my recorder. I bet she went home and told everybody, hehe.

     10:30am  Javed hooked me up with a cigarette in front of the Chevron. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     10:38am  I just ate this bigass burrito they hooked me up with at Taqueria Mexico. Well, they didn't hook me up. I worked for it. I just cleaned some stuff in the back and threw all his trash in the dumpster. I came across the street to the Chevron, bummed a cigarette and smoked it. And asked where I could check my email in town.

     10:44am  Ray gave me a cigarette here at the bus stop in front of the McDonald's. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     10:53am  The bus driver on the 11 Lomas is hooking me up with a courtesy ride to the school. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit.

                     The guy who gave me a cigarette earlier just gave me a transfer. I appreciate it, brother.

     10:57am  I scored a courtesy ride and the dude I got a cigarette from gave me a transfer. I am here at the University of New Mexico. Hokona Hall.

                     Cool, there's a University Hospital in Albuquerque also. I'm going to go ask somebody where the library is.

     11:10am  I came to the computer lab at the Zimmerman Library. I'm going to check my email.

     1:48pm  I am leaving the library. I got tired. I want to go take a nap somewhere. I don't know what I want to do.

     1:52pm  Mission accomplished so far for the day. First I needed to get some tennis balls and then check my email. I did both of those things. Now I'm going to find the tennis courts at the school and score some balls for my trip. I'm going to be moving pretty soon.

     2:06pm  Sweet, scored me three tennis balls.

     2:14pm  Israel hooked me up with a cigarette in front of the Frontier Restaurant on Frontier Street. Thank you, brother.

                   I'm walking down Central aiming for a coin laundry. Haha, on a trash can somebody spray-painted real big, "FUCK BUSH."

 

                    I took a picture of it.

     2:27pm  I stepped into The Zone. A head-shop where they sell pipes and stuff. They didn't sell my cigarette one-hitter and the guy wouldn't listen to my story. He was too busy. I'm just walking until I get to the laundromat. This is a cool little strip right here on Central.

     2:54pm  I came to the laundromat here. It's over by the Denny's. I have two dollars. Soap is seventy five cents and $1.25 to wash. I'm going to have to ask people for change to dry my stuff. It's only a quarter.

     3:58pm  I think my transfer is expired and I'll have to get another courtesy ride, but I bummed up a quarter to dry my laundry. I just did one load. Like ten minutes. All the other clothes are dry, except the socks. I've laid out the socks in the hot sun on the sidewalk outside. I should take a picture of it, hehe.

                   Five minutes on each side. I won't take a picture. You all can just imagine what it looks like. I'm right in front of the Kinko's.

                   Princeton and Central. That's where I am.

                   Sportin' my badass Willie Nelson shirt.

     4:10pm  I got on the bus. The driver gave me a courtesy ride, even though my transfer is expired.

     4:21pm  I'm back in Downtown Albuquerque. Got a courtesy ride.

     5:05pm  Tina hooked me up with a cigarette at the Greyhound station. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                   Teena with two e's.

     5:47pm  Teena, with two e's just hooked me up with four dollars for my ticket to Santa Fe. I appreciate it. Great. I need six more. I appreciate it, Teena.

     6:32pm  Gary struck up a conversation with me. He gave me a beer and a cigarette. Thank you, brother.

     6:48pm  This dude bought me a beer and then these guys came over and told me I had to dump it out. That I couldn't drink in public. I told him, "I have my ID. I'm old enough." He told me to just chug it down real quick, haha.

                   "Spare some change for a bus ticket out of this hell-hole?"

     7:12pm  Eric hooked me up with some change for my bus ticket out of this hell-hole. I appreciate it, brother.

     7:20pm  John hooked me up with some change for my bus ticket out of this hell-hole. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                   Ha, John said, "Yeah, I see you've got your Willie Nelson shirt on, sure."

     7:24pm  Robert hooked me up with some change for my bus ticket out of this hell-hole. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     7:27pm  Sherrie gave me a whole dollar for my bus ticket out of this hell-hole. I appreciate it, Sherrie. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     7:32pm  Deidra gave me some change for my bus ticket out of this hell-hole. I appreciate it, Deidra.
                   Diedra: "Okay, make sure you put in that book that what goes around comes around. I live my life by that rule."
                   Victor: "Me too. I'll pay you back by bringing world peace. Sounds fair? Hell, I'll even get marijuana legalized."

     7:44pm  Jay is hooking me up with some change to get out of this hell-hole. I appreciate it, brother.

     7:56pm  Jennifer is hooking me up with some change for my bus ticket out of this hell-hole. I appreciate it, Jennifer. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     8:27pm  Man, I had the best presentation with this one lady. I just unloaded on her. She wanted to hear it all. She's going to be telling all her friends. She already gave me her email.

     9:03pm  I bought my ticket. Leaving at 12:45am tonight. I'm going to spare change for traveling food.

     9:15pm  I had a great presentation with this girl. I got her email address and she's going to tell her friends.

     9:50pm  Not only did Mike hear a lot of my story, but he gave me a cigarette too. I appreciate it, brother.

                   Mike Keffalos.

     10:05pm  I came into Blimpies and Patrice just gave me some hot water so I could make my Ramen. I appreciate it, Patrice. Everybody gets credit. I was hungry, thanks.

     10:20pm  Man, I'm getting some great publicity out here. There's a huge crowd. It's Saturday night. Everybody is looking at me. Perfect, perfect. Yes, stare at me. Stare at me. Just like I want you to.

     10:43pm  Chris hooked me up with a cigarette here on Central. I appreciate, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     11:30pm  Hehe, this wino at the Greyhound station is all getting beat up by the cops. Oh yeah, and I'm telling Kia my story. She's listening to me. She's real tired.

     12:41am  My bus was about to come and my friend Kia asked me, "Hey, do you accept donations?" She gave me some bagels for the road. I appreciate it, Kia.

     12:49am  Boarding the bus. Boarding the bus.

     2:15am  I got dropped off like five minutes ago at the Greyhound station in Santa Fe. It's cold. I'm going to put my thermal and army pant on at the Allsup's.

     3:00am  I don't know where I'm going to crash in Santa Fe. I'm just going to walk around and find a place, I guess. I've been told that camping is dangerous here in Santa Fe. That they'll give you a ticket and stuff.

                   Fifty five degrees.

                   I don't know what time it is, but I think I found someplace to crash. Real close to the Greyhound station. I'm walking behind some building. PNM, I think. I'm going to crash behind the bushes.

Next day..