082203

 

Berkeley, CA

Friday August 22, 2003

     8:00am  I woke up late at the laundromat. Naya came by and woke me up. She slept over at the same place where she slept the other night. At the guy's who still thinks she's a girl, but she's not going to sleep there ever again. She was able to take a shower and get a lot of stuff done. But now, I'm walking to breakfast. I'm going to go eat.

                   I slept great. I got a lot of sleep. I feel good.

                  And Matt was generous enough to give me a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother.

     9:35am  Man, I'm sitting out here with no lighter. I got a cigarette from that dude. I don't have a lighter. I want to smoke it in my little hideout by the library. I'm out in front of the library looking for someone with a lighter. People are all getting pissed off at me and looking the other way and ignoring me. I just want a lighter. All they have to do is tell me, "No, I don't have one."

     1:56am  I'm typing up my stuff here at the computer. I spent a long time and typed up like four days. I came to the bathroom and sat down on the toilet. Right next to me on the toilet I see this pamphlet. All these papers with a red bow around it. I look at it and I see a dollar sign with a big anti symbol through it. You know, the circle with the line through it. Oh shit, here's another sign. it says, "Do you care about democracy?" and it's all about taking money out of politics." Heyyy, there's an email address. This is a sure sign. Right now I am going to go email this person my California story. Signs, signs, everywhere the signs.

     2:44am  I sent that email, because of the sign that I got. I'm following that sign and I'll see if something happens.

     3:45pm  Neil gave me a cigarette in front of Sproul Hall. I appreciate it, brother.

                    I came to the park, bummed a cigarette off that guy and went to the park. I was smoking and I spotted Bowie. I asked him, "Where you been, Bowie? Where have you been hiding out?" He tells me he's been on Shattuck. Oh, there's Mosha. I'm going to go get smoked out.

                     Rafael is hooking me up with a dollar for day-old donuts. When I pulled out my tape recorder Rafael said, "I knew you had a vibe, man. I knew you had a vibe."

     3:32pm  Ali just gave me a couple bucks without me even asking.

     3:42pm  Allison has been generous enough to give me a cigarette in front of Amoeba.

     4:58pm  Eugene hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother.

     5:02pm  I came out to the Ave and flew my sign for a little bit. I already have two cigarettes I didn't ask for. Well, the first guy I asked him for one, but this other girl came up to me saying, "I feel bad for last night. My friend didn't give you a cigarette when you asked her." I told her not to worry about it and showed her the cigarette I just scored off that dude. She insists anyway and gives me a cigarette.

     5:55pm  I'm out here with a new sign. On one side it says, "Hook a brother up." With a flip of the wrist, it turns into "Smoke a brother out." I need to do laundry before I leave Sunday. Chewy hooked me up with a dollar. Thanks Chewy.

     6:40pm  I made up a sign that said Hook a Brother Up. I sat on the avenue and I run into Raven! Bowie's friend who has a truck. He asked me where Bowie was. I had seen Bowie earlier and he told me about some open mic thing downtown where he was going to go at six tonight. I thought I should go so I can say my stuff and spread the word, but I got lazy and didn't feel like walking. I smoked a couple cigarettes and Raven and I are walking to where his truck is by Andronico's. By Bing Wong. Let's see what's going to happen.

     6:52pm  I forgot to mention that today Bob Weir died. Everybody's all broken up about it on Telegraph. This one kid is all crying his eyes out. It's weird. I didn't even know who he was. He was part of the Grateful Dead. I can only imagine how people got on Telegraph when Jerry Garcia died.

     9:55pm  Earlier, around 9:50 or so, I ran into Elle! She's some girl I met the first time I was in Berkeley 6 months(1-3-03, 5th paragraph) ago. She's told all her friends about me. I told her my whole update and she listened to all of it. She told me, "I really like your cause and she gave me two dollars. Oh yeah, she's going to knit me a new rainbow beanie and a scarf.

                   Oh yeah, I went to Hate Camp and got a big slice of pizza, so I'm not hungry.

     10:26pm  Candace was nice enough to give me a cigarette in front of Blake's. Thank you, Candace. I was walking off and Candace's friend said, "Hey, I want to give you a cigarette, too." So, he's in the book, too.

     10:46pm  Paul was generous enough to give us some food. I appreciate that, brother. It'll come back to you.

                     These idiots in a truck just drove by as I was walking down the street with my poncho and walking stick and they yell, "Weirdo," out of the window while they drive off.

Next day..