103104

 

Palm Desert to Indio to El Centro, CA

Sunday October 31, 2004

     6:10am  We just woke up. We crashed over by this concealed walkway over by AT&T. Oh, I didn't tell you. We walked by some Chicos place, that they were doing all this construction on the entrance. I noticed that the door was open and you could get inside easily. All the lights were on. I found a place to crash by the entrance and all of a sudden I see Chris leave. He said he went to go take a shit, but when he came back he had a shopping cart. He started taking all this stuff out. All these tools, like an electric saw and stuff. He said he was going to try and pawn it all today. This big cartload of stolen goods he's going to try to turn into money.

     6:45am  Jaime me dio un cigaro al frente de Burger King. Te lo agradezco, hermano. Todo el mundo recibe crédito, gracias.

     7:10am  I adjusted my watch for Daylight Saving's Time. We came to the Burger King and I used the bathroom. I'm going to see if I can score some breakfast.

                   Jaime is hooking me up at the Burger King.

     7:29am  We were at the bus stop and Mark just pulled up in his Porsche Carrera and gave us some burritos! He was all, "Hey, are you guys hungry?" He drove off after he gave them to us.

     9:42am  Big update to make. Chris had brought the shopping cart up to the bus stop and begged me if he could cover it with my poncho. He disappeared now. I don't know where he went. I'm kind of glad he's gone. I took my rain poncho off the tools, leaving them all uncovered. I talked to Robert, this other homeless guy who's showing me around. He got the idea to return the tools. Maybe they'll kick us down a donation. I don't know what happened to Chris, but I got my rain poncho. Now we're going to go try and find the Chicos place.

                   We finally located Chicos, but no one was there. It's Sunday. We came over to this place next door and asked the construction people here if they knew who did construction at Chico's. We're going to leave the tools with them. This guy hooked Robert up with ten dollars for doing the right thing.

     10:37am  Oh yeah, I've got an update to make. This Robert guy got the idea that he was going to return the tools to the cops. We ended up calling the cops. I was like, "Shit, I don't want to talk to cops. I had nothing to do with it." Robert handled it when the cops got there and I disappeared. He told the cops some bullshit story about how this old homeless dude had shown up and started bragging about all these tools he had stolen and if Robert knew anyone who wanted to buy them. He called the cops and they're going to give it back. Then tomorrow, Robert is going to show up at Chico's and tell them, "I'm the guy who returned your tools," and maybe they'll kick him down some cash.

     11:0am  Chris hooked me up with a cigarette behind Sally's Nails. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     11:29am  Louis hooked me up with a dollar for the bus. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     11:38am  The coolest shit happened. I was sitting there waiting for Robert. He disappeared. I was going to sit down and wait for the cops to leave. I said screw it and walked by them. There was a lady cop there. She was all nice. I figured, "I've lost Robert, I've lost Chris. I'm going to skip town." I'm going to go to Indio. I heard there's a TA truckstop there. Right when I go to the bus stop, there's a bus there. I here the beeping going on because they were loading up somebody on a wheelchair. The guy in the wheelchair I asked if he could hook me up with some bus fare and he gave me a dollar. On my way to Indio. I am meant to go.

     11:58am  I just got directed to Martha's Kitchen in Indio. This guy on the bus told me about it. I'm going to go take a shower and spend the night if I want. This guy Adam who told me about it, his ex-girlfriend works there. He misses her. And he told me this guy who works there might be able to hook me up with some weed!

     12:03pm  At the transfer center in Indio I got on the #80 bus to the Martha's Kitchen place. The bus driver hooked me up with a transfer. Cool.

     12:10pm  I am entering Martha's Kitchen. 

 

                     I just got off the bus. There's a lot of homebums here. I'm going to see if I can tell my story at all.

                     There's tons of homebums everywhere.

     12:56pm  Eric, at Martha's Kitchen hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     1:35pm  I saw the truckstop in the distance on the other side of the highway, so I'm walking out to it. I have to be back at Martha's Kitchen before six so I can take a shower and have a place to crash. If I don't get a ride I'll leave the truckstop at five and walk back.

                   I was able to eat lunch at that place. I also got to tell these kids my story. I didn't get to finish. I got past the spirit's part, but they had to go.

                  Oh, I walked to some bird sanctuary. I didn't want to go all the way. I want to walk straight to the truckstop. I'm just going to hop these fences and walk straight through the fields. Fuck the system.

     2:05pm  I walked down towards the truckstop. Craig hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     2:14pm  I walked to the truckstop already. Big long hike. Oh yeah, I couldn't go straight across all the way. There was a big stream of water. I walked to the bridge to the right. The road ended up going straight to the truckstop. Oh yeah, Robert hooked me up with a cigarette. I appreciate it, brother.

     3:20pm  I made it to the truckstop. I've been asking for rides. Nobody is giving me any. Please Love, please mobilize me. I am in a hurry to get home already. I miss San Antone.

     3:33pm  Charles hooked me up with a cigarette here at the truckstop. I appreciate it, brother.

     4:02pm  Awesome, some guy just gave me a dollar coin. 

     5:03pm  Alfonso me dio un dolar. Te lo agradezco, Alfonso. Todo el mundo recibe crédito, gracias.

     5:20pm  I went inside and bought a donut and Kevin hooked me up with an after-meal smoke. I appreciate it, brother.

     5:22pm  Whoa, I'm going to Calexico. Almost to Mexico.

     5:25pm  Caesar es el que me esta dando un ride a El Centro. Te lo agradezco, señor. Todo el mundo recibe crédito, gracias.

     7:00pm  Dude, I'm in El Centro already! I'm about two miles away from Highway 8.. 8 hits I10 eventually. I'm on the right track. I'm going to see if I can get a ride.

     7:10pm  Gabriel hooked me up with two dollars at the Shell station here in El Centro. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                   Oh, let me tell you about the Caesar guy who gave me a ride here. At first he was all touching my goatee and stuff. I thought he might be gay. I finally got confirmation that he was. He wasn't all flamboyantly-gay. He really believes in my mission. I had asked him, "Are you married?" He told me, "No, I live with this boy." Oh, and I talked to him in Spanish the whole time. I was able to translate a lot of my stuff. I'm only two miles away from Highway 8, which eventually hits I10.

                   I'm in El Centro, CA at the only truckstop here. 1963 South Highway 111, El Centro, CA 92243.

     7:19pm  I didn't even ask him for anything and Juan hooked me up with some change. I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

                   Umm, these two guys gave me change without me asking them, but I couldn't understand their names. I talked to them in Spanish.

                   Oh yeah, I told this kid Josh working here my story. I told him, "I got $1.75 in change. What's the most food I can get here? Recommend something?" He told me, "Just wait till the lady leaves and I'll hook you up." I'm going to get hooked up.

     8:38pm  Angel hooked me up with two dollars. I didn't even ask him for it. Everybody gets credit, thanks.

     8:45pm  Josh hooked me up fat! He gave me all this food.

     8:55pm  Genaro me dio cambio. Te lo agradezco, señor. Todo el mundo recibe crédito, gracias.

                   Please Love, grant me some marijuana.

     9:32pm  Not only did Andrew listen to my story attentively, he also hooked me up with five dollars! I appreciate it, brother. Everybody gets credit, thanks. This is towards the marijuana fund, hehe.

     10:00pm  I had a pretty interesting conversation with this one guy. He gave me a couple shots of peppermint schnapps. 90 proof. He even gave me a couple cigarettes and he hooked me up with some jackets! I appreciate it, brother.

                     I took a picture of his really adorable dog, Chloe.

 

She pulled the tennis ball off my stick.

                    Chris and Chloe.  

     10:48pm  Oh yeah, I have to make a magical update. Some magical things have happened. At the truckstop I was talking to this guy Chris. First he wouldn't let me finish with my story at all. He kept interrupting me. He ended up inviting me to his trailer to crash. I have a crash spot for the night and I can go back to the truckstop tomorrow and get a ride. Back to San Antonio hopefully. Everything's cool, man. He sees my belief in the universe and he trusts me.

Next day..