Vive l'armerdre!
Alfred JARRY


Day 43

am (Hot, Cool wind , Cold, Fog)

pm (Hot, Cool wind , Cold, Fog)

Rides = nil
Arrival = San Francisco
KM travelled = nil
$ spent = $13.00 (Youth Hostel, sandals and straw hat)
Time passed on the road = nil
km walked = 7





There were boats from everywhere; Chili, Equator even one from Sénégal. The port was bustling with activity. I went to ask at various places if I could get a job on one of the big ships but the answer was always the same, "You have to be in the Union." I thought that I could work for my passage to another country, instead I walked back to town.

On my way back I stopped into a store and bought a straw hat with a large brim and a pair of sandals. I hung out at the square near the Powell subway station. The BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) as it is known opened six or seven years ago. It looks very modern. Anyway the square was very entertaining. I met a lot of interesting people. I was even approached by another group of Moonies. I told them to get lost. At mid afternoon there was quite a buzz. A musician was playing beside a telephone booth, looking intently at his own reflection. His guitar case was closed and I don't think that he was asking for any money. Another guy came by and started to emit a series of high pitch noises, dancing around the telephone booth and the musician. The guitarist was really playing hard until one of his guitar strings broke. Then he just went berserk. He kicked the booth and started to spit on it. He was also spitting in the air and on any people around. The dancer moved off to the side and continued to output little sounds. The crowd went away. I was far enough from the action that I did not have to move. The guitarist spit for at least 15 minutes more. Nothing was coming out of his mouth anymore but his rage was incommensurable. He finally put his guitar in the case and walked away.

Later in the day I saw the dancer again, this time he was handcuffed. He looked defeated and quiet. The two police officers walked him to their car and the trio disappeared into the traffic.

- Daniel




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