A Wednesday In October

Just another Wednesday in Los Angeles. I awoke early this morning and decided to head over to Runyon Canyon for some exercise. Normally I’m good to hike the stairs and run back down before leaving, but something compelled me to do it twice this morning. I think it was the McDonalds I ate last night. I had no problems completing my second circuit, and in fact left the park all smiles. It was a very good feeling. For those of you who are friends of mine on Facebook, you’ll be happy to hear that I’ve revoked my membership to the “douchebags who run through the canyon with their shirts off” club, because I don’t like getting stopped every few hundred yards by another shirtless man asking for directions. Yeah, right. I’m sure that’s why you stopped me…

I spent most of this afternoon with dear Sari. I picked her up and drove her to Taco Bell for lunch, which was about as disgusting an experience as I’ve had in God knows how long. I can’t imagine ever eating at a Taco Bell, and I have pretty low standards for what I’ll put in my body. We chatted a bit about our lives and relationships. She’s full of good advice, and I hope I am as good to her as she is to me. From the gross place we stopped at the Library and then the supermarket. Later we went to a vintage clothing store so she could find something nice to wear out to the bars tonight with some visiting Australian friends. I thought she’d look good in a Kimono, or one of those little Asian garments. I don’t know what they’re called. She laughed and said no thank you. She tried on a tablecloth or curtain or something, then we left the store. We stopped back at her house to drop off her groceries. While there I moved some furniture for her and helped rig some cables so they wouldn’t dangle above doorways. I’m such a man’s man. I’m surprised I didn’t crush my thumb or forefinger while hammering nails mercilessly into her wall. And no, that’s not a sexual metaphor. Once my Bob Vila kick ran its course, I returned her to the area of Sunset near Masa so she could finish shopping for a dress.

We ended up meeting and befriending an old lady while walking along the boulevard. It was one of those brief conversations that makes you feel very satisfied upon its completion. She was very well put together in a black and white sweater with black slacks, freshly sculpted gray hair, and a thick coat of pink/red lipstick. She also wore a bottle of purfume. Anyway, the woman saw that Sari was bummed about a store being closed, and stated that another similar place existed several blocks away. Then she told us how she has been living in Echo Park since 1968. She came to the area to attend a bible college and has moved around the neighborhood ever since. As we waited to cross the street, the three of us talked about how the neighborhood has changed. I asked where she was from originally and she said Dallas. We spoke of that city for a couple seconds before returning to our little East Los Angeles history lesson. When Sari mentioned she was from Australia, the old woman commented that she had just read an article describing the continent as one of the best places in the world to live. Sari stated that the free health care probably helped Australia’s popularity, our new friend started talking about what a liar Obama is, and how his health care plan isn’t going to be “all floozy-woozy like he promised.” The light changed and we crossed the street together. She asked if we were eating at Masa too, but we told her as much as we’d like to, we had to be on our way. She might have been a right-wing Christian fundamentalist, but she certainly was a nice and outgoing lady. I like having moments like that in this city. Hell, I like chatting with random strangers anywhere I go. Some of them are good people — not like the woman who started mumbling to me outside the 711 last night about bombings in Ireland. She’s not good people.

Now some guitar with myself. Later some bar with good friends. I need to rest up for softball tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll have some good news to share in the afternoon. Stay tuned.

World’s End Girlfriend – 傘は
Daniel Johnston – Tears
Gareth Hardwick – Five Points