4.26.2008

On a Mission

I needed eye juice - in fact I slept with my contacts in last night because I didn't have any. It's 5 blocks from here to Longs Drugs. The thought of getting in my car for 1/2 mile drive repulses me, and anyways I like rollerblading. The weather was perfect today, and at 10pm, it's 76 degrees.

Of course, it's a Saturday night, and my journey would take me through, if not the heart, then at least the liver, of the PB bar scene - Mission and Grand/Garnet.

I was greeted by someone with whom I made no eye contact, nor even acknowledged in any way. Experience tells me that this man wanted to buy or sell weed.
I had to dodge a stream of urine - not my own.
I was inches from being backed over by a large pickup truck.
I pushed some guy away from me before I could figure out whether his gestures and slurred speech indicated a desire to hug or fight me.

Is it the rollerblades? I feel like it is. The urine and the pickup incidents would probably not have been an issue if I'd been moving more slowly, on foot for instance. Though, the weed guy was probably just keying off my hippie beard and hair, regardless of my mode of transportation. But I have to think I wouldn't have been bothered by that last guy had I been just a... pedestrian pedestrian.

1 comments:

Mike Machenry said...

You need a nice big shopping cart fitted with a spiked plow that you can push around in front of you. Attach side flaps that will shield you from any urine that isn't yours.