The Thing Is Done

I am holding in my pocket a bus ticket for a trip from Jacksonville, to Ocala, to leave at 1:45am. on the 10th of March. The name on the ticket is "Karrie Porras."
We now have 14 days to accrue wealth and plan and stretch our muscles for a long bike ride...

Money In General

I am in downtown Jacksonville, supposedly to get the bus ticket to Ocala.

The Morning BabbleI left Karrie in a state of confusion, back at the camp. She was babbling on, not caring who might not even be listening, in a manner which I have become accustomed to. I call it the "Morning Babble." I would not be surprised at all if she continued to talk, even as the bus I was on was crossing the St. John's river into downtown. She might have even been saying something like "You don't care, you ignore me all the time," to nobody at all.
This is related to the "Morning Stare," which commences after she has consumed her first 3 beers, and involves her staring at me lovingly, with a look that say's "Now that I've got some alcohol in me, I've just realized that you are a wonderful man." Her gaze might drift away, but regularly returns to my face. Everything that she utters while in this mode is followed by a stare, also, as if she is studying my reaction to the utterance.
This morning, she was sitting up on the sleeping bag, and talking about atrocities at the hands of her grandfather, when she was 2 years old (allegedly,) something that her gynecologist was wise to, but which never saw the light of investigation, due to the fact that she was, and still is, Mexican, and thus, wasn't worthy of the benefit of due legal process. I think she segued into a rant about finding another man, who would hold her all night and never let her go, something which I failed her upon, due to the fact that I left to go to the store in the wee hours of the morning, leaving her to feelings of abandonment.
And now, I am down here ostensibly to purchase a bus ticket to ferry her to Ocala, where we will become One again.
Yesterday, I woke up with a minimal $147.00 (down from $202, two days prior) and I cracked the whip over us going out and "working." I played the southbound off ramp and she flew her sign on the northbound, Rt. 95 and Baymeadows Rd. and we tallied $47 bucks, respectable for a Tuesday (assuming there is any respect to be maintained despite our method of acquiring it...)
One lady gave her 30 bucks, perpetuating her careless indifference over money in general. I handled the purchase of Canadian Whiskey, keeping it under 11 bucks, me being less careless and indifferent about money in general.

Rubber Keyboard

The Trip To Ocala
As of now, the plan is to get a 7 day-in-advance ticket for Ocala, to be utilized by Karrie, who will Carry all of our luggage with her. I will ride the Pugeaut bike the 100 miles or so, leaving a day or so in advance, and hoping (or maybe not) that she has the wherewithall to get on the right bus and meet up with me in Ocala. I have a possible job, working with my old friend, John, the pizza store manager. Wait until he gets a load of Karrie.....(good God)

The Internet Cafe
Last night, I did indeed go to what was billed as an "Internet Cafe."
This was after playing the highway and making about $33.00
I had $202 in my pocket then, and considered the trip to Jacksonville a moderate success.


I walked in and recieved a cold reception. The place was nearly deserted, as is was when I rode by earlier in the day. I expected them to be more welcoming. Maybe the backpack and guitar transcends even the need for more business, in the decision process of weather or not to be cordial.


I paid 8 bucks for about a half hour on the computer, and bought a beer for 2 bucks. It was "two for one" night and I had another one coming. I logged on and got absolutely nothing done, as the keybourd was made out of rubber of some sort. It was flexible and very unreliable. I typed away, not looking at the screen, as is sometimes my habit. When I did look up, I couldn't even read what I had supposedly just written (at 8 bucks per half hour.)


I was very angry and did not even get my free beer. She not only gave me a cold reception, but was unsympathetic to my anguish over not getting anything done, in a half hour.
This is the view of Camelback Mountain, which I had from my own cave on South Mountain, when I lived in Phoenix, AZ.



"They work, they just take getting used to," she said.

I went to the Gate store and ran into Karrie (coincidentally, though, the coincidences are so frequent now that it seems like it would be a coincidence if I DIDN'T run into her)


I had calmed down a little and decided to return to the cafe and rationally explain that I thought that I had beed ripped off by the rubber keyboard.


I did so, and got the aboveforementioned response, stating basically that I was at fault for not knowing how to work a rubber keyboard. Most of the other (3) people in there were into some sort of online gaming; trying to win money through 'points' aquired in "Texas Hold-Em" types of things, designed for losers.


Luckily, the jukebox came on, with 6 plays still available, and I played Grateful Dead songs, which soothed my soul.




I played "Althea," by the Dead, and "Adam's Apple," by Aerosmith and averted a drunken calamity, such as jumping over the counter and grabbing her by her throat, which I surely would have regretted upon awakening the next morning; probably.


This is San Diego, where I am probably bound for someday, given the weather, and ....the weather.
Where Is Karrie?
I don't know where Karrie is. I gave her some money to go to the store and that was 2 hours ago, and in the murder capital of Florida, no less.
I am about to get the last bus out of here without her. This is not like her. I know her pretty (too) well by now....

We Are "Safe" In Jacksonville

Ok, We are in Jacksonville, where we intend to purchase Greyhound ticket(s) in advance, in order to save money, and to allow us to take a stab at making some money here, before the law becomes wise to us.

We didn't think we could have bought them in St. Augustine, but could have, by handing the driver cash -seems like that would make his job more dangerous.

John no longer is the owner of the Dominos in Ocala, just the manager.

He told me that I would have to put in an application and have my background checked, and then it will be up to 'Andrew,' weather or not there is room for a public urinator on the payroll. John did say that the store is doing well $15,000 per week, and that he would be able to find me odd jobs to help me out, despite Andrew's ruling.

Our dilemna is one of when to book the trip. I am leaning towards playing here for one more week, and, if successful, booking a 7 day advance, which would get us there before March. If very successfull, the bike could be loaded on the bus, for an additional fare. I have struck gold so far, by playing right on the off-ramps to Rt. 95, right where others hold signs like: "Homeless, please help"

Worse case scenario, I book 21 days in advance for just one ticket (Karrie and our "Karrie"-on luggage) and then I ride the bike to Ocala, taking my time and a whole day to do it.I've heard that the Ocala National Forest is a good place to get lost in, and probably has running water at the Welcome Center.

We Look Forward To Being Welcomed To Ocala

The move to Ocala is in the works. We need to go to Jacksonville, and book 7 days in advance, in order to save money. Then, Karrie will take the bus, with all of our stuff, and I will ride the 86 miles on my Peugeout Bike.

Trespasser!!

Here is my latest booking photo. Sure beats hiring a professional photagrapher!!!

The booking officer said "I told you to look at the camera, I didn't tell you to smile!!"

Who Do I Look Most Like?

People occasionallly come up to me and say "Do you know who you look like?" It is usually one of these, though not Mickael very much.

We Are Going To Ocala

I woke up with $104.40.

We Are going to Ocala.
I checked the Greyhound site, and there are no tickets sold here in the oldest city in the nation. We will have to go to Jacksonville to get them. This poses logistical problems, ie. how to get the bike there (I will ride it) and, how to spend some time there and profit, while we wait for the 7 day, book in advance discount.
Yesterday, I went right out onto the highway ramp and Rt. 16 and Rt. 95 and played. A cop came by when I was in the median and told me that I couldn't play there. He said that I could play "there," though, over on the other side, and so I did. I made about 35 bucks and then went and sat in hiding to drink a beer. The superbowl was just kicking off, with the singing of "America the Beautiful." It was an alright night, and reaffirmed my belief that playing in St. Augustine is a bunch of B.S. and that one can make more on the road at highway onramps....

The weather seems to be co-operating right now, for such a pilgrimage.

I Might Just Go To Jupiter

Jupiter is one of the places that I am considering going to, It has been recommended to me as a rich area with a lot of "artsy" folks. Plus, I would weigh 660 pounds there, and could play Leslie West songs (He's a rather heavy guitarist.)

"Let's Go!!"

To All Fans Of Daniel The Street Musician

They put me in jail for 10 days, because they said that I was trespassed from my playing spot.
They never had me sign anything and had just mumbled something about "trespass him,"
I am leaving in a couple of days, to where, I am not sure yet.