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....