Man Versus Nature

What A Wonderful World

Friday (last) night, I left the library, and spent myself down to $1.47, after a purchase of beer and cigarettes. Not lost upon me is the fact that beer and cigarettes are consuming most of what is being consumed. I am afraid that I will have to go through a period of "cold turkey," if I am ever going to "get ahead," here in Mobile. If I continue to "tread water" and fail to put aside some money, then I will be like an oil rig, just waiting to explode. I will be a broken string away from disaster. This makes me uneasy.

The Soul Kitchen

I went to the spot with the good acoustics. I was playing and had made a couple bucks when Ben the ambulance driver and his partner came by and suggested that I move further up Dauphin Street, because of the increased foot traffic there. I realized that, if nobody heard the great acoustics, then I would be the only one to benefit from them. I was hoping that Emily might find me there and want to play. I said that I had played once up that way, and done alright. They suggested that I sit in front of The Soul Kitchen, it being closed for the night...

I played there for a while and, in between beers, made about 17 bucks; par for the course, it seems.

A Cornucopia Of Plenty

Today has been a cornucopia of plenty. (Wasn't she a tennis player??) I slept in until 8:10am. I woke up with $15.53. I went to Subway, to check the coffee prices. A large cup was $1.75.

"I just wanted to see what the price was, because I have been walking all the way to McDonald's when I want coffee. I'm debating between coffee and beer at this point."

I had no sooner uttered this, when a man, who had been standing behind me, spoke up and said "I'll buy you a cup." He bought me a cup of coffee and I started my day with that, instead of beer; and I didn't even have to flip a coin.

I went to 15 place and they ran out of eggs and sandwiches on the person ahead of me in line. I had an extra large plate of grits, with salt and pepper. A man gave me half of his ham and cheese sandwich.

I then went to Dauphin Street, where they were having a big produce market type thing in the park. There was a bluegrass band playing, dashing any hopes of my music bearing any fruit. I went to the other park, to sleep some more.

I was woken by a black man, who told me that "They are lining up to eat." I saw that some group were handing out Styrofoam containers of food. I got in line. They ran out of Styrofoam containers on the guy in front of me in line, once I got there.

I went and sat on a wall, adjacent to the beer store. I was looking at the beer store, thinking that 12:45pm. was late enough for a "first beer of the day," also reminding myself of the conclusion that I had drawn, given the correlation between expenditures on beer, and being perpetually broke and unable to climb out of the crab trap. I decided that I would just get a Mountain Dew and then come to the library.

No One To Twist In The Opposite Direction

No sooner had I made that resolve, than a couple of young ladies walked over to me, carrying a Wendy's bag, and offered me a cheeseburger. I ate it, then went and got a Mountain Dew, and here I am at the library, ostensibly to write that letter to Karrie, which I have put off one more day...On the way here, some group was handing out Styrofoam containers of food. It looked like turkey or ham with two slices of bread, a pickle and a bag of chips, when I took a glance. They gave me two (2) of them. I was full with the cheeseburger at the time and I almost refused them. "Take them!," they said. I am now glad that I did. I will sit somewhere and compose the letter to Karrie. She is all that; and a bag of chips... I will include a printout of this, to save writting; and probably have the first beer of the day. That will make me hungry. Thinking of Karrie makes me hungry; and thirsty for beer. I still miss her, especially when I am wringing out my pants after scrubbing them on the concrete in the park; with nobody to grab the other end and twist in the opposite direction...

And now, I hope to come up some, this being Saturday. If I can't come up with enough for an ID, so that I can apply for the oil cleanup job, then, my rig will have sunk for the time being...