Harvest Moon

The "Three Quarters" Matter
Yesterday, Friday, I left the library at about 4pm.
I walked over to the Shell to get a couple of beers to put me in the mood to go into town and play.
I ran into a black guy, who I had owed 50 cents to, from a prior dealing, involving some tobacco which he had aquired, and which was not his particular flavor. At the time, I had given him the change that I had, for one of the cigarettes. He gave me both of them and told me to give him 50 additional cents at some point in the future.
He accosted me at the store. His eyes were glazed and he seemed to be having trouble focusing his vision. He demanded his "75 cents," after reminding me that I owed him.
I tried to refresh his memory, by recounting the specifics of our prior transaction.
He persisted in his demand for "75 cents."
I handed him 50 cents, and told him that it was all that I could give him, and still have enough for my beer. He accused me of robbing him of 25 cents, as I turned to go into the Shell. There were two other guys standing there with him, struggling to focus their vision. I heard him ask them, rhetorically I assume; "Anyone want to buy a guitar?"
This was a poorly veiled threat to steal my guitar from me. I paid for my beer, and a V8, and separated a quarter from my change. My intention was to buy him off with it, and thus close my dealings with him. I also opened the blade of my knife and held it in my right hand, along with the bag containing the two beers and V8.
I wasn't even upon him before he started to demand his quarter. I walked up to him, and as his eyes were trying to focus upon the hand with the knife in it, I handed him the quarter, and told him that I would never have anything to do with him in the future.
I'm sure that he is going to see this as a concession on my part and try to parlay it into more quarters in the future. He will probably say that, after thinking things over, it dawned upon him that I owed him one more quarter, which he had overlooked.
From Dictionary(.)Com:
petty (pet′ē)
having or showing a tendency to make much of small matters
small-minded; mean, narrow, ungenerous, etc.

Origin: ME pety < OFr petit < *pit-, little < baby talk

The Friday Night That Wasn't
Upon arriving in town, I noticed that there was nary a soul about. I attributed this to the fact that Bayfest (right) is coming next weekend, and perhaps people were conserving their funds for it. Then, I reflected that this didn't sound like people in this day and age.

I played for a while and was only thrown 17 cents, by one black guy.

Realising that I was wearing out my strings for "nothing,' I took a break and drank two more beers. I went to drink them in a secluded part of a parking lot. I must not have gone there fast enough for, the beers caught up with me, and I soon decided to lay back on my pack, after wrapping the strap of my guitar case around me, and deploying my knife, and wait for the streets to fill up with revelers.

Bayfest, as seen from the spot where I sleep (Right)

I woke up with the moon high in the sky and the streets pretty much deserted. I went to finish sleeping at the church spot, thus throwing in the towel on this Friday night that wasn't.
Tonight is Saturday night, and another chance to make something of it.
60 Year Old Neil Young

Tommorow night, is the 26th, and the night that Neil Young is to play at the Steanger Theatre. Tickets prices range from 200 dollars, on down to $45 for a "cheap" seat.
"I hope Neil Young will remember" the arrangement he has with the venue, and not get confused and start demanding an extra 25 cents from the manager after he is done playing.
This portends to be a golden opportunity for me to play on the sidewalk for people who grew up listening to the same music as I, and who can afford 200 bucks to see a long haired poet hippie strum a guitar and sing off key about putting an end to the Vietnam Conflict.
Search For Karrie
I have begun a half hearted search for Karrie, by consulting the Dalton, Georgia phone listings and learning that there is indeed a Stephanie Porras listed, as well as a Marilyn Porras. "Marilyn" is spelled in the same style as Karrie's middle name, "Joshulyn."
I may send her mom a letter. Just to satisfy my curiosity...