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| This year's performance of the Mobile Flying Ballet Society's "The Second Coming" draws an enthusiastic group of Mobilians, who happened to have all shown up dressed in "50''s" garb. |
Last night's attempt to board a train was unsuccesful, as none of the at least four trains stopped at the spot where Howard and I were waiting.
Yes, Howard, The 66 or so year old guy, who is hard of hearing and has been since a young age, so he seems very obtuse and I might have judged him a moron, had I not seen him spending hours reading some pretty good literature. He said that he couldn't make it through "Prince Of Tides," the Pay Conroy book that I am now reading and enjoying immensely, but other than that he has pretty good taste in pretty good literatere.
So, I have figured out that he isn't a moron. When I ask him "What time is it?" and he answers "OK!," I just attribute it to the fact that he misheard me. I guess my point is that...
My plans now include Howard.
Will Howard Become A Load?
He expressed a desire to go back to New Orleans with me. He cited his lack of knowledge about Mobile as the reason that he doesn't want to stay here. I don't see why he couldn't have, during our two week stint here, learned the locations of the places that feed, familiarised himself with the free trolley which circumnavigates the downtown area at regular intervals, and even found himself a place to sleep, where his blankets could also be hidden, etc.
I couldn't, in good conscious, refuse to take him along with me. I couldn't think of a good reason why I should tell him that he is just going to be a "load," and I really don't know if he is going to be a load.
It is only a hop to New Orleans, anyways. We can discuss further adventures (and maybe a contingency for sharing expenses) when we get to New Orleans. I really might just spend a couple days there, before trying to get to the desert by January, for my yearly fast and cleanse in the desert, living on aloe vera juice and praying for 15 days, (which I have missed every year of my life but one).
I asked Howard where he planned to sleep once in New Orleans. He indicated that he did not have that information at the time.
When he asked me where I was going to sleep, I indicated the super secret spot which I have to be out of by 6 a.m., and which has room for only one).
Howard said that he wanted to "take the train to California." I had indicated making a move in that direction myself, but, if Howard is planning upon accompanying me all the way to California, if and when I should find the hand of God moving me in that direction, then I see no reason why to seperate from him and go it alone, unless an advantage to going solo presents itself.
I don't want to feel like Howard is my responsibility. He has been self sufficient, and has even offered to loan me money. He hasn't slowed me down yet, I must admit. So, at this point; the ruling stands that Howard is allowed to come along on the train ride.
The Wait
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| The Sockflower Hollies, seen this morning, alongside the Blooming Shorts... |
That will put it in the Big Easy, at about an average of 8:30 p.m., and we would have lost the advantage of having the Family Dollar open, and we will be pushing it to expect the Winn Dixie to be open.
No matter, my plan is to sleep Monday night, out there by the rail yard, or perhaps past it. There are vast expanses of land out there that nobody seems to care about.
I'll have to take a bus ride into Canal Street to go to the courthouse in the morning, but I certainly don't need to take a bus ride into the quarter to sleep, that can be done "out in the country" towards the end of the 94 bus route, where there is a lake which I always wanted to investigate.
See if you can get Howard to answer to "Lenny" and you might just have something.
ReplyDeleteThe rail personnel out there sound damned friendly. I dunno how they are on less local lines, different RR's etc. I've heard they can be hostile but then, I've never hopped a train so have no experience to go on. I know a lot of trust-fund kids, gutter punks, do it, but if they get in trouble they just have Daddy Warbucks bail 'em out.
If it's workable, though, hopping trains is probably the best way to go. Make sure you're well set up for fire-starting and general hobo cooking skills, since you may have to get off at places to eat and get warm. It's cold in most of the country right now and that's a factor. You might be able to choose routes that take you along the southern route out here to land out by San Diego, and then there's a good chance you can hitch along Route 1 up the coast, friendly people along there.
There's a real chance though that you'll end up railing it parallel to Route 40, which is the old Route 66 and at least it's a dry cold. You'll end up south of here, but have a lot less hitching along the coast to do.
Wish I could just send ya a bus ticket, bro.
OK I did some research and .... hopping trains out here does not sound so good. I found this:
ReplyDeletehttp://ask.metafilter.com/62178/How-to-hop-a-freight-train
Read the discussion, covers stuff I've seen elsewhere about the cold, the filth, having to prop open doors to keep from suffocating being trapped inside, and the many dangers. You'll probably do better hitching - worst thing I've heard about that is the occasional homo.