Money Dwindles Further

From www.global-graffiti.com (click here)

A girl was walking around asking people to write "advice" on a sign and then hold it.
I pulled this phrase out of my butt and held the sign at the Lilly spot.
There are a few more from NOLA, some of whom I recognize, but who are not characters on this blog (yet?). 
I left the library last evening with 8 dollars in my pocket; spent half of that on a pint of vodka and went to the Starbucks, where I tried to write; but encountered writers block; despite spiking my coffee with the vodka.
Wasting His Breath

"I could feel him scowling at me the whole time I was in there..."

There was a skeezer in there trying to stay warm, who was sitting a bit behind me and off to my right; and I could feel him scowling at me the whole time I was in there -envious of the coffee which he probably assumed I was paying $2.40 a cup for with cash, or off of a debit card -not knowing that it was the gift card which the Lidgleys sent for Christmas; envious of the (American Spirit) cigarettes that I was stepping outside to smoke, probably thinking that I paid $6.72 for them with cash; envious of the vodka; but mostly filled with hatred of me; spawned by the knowledge that he would be wasting his breath trying to skeeze me (that is common knowldege throughout skeezerdom; because skeezers compare notes) and with that all too common "I know he makes money with that thing; and yet he can't 'help me out' with a couple bucks; a cigarette or two; a swig or two; and maybe a coffee?!? What a jerk!" expression on his face....We're all out here together trying to survive; all for one; one for all...

Skeeze Not, Lest Ye Be Skeezed!!

The place was pretty crowded with well dressed people and college students; but he knew enough not to bother any one of them; lest he be tossed out into the 45 degree night; besides, he was busy focusing all his energy upon scowling at me.
He walked past me once on his way outside to smoke off a duck and to skeeze pedestrians and said "What's up?" in a tone of voice which could have meant "f*** you!"
I put on all the extra clothes which I had in my bag in the restroom before heading towards Brothers Market to spend myself down to about 4 dollars on a Cobra Malt Liquor before traipsing in the general direction of the Lilly spot.
There was a dollar bill laying on the sidewalk just outside the door, and a skeezer right around the corner who was oblivious to it -if he had only seen it drop -d'oh!!.
Sign Flyers Like Flies
There was a skeezer every 100 feet or so on Bourbon Street (on both sides) sitting there holding signs with staring tourists in the eyes with "sad puppy" expressions. 
Most of the signs read some variation of: "Hungry."
It is curious to see more than one person holding duplicate signs, as if some signs "work" better than others.

One guy might have had a "good" night holding: "Allergic to water, need alcohol" one night, and so there seems to always be someone holding that (stupid in my opinion) one.

Selena holds: "Need weed" with a marijuana leaf drawn on it.

"I bet you a dollar you read this" is apparently a winner.

"Smile if you masturbate" has "worked" for some; and on and on...

There is one "Just a girl and her dog trying to survive" around Pat O' Briens and another "Just a girl and her dog trying to survive" a few blocks further, usually.

They are partners; both have smooth skin, shiny hair and perfect teeth and they wear "raggedy" clothes -the kind that come raggedy right out of the store and they stay at hotels and eat gourmet food and drink Crown Royal each night; trying to survive.

I actually gave one of my ideas away and told a guy that "If I had to fly a sign," it would read: "Unemployed cardboard sign maker," or maybe "Neyd muny fur spelin lecins"
None of them has taken my ideas and ran with them, as far as I can see.
I Play For A Beer

The extra clothing, along with the 10 block walk to the Lilly spot warmed me up enough so that I took my guitar out and played for about and hour; though hardly anybody was out.
One couple stopped and applauded after I had finished playing "A Space Oddity," by David Bowie.
"Is that one of yours?' asked the female.
"No, that's David Bowie."
They lamented that they didn't have any money to give me.
Just then Barnaby walked up and handed me a Heineken and thanked me for having played the guitar and sang and not played the harmonica.
I pretty much called it a night shortly after that; running to the restroom, but not returning.
The temperature got down to 37 degrees, according to the weather website.
Blackened Catfish Dreams
I ate blackened catfish fried in olive oil and then lied down on my cardboard, to which I had just added a thick layer the size of a queen sized bed to the top of, which I had grabbed from off of Decatur Street.
I had trouble falling asleep, thinking about Karrie and a lot of other things as I lay on the cardboard which is now big enough for two...
I had tortured dreams about the rats attacking me, causing me to set up traps to snap their necks; and one dream about dying in a grassy meadow and becoming fertilizer.
Maybe eating blackened catfish right before bed isn't such a great idea...
I almost got up at 7 a.m., had coffee and started the day; but went back to sleep until after noon.
Now, I am out of cigarettes and down to about 3 dollars in cash, and feel like I have wasted half the day; but the temperature is a good 10 degrees warmer than yesterday....