Grabbers (or How Does That Grab You?)

I am ducking and dodging The Law. I'm in St. Augustine, where my life is "worthless."
"My love is strong, and it pushes me onward"
I came back to grab whatever wasn't grabbed, when Karrie and I left here.
I discovered that everything which we hadn't grabbed HAD been grabbed (by someone.)
This is "par for the course" in St. Augustine.
I'm leaving on the last yellow bus out of town, -don't know when I'll be back again-
"I Don't Know What To Tell You"
I saw Larry briefly, last night, while keeping an "eye out," for the bike cops.
I told him I needed a place to lay my head, and maybe a blanket; I had missed the last yellow bus out...
"I don't know what to tell you, we've been staying at Dee Dee's for the past couple of weeks..."
I know what you can tell me, Larry; you can tell me: "I remember that night when we were staying off of the canal in Mandarin and I was curled up and shivering on the ground under a flimsey blanket, and you came and threw one of your two sleeping bags over me, whereupon I relaxed into a comfortable sleep." You might have said something along those lines...
This was God's way of telling me "See, there's nothing here for you in St. Augustine," for those of you who believe in Him.

Photos Arrive

The Ocala pictures arrived from the Lidgeley's.

More on them, and more of them, later...

All Shook Up

Plus, more on John's Wedding, which he decided NOT to have performed by an Elvis impersonator, even though he "thought about it." He thought about it??? He's joking, isn't he??

Elvis: "Do you John, promise to not be cruel, and to love Ester "tender?"

John: "I do"

Elvis: "Ester, if John is in sickness, or poorer, or the Kentucky rain is pouring down; Is that alright, Mama?"

Ester: "It is."

Elvis: "John, are you a hunk of burnin' love for Ester?"

John: "I am."

Elvis "Will you be Ester's teddy bear?"

John: "I will."

Elvis: "Then, by the power invested in me, as the King of Rock -n- Roll I now pronounce you all hooked up! (hey, hey hey!)

There Once Was A Man From Ocala

...Who'd went there, expecting a gala
But then the police
Did disturb his peace
And spooked him just like an Impala.
(Impalas are skittish)

I was up with the sun this morning. I had $24.55. I have sent Karrie a total of $28.01, since arriving here (plus $7 in stamped envelopes and Money Orders) because I love her. I could be walking around with 60 bucks if I hated her. It burns me up, to think about it! (just kidding, Karrie! LOL)

Yesterday, I went out to the ramp and made 20 bucks or so, before a very nice cop pulled up and saying "You're not from around here, are you?" went on to tell me about the ordinance within the city against reaching out and taking money from some one's hand, I think he said. This skirts the issue of panhandling being defined as asking for money, which I don't ever do; I just play. So, it's against the ordinance to take money from some one's hand in Ocala. I have to hand it to them, that's pretty clever.

"Hey Lou, can I borrow ten bucks until next Thursday? Just lay it on the sidewalk and I'll pick it up..." I guess.

He told me that I could move down to the next ramp and I would be in the county, where the ordinance has no effect. One more mile to walk. I am heading that way after I finish here.

First, I must stop at the police station and try to retrieve my ID card, which was never handed back to me by the undercover cop in the park. One would think that they would be in the habit of handing them back, since they do it SO much.

I sent Karrie 6 of the 20 bucks, and then went and cooked fish and had fish and bread and would have had collard greens, but have forgotten where I misplaced the can opener.

I Am Going Back To Jacksonville

Tomorrow, if all goes as planned, I will wake up with the birds, pack and meet John near the library at 10 am. I will then ride in the back of his truck, back to Jacksonville, which is "the devil that I know." In the cab of the truck will be John, his fiance, Ester and Ester's wedding dress, which will occupy the back seat because she "doesn't want anything to happen to it."

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....

We Are "Safe" In Jacksonville

Ok, We are in Jacksonville, where we intend to purchase Greyhound ticket(s) in advance, in order to save money, and to allow us to take a stab at making some money here, before the law becomes wise to us.

We didn't think we could have bought them in St. Augustine, but could have, by handing the driver cash -seems like that would make his job more dangerous.

John no longer is the owner of the Dominos in Ocala, just the manager.

He told me that I would have to put in an application and have my background checked, and then it will be up to 'Andrew,' weather or not there is room for a public urinator on the payroll. John did say that the store is doing well $15,000 per week, and that he would be able to find me odd jobs to help me out, despite Andrew's ruling.

Our dilemna is one of when to book the trip. I am leaning towards playing here for one more week, and, if successful, booking a 7 day advance, which would get us there before March. If very successfull, the bike could be loaded on the bus, for an additional fare. I have struck gold so far, by playing right on the off-ramps to Rt. 95, right where others hold signs like: "Homeless, please help"

Worse case scenario, I book 21 days in advance for just one ticket (Karrie and our "Karrie"-on luggage) and then I ride the bike to Ocala, taking my time and a whole day to do it.I've heard that the Ocala National Forest is a good place to get lost in, and probably has running water at the Welcome Center.

We Look Forward To Being Welcomed To Ocala