DayWhen Media: Days 191, 192, 193

The Last Ten Days, pt. 1

Day 193
Monday Sept. 8th

To say I had a miserable day at work is an understatement. I was dead tired, stressed out about this whole car thing, seriously having second thoughts about all this, swamped in paperwork, and confused about what to do next-- life-wise, career-wise, project-wise, day-wise, etc. you get the point. I am not exactly sure what I hung on to to get through the day but ten hours later I was doneski with the office. The only thought on my mind was sleep-- a good night's sleep, and I don't mean in the back of my car either. I headed out to this abandoned camp ground outside of town. I had spent a few nights there and many afternoons without actually spending the night. Only once had I been bothered by the park rangers or other assorted 5-0 in the area. (Granted once they sent a helicopter after me but that was just a misunderstanding and is an entirely different story!)

There is this great little spot to park at totally obscured from the road and any nosy aircraft if you don't mind doing a gnarly uphill off-road spat. The jeeper would of loved it but the Focus is none too pleased when I inch her up the hillside. its not really a trail, just a section of hill with shrubbery about knee high you can get through it you dont mind a little white knuckle driving. Once you are there it is grand, super private and if you have a computer you can cart around you get wireless internet. From where who knows but pirating it is easy enough. Unfortunately it was not a marriage that was meant to be. In six minutes walking from one abandoned tent site to the other I saw THREE black widows. No thank ou kindly! I am deathly afraid of little tiny things that can kill me. There is no way in crap I was going to spend the night in the midst of a horde of poisonous spiders. No thank you very much again! So off for one more sleepless night in an alley way cramped in the back seat of the Focus. At least I didn't have to worry about ravenous venomous blood sucking spiders!

Funky abandonment, we fit perfectly.

It looked perfect, this is why I didn't stay! Just the first of many...

Day 192
Sunday Sept. 7th

With the blog updated, emails returned (okay maybe not all of them, not even half of them. its been more then a month, gimme a break!), Facebook updated, a few job leads tackled, the Albania proposal updated, and a few hours spent reviewing video tape it was time to pack it all up and move on. I ran over to the storage unit super quick and dump off the 'puter and other miscellaneous items. By then it was time for a quick sunset and then off to find a place to crash for the night. That's when the unwelcome drama began.

I went to this old abandoned office space/warehouse that I had been checking out for quite some time now. It looks pretty decent during the day-- no rats, lite security, in the morning shade, on the quiet side, a spot to hide the car, super close to the office, no other homeless folks around to steal me stuff. It looked promising so off I went. I dumped the car and was about to settle in for the night when Johnny Law came a knocking. It really was not too big of a deal. I explained what I was doing and he was chill but made me move on. As it was getting a little late I headed to a spot I have used fairly regularly thinking it was a safe bet. It has been for 7 months now.

Yup you guessed, no more then five minutes after I pulled up had the spot lights on me again. I went through the whole process all over again. I tried to smile and relax but the annoyance was building. After about 30 minutes ensuring I wasn't a wife beater or hooligan on parol I was off again. By this time it was pushing midnight and I was just a little spooked. I really just wanted to go to bed. I didn't want to drive all the way across town. I had no other leads over on the east end. Driving around I saw this church with a huge dark dark parking lot. I pulled in behind some well manicured shrubbery. What is safer then a church right. Historically for thousands of years churches have stood for as sanctuary in times of need, unless of course that is if you are Thomas à Becket.

I found a nice little patch of freshly mowed grass to lay my bed roll out on. Overall it was looking promising. I stated getting ready for the night worry free. I was pretty happy with my self despite everything. I was there for well over an hour getting ready for the night. Then as soon as my eyes closed to seek out that blissful sleep, BooYahKaShah! Not one, not two, but THREE frikin cruisers all with their dang spot lights turned on my peaceful repose. This time there was no easy way to talk myself of it. This one old copper just didn't get it. We went around in circles for almost an hour. He could not understand I was homeless more or less by choice. He kept asking if I was on parole or suppose to be in a half way house, or kicked out by my old lady or on the run or whatever. Finally my eyes bloodshot and patience way past thing I told him I had had too much to drink with friends for dinner after church. I told him I thought it best to take a nap before driving home, let the wine or schnapps or whatever it is church people drink wear off before driving.

Immediately the light inside his head went off. He got it! All he wanted was a reason that would comply with his mediocre world view. Just like that he jumped into action and gave me a field sobriety test. I passed (no surprise there). He then gave me an overblown lecture on drunken driving that could have been from a third grade film strip. Not too mock drunk drivers, but I hadn't had a drink in many days. The whole dog and pony show was a little unnecessary in my book and it was keeping me from much needed sleep. Eventually he decided to let me walk, quite literally. He told me I could have friends pick me and the car up or just me and leave the car for the night. I told him no prob dude! Thanks for understanding Johnny Law.

I walked around the block, took a nap under a pine tree in a city park, then once he had finally left (he sat there for almost tow hours after I walked!!!), I hoped back in the Focus and drove off. I finally ended up in an alley off of Main Street behind a dumpster at about 4am. Yah, and I had to be at work at 7 in the A-bloody-M! I was not a happy camper to say the least.