May 23, 2010

Packing and Gone




The Golden Gate Bridge in the sunshine, October 1999.

I drove by the sea yesterday on my errands. The surf was choppy and wind churned good only for tourists. The sun was out though, and I was heartened by the long lines for hamburgers at Hodad’s. Around the corner, I was pleased to see the birth of a new, crowded micro brewery where before there was a string of bars and hamburger places. The town was hopping with the young, and the streets were crowded with happy looking people. It’s not even the start of summer yet.

Just over there, the poetry ladies meet at Nati’s once a month. Every Monday evening, another group meets at Winston’s bar, right around the corner, to read their works at an open mic. Our ladies have been known to read there too. This is Bums beach…not to be confused with Sleazy beach where I lived for so many years in the ‘60s. Although drugs and alcohol surely are still available on every corner along with the homeless, it doesn’t seem as visible in the midst of this off-hand gentrification. One has hope here.

I’m encouraged and leave the large surf to the tourists as I head home to pack and become one. I’ll slip my eternal zip lock bags of sox, underwear, fewer bras, two pair of denims, endlessly layered tee-shirts and sweaters, meds galore into my antique Samsonite. He packs his rolling bag today. We will see you in a week….she says waving.



Coit Tower, San Francisco, 2000.

7 comments:

  1. Hope is good.
    And San Fran is beautiful.

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  2. Would 1999 be the last time the Golden Gate Bridge appeared in complete sunshine? :)
    Peter Tibbles

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  3. I like your Golden Gate picture. I posted one on my post of May 4th, but it is in black and white, and taken in 1967! With a 35mm camera, it does not look sharp (here is the link of you’d like to look at it: http://avagabonde.blogspot.com/2010/05/traveling-to-farm-in-tennessee.html.) I have not been back to SF since 1970 can you imagine! We are thinking about either going back to New York City in the Fall, or San Francisco – we’ll see.

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  4. Taa taa and safe and pleasant journey.

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  5. It sounds like a wonderful trip. In October Jerry and I are going to take a trip down the coast, ending in San Diego where my sister lives. Hope you are there then!

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  6. Hope you have a great trip, but come back soon and all refreshed.

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  7. Have a fabulous time! Sending best thoughts with you on the trip!

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