Only In San Francisco

In San Fran, we have a saying or maybe it's world wide, "only in San Francisco." And, this is true. It is like a habitat of standup  comedy. This morning alone, I've seen a man with a beard down to his "arsh." Another one nude and a very attractive woman jogging in her bra and panties--caused not cause a ripple. But these are merely sights. Here's another type. Jeb Bush has some sort of Ed Foundation. He comes to San Fran to have a conference and who does he get as his speaker? Rupert Murdolph. What the f..k. Talk about standup comedy, you've got to laugh. Rupert Murdolph of Fox News, of the English hacking scandal fame. A man with no shame--his newspapers hacking emails and phone messages of bereaved parents and dead soldiers. The keynote speaker! I am laughing and on second thought, I think they've come to the right place.

EVERYBODY DESERVES A NAME

Erica and Troy are the names of two abandoned babies. They were given those names by an organization called, Garden of Innocence. Unidentified  babies are the ones found in trash cans, sewers, in the woods and tossed in the ocean. Abandoned babies died in the hospital. The parents just walked out the door and never came back.

Website for "Garden of Innocence." Touching. The non profit claims and buries abandoned and unidentified babies and gives them a name.

Tongue in cheek: Effects of Pot

Now, if someone would just legalize marijuana, the list of side effects would be ... "Feelings of overwhelming happiness, long hours without stress, increased desires for junk food, and an overall sensation of goodwill ... "Imagine you with less pain ... Marijuana!"

BANNING CIRCUMCISM

How will you vote on this.  Isn’t it a little funny that a city that espouses a liberal lifestyle would consider passing a law like this.  Wouldn’t it infringe on religious freedom for certain groups?



 Some nut gathered signatures to put it on the ballot. As we know which is true, most every nut in the world has showed up out here at one time or another. Some of them even get to running the City. But, the people will vote the circumcism down. As an uncircumcised type, it makes me cringe to think of it. Oh well. In an election or two back, there was a motion to name a sewage disposal plant after George W. San Fran voted it down. Most of the citizens are pretty reasonable and they love "Nancy."

CHATTY KATHY AND THE TOURIST

Riding the bus is always fodder for a good conversation or for the blog. I have never been on it that I didn't come away shaking my head and mostly something new. And, I was not disappointed the other day and it was something I'd never heard before. The bus was fairly crowded with mostly Asians heading to China Town. They get off in two or three stops and the bus then has seats. I sat in one of the "old men" seats although I always feel a little guilty. Then as it emptied, I jumped across the aisle to another one. Across from me was a lady who was a "chatting Kathy" to most anybody. It was general sort of stuff and then I determined that it was all fairly harmless. Two seats besides me empty. A man and his wife, maybe tourists get on and the man sits in one, while reserving the other for his wife who is just behind him. Suddenly, "Chatty Kathy" stands and says to the lady, "I've had my eye on that seat for sometime and so I would like to have it. For a moment, the tourist and wife kind of stare at her. I am a little disbelieving myself. My goal is always to treat tourists kindly, after all, it is what San Francisco is about. I don't see any way for me to intervene. The tourist wife gets up and gives Chatty Kathy her seat. All is resolved, I think. Chatty Kathy says something to the man, he appears to be very kind, words that smack of sweetness, not exactly appropriate for the occasion, i. e., you are a "sweetheart." I'm thinking this guy is one cool customer. Chatty Kathy starts talking again, and it appears that she is talking to the tourist. He doesn't respond but Chatty Kathy is unmoved and keeps talking as though he is paying rapped attention. He turns to her at some point and says, "Are you talking to me." She says, "yes." He says to her. "Then, if you are talking to me, I am not listening and would prefer if you keep quiet." He said it without anger and just then the bus stopped and the tourist and his wife exited. You guessed it, Chatty Kathy started right back to talking.

LOST A SAN FRAN TREASURE

Sadly, I heard the news of my old friend, Darwin Coon, "hitting the road." He really wasn't so much a friend as an acquaintance but he was quite the acquaintance. Darwin Coon, whose resume reads like a surreal portrait of a character who may end up starring in Criminal Minds on TV. He served time in lots of places but ended up here at Alcatraz and made a career out of it--more power to him. He was a prisoner in Alcatraz for four years. He wrote a book about his experience. I became one of his biggest fans. He would station himself down by the ferry to Alcatraz and sell his book. I bought one, then about a half dozen and did it almost weekly for awhile. I would give them away or send to friends. In fact, once he claimed that he had to reprint just because of me. I met him at The Red Jack Saloon. And, really that is the name, Red Jack Saloon. I only went there a time or two. I met Darwin there first and then followed him over to his station outside the ferry. I hadn't seen him for a few months but did asked someone and they said he died. Later on, I went into the Red Jack and Betty said, not true. Now, he has "hit the road" and Darwin, God bless you on your journey . I"m putting you right up there with Emperor Norton and several other characters. The Red Jack had a Memorial.

HANGING OUT IN SAN FRAN WITH GRANDAUGHTER

San Francisco is, without a doubt, the best hangout town I've ever known. When buds, especially back home in NC, asked me why I love San Fran. One of my quick answers is that it is the best, "hang out" place I've ever known. Last night was a typical example. Funny, fits in one of those categories that simply makes me smile. Lupe (Grand daughter and I had so many laughs. She said, "OPA, this has got to be a great place since it is dark and you're going to it." (Usually don't go out after dark, always say, "I'm scared of the dark)." I am. I blame it on Vietnam: in Nam, everything happened at night. The daytime was always calm, slept, laid around but at night, it was mortars, firefights. The day became a time when you anticipated the night, "what is going to happen?" It gets in your psyche.

Anyway, I picked her up at school. We rushed to her guitar lessons way down on Third St in Bayview/Hunters Point (not a good hang-out spot--don't really know it but lots of crime and drug dealing I hear. In fact, Danny Glover of Lonesome Dove fame, recently announced that he is going to spear head a drive for a Boy's Club there. Treat. So, that aside, we head for Lupe's guitar lessons, teacher didn't show up. Her Mother is ready to fire her. "Noway, she is one of those rare creatures that cross your path and you just go with it. She has a band, is a fabulous guitarist and great teacher. We can go with the flaky, she's and artist." Anyway, a doc friend who is this amazing "foodie," tells us that her MoSpice Kit (recommended restaurant) followed this. All of that being said, had great night with Lupe, not bad when you're hanging out with a 15 year old. When we got to my daughter's, I said , "Lupe, what has the night taught us?"

"OPA," she just smiled, "to go with the flow" --worth it all. I'm going out for Korean. {{{{{{{{Jerry}}}}}}}

My Bracelet

I was running literally the streets of San Francisco, all in tact, to include my sweater. You learn quickly that if you live in San Fran, you never go anywhere without a sweater. Mark Twain aside ad he is reported to have said, "The coldest winter I ever had was the summer I spent in San Francisco." Every season is the same. A sweater, absolutely essential. That fog rolls in. I love it. One of those days I'm out running. Up the San Fran hills, my specialty. I take off my sweater. A couple of blocks and I realize my bracelet is gone. What! My bracelet: a silver Montanyard chieftain bracelet from the Nam. I rush back to where I pulled off my sweater. It had to be there. I am never without it. Dang. I look, nothing, there's a drainage. I look everywhere. It can't be. I walk around in a circle. I am beside myself. How could this happen. Nobody understands. For weeks, I still am in a daze, at least for me.