Random Ramblings

“Everything that can go wrong will go wrong.”

Unfortunately, this was our motto for the first day of travel, but before we get to the nitty and gritty let’s talk about the good.

I “awoke” at six am to my mother calmly telling me to wake up. She did everything other than pack my clothes for me. She drove me to the airport, and packed me a lunch for the plane. I’m 22-years-old and not ashamed to say I’m still a mama’s boy. I arrived at Logan around seven a.m. for a flight which was leaving at 9:30.

What to do with the time?I got to my gate, and sat down to relax. Once I sat down I noticed a awkward looking gentleman across from with a Louisville Slugger. I thought to myself: “How are they letting this man on the plane with a baseball bat?” But I soon realize this was no ordinary bat.

It was in fact a cane; a bat cane. It had the name Bill Lamoureux engraved on the shaft and as I read it I blurtered out: “Wow, nice cane!”

Bill, a heavy set 60 plus year-old man immediately replied, “Thank you. It was a present from my son.”

This is what I love about air travel. The single serving friend as Fight Club put it. I talked with this fellow and his wife who were from Rhode Island for the remaining hours. They were on their way to San Francisco to see their son elope.

The random encounters and conversations a person falls into during travel are like anything else in the world. Really!

I can’t remember ever having as deep a conversation with a complete stranger in my life. We first talked about, what else, sports. But quickly evolved into a convo about his struggle with diabetes and how he almost lost his leg. By the time we were boarding his wife was getting me a coffee and donut. It was a shame that we didn’t sit close on the flight, because talking sports with him was a delight.

He told me stories of Jim Rice, Jim Brown and Rocko Badellli, a native of his Rhode Island town.

I slept through most of the flight and that was where the “Murphy’s Lay” theme came into effect.

Our plan was to drive across country in a rent-a-car, but just so you know, if you want to rent a car you need credit. Good credit!

I along with my friend Sophie did not have this. Our fault and stupidity.

Lucky for us my friend Will had it, but not enough money to pay for the rent a car. After several hours of brain staking problem solving we got money into Will’s account and tomorrow we will pick up the car.

In the mean time though we were looking for a good time in the city by the bay. We took the BART (The San Fran T) to center city Francisco. We got of the BART and immediately were looking for some grub, and who would come to our rescue but a kindly dressed homeless man.

“What are you guys looking for?” the homeless man asked.

We replied food, and he responded with the drug layout of the city.

“Well, if you want pills and herion go down that street,” the homeless man said jokingly.

What kinda food you want? Chinese, Italian, Indian, Mexican, Thia, Japanese, steakhouse our what?,” he asked.

We replied sushi.

Pronouncing himself the most highly fashioned homeless man in the city (he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and jeans) he said go down this street and take a left.

We thanked him with a tip and were on our way. Lucky for us he wasn’t screwing with us, and we found a nice sushi bar not a block away named Hana Zen.

We ate and got a couple beers, and were reenergized from the frustrating morning we had to encounter.

I must say that San Fran is the Bizzaro Boston. After we ate we walked aimlessly looking for a bar. After a while, being frustrated we just stopped in front of the San Francisco Chronicle. As I day dreamed of covering the Golden State Warriors for the Chronicle a nice man walked over and asked: “Are you lost.”

We just told him we were looking for a bar, and he immediately pointed us in the direction of The Chieftian. If we were in Boston it might have been a little different.

We went to the bar, had some drinks and ended up in Oakland at a friends house which he is squatting in. Quite the surreal first day.

I write this entry as random fellows smoke, drink and sleep around me. A first day chalked full of random encounters.