CAN I HAVE THIS TRANCE?
I used to walk around dazed. Really.
I'd stay close to buildings, walking
right along the wall. People thought
I was weird, I guessed, because
mostly only bums and drunks and
homeless types do that. I figured
in my own way I was all of them,
so I took my chances.
-
It was mostly only a problem
with doormen and those hotel
attendant guys who stand out
front and flag taxis for those
leaving, or take the bags of new
arrivals. They never wanted
anyone slinking around.
-
I kind of learned how to live like
a cat, and it all came easy. People
were generally nice, or nice enough.
Money, food, oddball things. I never
needed to say much, which I liked.
My friend at the diner, she often
gave me food, when no one was
looking; I'd get something, even
if I never even knew if it had just
come off someone's plate as
left-over. She'd jazz it up again
and what did I ever care?
-
If you get to know the right
people, a lot of things can come
your way. Me and Tre - that was
her name - we'd just sit around
sometimes and talk, or nothing.
She'd take care of whoever
came in, seating them, menus,
taking their orders and all that.
I'd just watch, slowly eating,
or nursing a coffee. And then
she'd come back to the counter.
-
If nothing else was going on, as I
said, she'd stand around. Or maybe,
if the movie across the street let
out, I'd hardly see her with all
the kids and dates and stuff
coming in. Sandwiches. Soda.
Coffees. Cigarettes. A decent,
regular meal, a platter of food,
was, tops, maybe 6 or 7 dollars.
It's funny now, but back then I'd
think 'Boy! That's so out of reach!'
Now you can't get anything in a
place like that for less then
15 bucks to start. In fact,
now you can't get anything
there at all - because it's gone.
And so is Tre. And so is the
movie house too.
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