327 Market

LA and Muttonham faced off today on the great grassy arena of futbol americano. The denizens of the Wrong Side of El Camino took the game in the last 6 minutes. I was perversely satisfied. I always root for the underdogs. This was perhaps, the first ever game of football that I have watched. I avoided the Big Orange like the plague when I was in high school. Being so far removed from my own high school experience, I could look at the bleach blonde mothers and listen to the shrill marching band with a mixture of pity and irony, instead of the horror and embarrassment of ten years ago. I wasn't intimidated by the bespotted, smelly teen football players nor was I jealous of the perfect little perky-breasted cheerleaders. Adulthood has its benefits.

I worked in Big Shaft today. It was nice sleeping in, knowing that it wouldn't take me more than ten minutes to get to work. My car hasn't exceeded the speed of 45 MPH since weds morning. I can feel its restlessness. I think some of the gears are feeling neglected. The circumference of my world has collapsed to an area of about 2 square miles. I feel rather restricted. This is the quiet life. The Pennie is so odd, it has all the amenities of an urban area, but none of the energy. My charge and I lounged this afternoon alternately in front of Cold Stone and Quiznos and watched the people limp and roll by. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as sitting in front of Lulu's and watching our favorite homeless.

While at Big Shaft (it was Glass Pumpkin Weekend) a lady from Out of Town struck up a conversation with me. She was intigued by the popsicle stick tower I was constructing with my one student. (the poor woman was clearly understimulated) She told me she was from New York and had been in Big Shaft for a week. I expressed my sympathy and asked her if she had much culture shock. She said walking around there was like being in a glass house. At first I wasn't sure what she was referring to, until I realized that she was used the anonyminity of a large urban area. It wasn't that she was now visible, it was just that she was now not invisible. She also told me that she was an art director. I went as far as asking her if she hired illustrators (affirmative) but not as far as giving her my business card. I might admire that yankee business acumen, but I am still proud to be a slacker Californian. :)