As I've become accustomed to, I woke up on that morning to rain. Undeterred, I headed to Mendocino for a nice Saturday morning brunch. I arrived and walked around the town in a light drizzle, finally settling on a cute little cafe to break my fast. I was instantly disappointed when my request for a Diet Coke was shot down. "We don't serve cola. Would you like to see our selection of sparkling, flavored waters?" "Okay, I guess I'll have an orange juice." "Sorry, but we do have organic apple juice." "You've got to be kidding me," I thought, as I grumbled "I'll just stick with tap water." I'm not paying $4 for sparkling, flavored water. I did have a wonderfully fresh crab omelet, but I was far too under-caffeinated to appreciate it. Honestly, it killed the whole town for me. After brunch, I left and headed south on the 1.
If you have never driven on California's Route 1, let me tell you that it is a harrowing, twisty road that is best to avoid during a monsoon. I had asked Vicki to direct me to Napa, but after an hour of defieing death, when Vicki pointed one way and the sign to San Fransisco pointed another I decided to follow the sign. I wanted to be in a metropolis and I was willing to pay for a hotel if I had to. Vicki angrily responded to my change in plans with a terse, "Recalculating! Recalculating!" She panics, I ignore... it's the foundation of our relationship.
During my drive, Colby sent me a text saying that if I was sick of "it" I should just come to her place. I replied that I was a half an hour away. "Don't worry," I promised, "I'll find a hotel." Colby is in the middle of a gut renovation to her house and, while she is building a fabulous in-law-apartment for me, her family of five (plus Buster and Rocky) is staying in a two bedroom rental. David compared their situation to immigrant families living in tenements on the Lower East Side. I pointed out that they have a dinning room, so the analogy is not entirely accurate. Colby directed me to 'Roberts-on-the-Beach' motel a short distance from their house.
When I first arrived at the motel, I accidentally pulled into the Day's Inn that is located next door. "No," I thought, "this isn't it. Colby must have said Robert's for a reason. This place must be ridiculously priced." Well, I don't care how inexpensive Robert's is, sometimes it's worth it to pay a little bit more for some amenities. No internet access (the first time I have encountered that), a mattress that was more of a foam sheet on a board than something that you find at Sleepy's, and a shower that honestly frightened me a little. "Sorry, I didn't know. Just check out and go next door." Too late. I was in, I had paid and I refuse to be scared off easily. Granted, right before checking out I was repacking the mini (so that I could easily pull up and unload all my crap in Nob Hill), a semi-homeless man approached to chat me up. "My mother and I live here and we are having an emergency. Can you help us?" I think he needed a ride somewhere. "Uh, sorry. No," I replied as I tossed everything back in the car and quickly drove off... see ya Robert's. Next time you'll find me at the lovely, overpriced Day's Inn.
Now I have arrived at my little studio apartment where I will be for the next month and a half. I rented a place so that I can take a break and spend Thanksgiving and Christmas in San Fransisco with Colby, David and the kids. I am in love with the big, comfy couch, the washing machine and the enormous television. (Granted, sometimes High Def is too big and too High Def. Last night I was watching Law and Order [old habits die hard] and it looked like it was a cheap BBC drama. The lighting was harsh and the actors all looked drawn. I guess it's a good thing that I cheaped-out and bought a Samsung 36", 720p for my apartment. The television here is at least a 46" and it's gotta be 1080p. I like to maintain a certain illusion of the beautiful people while I vegging, and it seems I prefer less definition!)
The next question is what should I do with myself this afternoon? Walk around my new neighborhood? Visit Alcatraz? Most likely, I'll just go bother Colby and read Jackie chapter two of Harry Potter The Sorcerer's Stone. I'm trying to convince him that the book is always better than the movie...
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