Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 22:47:13 -0500
From: Charlie Ford <cford@mindspring.com>
Subject: Asta la vista San Francisco
San Francisco
Well I am about to leave the San Francisco area and head north. My
time here has been pleasant, lucrative, educational, and very restful. I
have met so many people while living this month in California. It is a
beautiful area with beautiful people and flowers in their hair. The
experience has varied from not so good to stupendous. This is the way it
should be.
Upon arrival I was confronted with all sorts of trouble. I was
supposed to get in touch with Marty, an old friend of mine from Atlanta
that had moved out here a couple years back. He sent me the wrong number
(by one digit) by e-mail. I couldn't find a place to hook up so I just
sort of found myself in a helluva hole.
On the first day I drove around looking for a place to park and
sleep for the night. I went to the prettiest place I could find, San
Francisco Bay at the Saint Francis Yacht Club. I spoke with a Park Ranger
at the office and he said it was fine as long as I had this little sticker
on my back window. He explained to me that the night shift guy was
something of an ass, and might try and roust me out when he came on shift
at 12 midnight. He said, "don't let him bother you, he thinks he's a cop
or something, just tell him your a buddy of mine from the Navy." I said
fine and commenced to get comfortable after a day of fighting the wind
coming from Santa Cruz.
I lay in the bunk watching TV and taking in the beauty of the Golden Gate
Bridge at sunset. I cooked me a pack of Ramen Noodles, and drank my last
beer. Finally I retired and fell asleep dreaming pleasurable dreams of
buxom young (over 18 of course) females running across the California
beaches. Hey, I'm heterosexual male and that is the content of some of my
dreams, like I can help, or better yet want too.
Suddenly I was dreaming that as they ran they were clinking and clanging,
like a bag of bolts. Then one of them looked out toward the ocean and
started squinting here eyes, and three loud bangs made me sit straight up
in the bus. half asleep and half awake I said who the hell is it! the
voice outside was one of a genuine narcissist pig wanabee. it yelled back
that it was against the city laws of San Francisco to camp or sleep in any
vehicle. I in know uncertain terms slid open the door of the bus and pile
my large tall frame out and came face to face with the damned ugliest
little guy I have seen, to date. maybe it was just the darkness, or maybe
it was the fact he was rousting me out of my rest at 1:30 am. Or maybe it
was just his attitude. Whatever, he was ugly.
I told him what the other security guard had said and gave my most
convincing act of the "old navy buddy routine", but all was lost with this
pip squeak of a pork dreamer. needless to say after sleeping for three
hours and then being rudely awakened by a rapping on my bumper was just not
very cordial. I remained civil in the face of this inner boiling rage. I
moved my bus after trying my best to reassure him I wasn't a mass murderer.
I drove across the street and up to the safeway grocery store and slept
like a baby the rest of the night, except for the jerk that decided he
wanted to pee on my bus when I first pulled in. He quickly found out that
he wasn't making a very good decision especially when the owner stepped out
of the bus, surprising him just before release. I was already frustrated
and really wasn't in the mood to be cordial. He had not realized I was
sitting on passenger side seat and only opened the door when I saw what his
intentions were. He decided immediately that it might be better if he
pissed elsewhere. He moved to a light pole apologizing while walking with
his privates in hand. I had to smile a little after closing the door, even
if it was 2:00 am.
The next day I started to once again search for Marty. I knew I had to
find a place to settle in and find some work, I was down to 100 bucks and
that doesn't go very far in San Francisco. I called another friend and he
said immediately to come to his house. Julien Phillips is a guy I know
from national Service. Over the years he has played several roles, but for
the most part he has co-directed a program called Partners in School
Innovation. He and another friend Kim Grose started the program about five
years ago, and so far it has been praised by all in the Frisco region that
take advantage of what they have to offer. The program works with schools
to develop new methods and resources for teaching children. They are in
several schools in the Bay Area. They are also an AmeriCorps program, one
of the best.
Julien and his wife Diane live in San Mateo and as most of you know that is
where I have been living while here. Diane is a minister, and Thisbee is
their dog. This is one great family. They are a bit more polished than I,
but I enjoy them and they enjoy me. Good friends don't care what you have,
how smart you are, or where you are from, they just like you! I like that!
Many of you already know about the manpower fiasco so I will skip that part
and tell you about some of my favorite experiences while here.
I got the chance to meet Don Kane and his family. Don is an amazing
fellow. On Saturday before last he and I dropped our first VW engine from
a 67 he has just come to own, and since meeting him I have come to know him
as a hardworking family man, and one heck of a musician. His wife Bess
also works and they together raise three children. They also live in San
Mateo and have more VW's than most of the listies I have seen. Good people
they are.
On the day Don and I pulled the engine from the 67 I got a special treat.
Don and I cleaned up and he asked if I wanted to ride with him to pick up
his youngest son Allen. I said alright and off we went. We pulled an
airport and he explained that his father was a pilot. When Don's dad and
Allen arrived Don asked him if he would take me up for a short hop. Mr.
Kane said "no problem" and off we went into the wild blue yonder. We flew
over Half Moon Bay and along Rockaway Beach and then back to the airport.
This was a stupendous experience. I love to fly in small planes and this
was one that will live forever in memory. I could see for miles, San
Francisco and all of the Bay. Thanks Don!
I met Martha or "Busgirl" as many of you recognize that name. She and her
daughter Sarah were at the campout. In fact she did a good portion of the
work to organize it along with Ron Lussier. Martha invited me to come back
and camp at her place a couple nights. I met her Husband Nate who by the
way is quite an impressive man in his own right. Look on some of your
albums that might have violins and look for the name Nathin Rubin. Nate is
not a VW person, but he is one good ole boy. Any man that can burn
horsehair like he can is alright in my book.
This past week a friend of mine came in from Atlanta. Mary Anne Lahey is a
friend that simply defines the word. She has recently had a bout with
breast cancer and has become stronger in the fight. Many times she has
come to my rescue by just being there. She is one of the best listeners I
have ever known. And with me being such a talker we just seemed to sort of
fit. She came out to do some consultant work for the navy .
She explained that since I saved her a bundle by picking her up at the
airport she would treat me to lunch. She took me to the Tadesh Grill in
the financial district of SF. We had lunch for two that cost $60.00 bucks.
Then we went to a strip mall and she went shopping for new clothes. It
was great to see her. She is one of those people I would walk a hundred
miles just to take a bullet for , very special indeed.
This past weekend I went to Pinnacles National Monument. Joining several
folks from the type-2 and vanagon list. I met Martha, Ron, Russ, Steve,
Anne, Bradley, saw Jack, Bren, Joe, Malcom, Jed, and many others. We
didn't see a comet but we burned our retinas with several large chunks of
Magnesium. Bradley and Steve helped me get the radio that Dave Robinson
gave me installed, so I now have music. Breathing those magnesium fumes
makes one glow inside and outside. Sitting by that fire takes ones breath
away, literally. of course we all sat around the fire and discussed what
harm this might be doing to our lungs, but no one got up and moved, to
rapidly anyway. The glow got us more than the fumes.
The Magnesium Comet Campout was truly an adventure, with fun and games
shared by all. We had folks drop in from far and wide, many wandering
"what the hell is that bright light?". I am sure many thought we were
shooting a movie. When they left we sent them away with a yellow glow in
front of their eyes, a beer (one of Jacks delicious home-brew), a hearty
smile and a "ya'll come back now, ya hear!".
I think I spoke more southern for these people than anywhere else I have
been. I shared with them the proper way to drawl, and they shared with me
the valley language and ebonics. Both of which I think are strange. All
of these folks were great. I heard much about many trips. Makes on want
to come to California just to be around so many VW bussers.
San Francisco has been fine, fine indeed! The job was fun, and the
experience even more fun, but as of Saturday I will be heading out. I have
set myself to drive up highway 5 after covering some of the coast. I would
like to meet as many of you as I can. Please drop me a line if you want to
have coffee or beer, or tea. I made need a place to camp a night, so if
anyone has a drive available I would appreciate it.
The Mothership is running great, but if anyone has a temp sensor they don't
want let me know what you want for it and we can deal. That is the only
thing right now that I know of is in need of replacement. It has a
frazzled wire on it and I have rigged it with electrical tape so it is
doing fine at the present but for how long I am not sure.
Thanks for tolerating my ramblings.
Charlie Ford
"79" Transporter, dressed for the road
The Mothership
The"Turning 40 Nostalgic VW Service Tour, and
Search for the Beginning of Wind".
http://www.armory.com/~y21cvb/charlie/charlie.html
"Wider still and wider.....shall thy bounds be set"