Day 54 - Thinking About The Matrix At Jack's

Tuesday, February 23rd

Yes it is you've got the magic fucking wand in your hand.
-Tanisha, to a customer who got his hands on the TV remote

The wind picked up this evening as I drove home from work. It pushed my truck around on Highway 280 and threatened to push out the kind of wind-driven rain that stings when it hits your face.

Fortunately it wasn't raining when I parked one up from the sweet spot at El Tarasco (we'll call this parking space "son of sweet spot"). With my truck door open I could hear the sound of wet on tires, a crew chief hollering at his men as they tried to wrap up their work on Fourth and Taylor, the beep-beep-beep of a backhoe working in a confined space with those workers as they scraped and shoveled.

For all that tumult the most prominent sound was the chatty chirping of several birds up in a tree situated in the back corner of the El Tarasco parking lot. Seriously it was like little bird central.

Two uniformed officers in bright green vests were directing traffic. The officer in the center of the Fourth and Taylor intersection signaled with crisp, sharp movements that were no less precise than a marching band conductor, but not nearly as showy. It's interesting to see someone convey authority like the officer did with just hand and arm motions.

Someone had a good set going on the jukebox when I walked in (The Doors, Def Leppard, A Perfect Circle) and just about all the seats at the bar were taken up by the 14 people inside.

I chose to sit at a table so I could work on an idea for a story about Jack's, then got my beer from Tanisha (insta-served FTW). I said hello to Gabby and George (who looks like Elijah Wood).

Canada was playing Germany at the Olympics on the TVs and as I worked on my story I saw a man sit very close to Gabby. He faced her with his legs open and his knees past the back of her seat. It seemed to me for a moment like he was going to eat her with his groin.

I saw a white Philly Cheese Steak box on the floor in the bathroom hallway when I went to take a leak.

I ran out of story ideas and walked out of Jack's at 6:32 pm, wishing I'd taken the time to talk with Gabby before she left. She's pretty and interesting.

See you Wednesday at Jack's!