A Huntington Beach Fish Story

"Isn't it hot? ...Isn't it hot?.. Guess I will share the shade with you sir?"
 I removed my face mask and asked the middle aged man to repeat himself, which he did.
 L.A. was supposed to be in the middle nineties today. The man wore a white tee-shirt and longer than supposed to be straight hair. His legs shook, for perhaps, another Coors.
   Exactly at nine forty five the 29 A bus lumbered to my stop at Elis and Main. "Before me sir, no problem. After him, I paid my one dollar and a half fare and sat across from him. Old boat people from  Vietnam giggled when they saw the man' legs stutter to the two step. Across from me a body left so I took its place away from the sunny side.
   Across from me sat a heavy set Fu  Manchu mustache at the top of a Sea Otter's body. Blond hair went everywhere and one strand from under his arm pits stocked a well endowed lady who wore a sun dress. The Blond sea otter kept peaking down --  so I looked to witness what he gazed at.
   A middle aged lady wore a sun dress which revealed bit too much on top. Probably wished her twins  to get a sun tan today. She looked quite shapely and  yearned to be in the cat seat as the sea otter. The heavenly divine blond sat motionless unaware of her now two admirers. He probably was thinking holly mackerel since he held a  fishing pole.  
   She got off and removed her strapped in bike from the front cage of the bus. The Vietnamese now spoke to the  fisherman.
    I am going to the pier to perhaps catch me some perch. I love perch and halibut but on a bad day settle for the greasiest fish in the ocean, a mackerel.  Yet when I do cook mackerel, I place them in a brine first and then smoke them for a bit. They are quite tasty inside  a soup or salad.
    The bus made a few turns to my stop. I needed to walk up Main to the old 1912 built first Huntington Beach library. I placed my mask on and strode the five blocks to the Main library and passed a laundry, jewelry store, and First Bank. I felt swell to leave my abode. Ever since my car had been stolen from the Five Points Senior Apartments, my legs have substituted for rubber on the streets.  
   Catalina today was not visible to my relief as we probably witnessed a little on shore breeze. My breathing still felt labored but better even since I left my airless apartments. Earlier I enjoyed some free brew at Trader Joe's and picked up a head of butter ball lettuce, and a banana  to go with a loaf of French Bread at Java's across the street also. I decided to leave the eggs alone for today.
    A family issue has made me cut back on my budget a bit. So I ate a few cuts of buttered bread and some salad covered with tidbits of a Costco chicken. And while speaking about Trader Joes, it is no secret why it is so popular. The temperature must be about sixty five degrees inside and the food is always fresh and organic. I have been buying the smoke herring a lot and have enjoyed my new menu.
   The In-and-Out, like Trader Joes have state of the art AC too. The meat is never refrigerated since the cows are butchered the same day they are packaged. I have never tasted a bad piece of meat at the burger place.
   Well got to go now since up the street the U.S. Open is getting underway. It is the World Series of Surfing. I also which to eat some of my Costco chicken.

       Sorely  need a car so those that can send me a few rand to my address at 18561 Florida Street Huntington Beach Ca. 92648 #1001 Thanks lots George Garrett
   

Midway City

I've, no God has taken care of Mel,  my brother, ever since his eyes failed and he needed help to get around. Over eight years ago, I was able to get him SSI which gave him the opportunity to live in an inexpensive Assistant Living Center.  Ever since my car Dolly vanished from the Five Points Senior Center, I have been chasing buses, hot women and visiting my brother regularly. Hell, what else could I do without wheels?

  A 29 bus lumbered up Beach to Mel's hideaway in Midway City, California, a town of a few thousand between Westminster and Huntington Beach.  My heavy set ruddy completion brother is my last link to the Goldberg's, my roots. I descend Bolsa and head across the street. A tailor and suit store is up ahead and across the street is a large park-like Vietnamese cemetery. Unlike on Sundays, the large cemetery is empty. Sundays the park resembles a picnic area where families huddle next to their kins dressed in marble and speak to their love ones.
     It is going on four and I sign in and enter the Spartan Royal Assistant Living Center. I buy a five dollar ticket for dinner.  I then cross over to the   T.V. room and see an empty apace next to Birdie. The little Filipino is eighty four years old and sits at Mel's table. Let's mosey on in to get the feeling of the center.
     "Can I get you some coffee George? Mel is probably upstairs listening to the radio." 
      'Don't need it today, remember that I gave up caffeine, sugar and salt a while back?"
      "So you did. It is almost four so I will go to the dining room."
     The T.V. describes the killing of five police in Louisiana. What else is knew? Somebody did not like the men in blue, and I don't mean Dodger Blue. Several patrons are half asleep. Half use wheel chairs to pull themselves around. The lucky one have a caregiver who pushes them. I then walk down the hall to the dining area and take a seat.  
      No longer am I alone. Pamela sits across from me and told me that a black senator had been stopped seven times in about a year in a different state. Their anger is being spilled onto the boys in blue. They are too quick on the trigger.
  Mel enters and does not see me at first. He sits next to me and seems depressed. "How are things going Mel?
    "Seagar had three double but the Dodgers lost anyway."
     The food is ushered in now, just after are glasses are filled with tea and another with juice.
There are two choices this Sunday: either a roast or chicken fingers I don't say it but am mad that none of the three hospitals Mel had gone to treated him for his degenerated right eye. He had been getting shots in it regularly but the assistant living center never sent a list with his medication.
      "George do you know that there is a waiting list to get on in here."
       "Yes, Pamela, they are sitting on the street corners with signs or lying on benches."
        Pam looks over at Mel and her quizzical eyes movements ask me what is wrong with him. I don't answer but let my hands speak.
         "Let me cut the meat for you...There and don't forget the asparagus?" Mel begins to eat. I know that his blindness has made him depressed -- more so since my car had vanished and no longer can I drive him to the beach and Norms'.  
         Birdie gives her chicken fingers plate and I devour it also. Mel and I then go to the T.V. room. Mel knows now that he is blind and the only glue that gives him hope is if the Dodgers will advance to the World Series.
"Mel. I love you and see you next week. I hope to get a car somehow. Also my birthday is next month, the sixteenth of August.

   For those who wish a copy of my Trojan story almost published send nickels and dimes to my apartment at 18561 Florida Street, Huntington Beach Ca. 92648. Thanks you. Oh yes, my name is George Garrett.

  
    
    

A Huntington Beach Cutie

As I said in an earlier blog, taking a bus each day has wilted away extra pounds and provided meat for my stories. Think you'll like this one.

  "Can you tell me where to buy the twenty dollar monthly pass?"
    "Some liquor stores can get you one, but to be sure just go to Vons down the street for one'
     A tall bean pole got on the 29 ahead of me. I turned and hear her quip. "Vons is just down the street next to the electric store."
      I sat down across from the sting being. She owned long hair so it must have been a lady. "Thank you, think I can save about thirty a month with that monthly pass. What is your name?
      "My name is Gloria but my friends call me Glo."
      "Much obliged. Do you live in the area?"
       "Over there at the Ocean View apartments. It is a HUD building so I pay $350 a month from two disabilities and there are always openings."
       "Have a friend that is looking for one like that. Tell me more about the building."
       "They are studios with AC and a small electric stove. A bit noisy what with all of the drug dealers and alcoholics."
       No longer was the tall one just a drink of water with falling off flip flops. Why she looked mighty cute to me now. Corse that ever since I began to eat fish instead of meat, my hormones have gone nut. I probed more with my tall cutie friend.
         'Where you from?"
         "Van Nuys area of Los Angeles. Dad had been introduced me to drink and when he became sober, he became my sponsor and best friend. I' m off the stuff now and do my shopping at the CVS. at the beginning of each month.'
           Like I said, Gloria now looked mighty fine to one also off meat for a long time. "I'll check on that apartment and hope to buy you a cherry coke sometime."
          
She exited Atlantic as the 29 bus chugged forward to Pacific. Haze turned to a bright shiny crisp day.  Since my bus route had been discontinued, I needed to walk about half a mile to the Main Street Library. At Orange I crossed the street and peeked into a once,  old corner shack. It resembled a wooden frame house next to the bike store.
     "Are you the owner. Done a mighty fine job making a has been into somebody. It is a one bed?"
      "I am the contractor and happy you like my work. My name is Danny and won't you come inside to have a look."
       "There is the attic with insulation and there is the AC heater. It is now finished and the owner can move in at any time."
        "Bet it cost about fifty to build?"
         "Your right, but he spent another $20,000 for permits and other paper plans. This house is on the same lot as that one that sold for over one million...
         My conversation with Danny continued for a few minutes. His family came from East Los Angeles and the name of his construction company is J.D.G. I continued my walk to the library and knew I would have to live without air for a while. Outside the library and homeless man was eating an orange and scratching his feet.
         I thought about how cute Gloria seemed to me after we had become acquainted. I never could have met this cutie if my car hadn't been pilfered from the Five Points Apartments.