Today I took the day off to buy a gift for my first grandchild, Olivia Caitlin Willard. No libraries or senior centers for me, I would take the 35 from Old Town and bus it to what I call, "Antique City", or Ocean Beach to you.
I left the downtown 'Y' at about eight thirty and treated myself to the 567 Amtrak train. It would leave the Santa Fe Station at about eight twenty. Riding first class is new to me, so I may as well get used to it. Certain Amtrak's accept Coaster passes or tickets.
The number 35 bus winds from Midway Street to Loma Linda until it deposits me on Cable. Only one restaurant looked busy on the west side. I could hear the others say, "Please come in and have a try. My mind said, "Return to the Wow Restaurant on the Ocean Beach Pier.
Olivia's doll would have to wait. The cold fresh air woke up every cell in my body. I felt like dancing on the mile long OB pier. Three skateboarders screamed past me, even though illegal. Sadie, a large stork peered down from the pier railing. She dared me to come close, which I did. She saw something down below and flew off for her favorite food, sardines.
The few surfers below cussed. The five footers did not break the surfing way. Not-a-one caught a wave today. Even the fishing was bad with only two disgruntled fisherman casting their lines.
I made it to the Wow restaurant towards the end of the pier, and entered inside. I removed the four dollar beany from a market up the street and looked north towards Mission and Pacific Beach. An exited waitress came towards me.
"What would you like to drink", after the usual "Good morning."
"Just water. I am trying to remove caffeine and Gloria from my diet. I wish the burrito but skip the sour cream."
I felt like a fisherman today, while I spread salsa over my burrito. The bill came to seven fifty, but I had saved all month for this re-treat.
"Keep the change, and I'll return for a fish sandwich next time." I walked back and spotted Sadie on a pier rail. Her long beak shook off the remains of a unlucky fish. I left the pier and entered the office of the Ocean Beach office. I tried to extol the virtues of my blog to the lady. The lady inside did not react to my entrance. She bogged my way on her swivel chair, since her blob could never have extricated itself from her crushed office chair.
"Here is a sample of my work and take this business card. The blog gave me a quizzical look while I made haste out of there. It now was going on ten thirty, and I ambled my way to Mallory's antiques for a doll. Something about the store preceding it caught my eye. Antique things and lots of silver caught my eye.
I saw the man inside a cage bargaining with a distraught young lady It appeared she was hustling her silver for cash. I recognized soft spoken Ken while he taught the buyer the fact of buying and selling jewelry.
"I am desperate. I need to pay my rent, and the other day, somebody copped my purse while I had been to the bathroom. It had all of my credit cards and three hundred smackers. My sailor son was with me and I wish to buy him a present also. My ex husband beat the hell out of me and when he wished to make up, he bought me small trinkets made of silver."
Then I remembered. Three years, or thereabout, I had entered this charming man's store. He looked upset, to say the least. He had been robbed and had photos of the men who had raped his store of valuable gems.
I became fascinated as to how he calibrated the sum to pay for each piece of jewelry. He weighed each piece on a small pad and spread some special liquid on each piece. He wished to make sure of the grade of his purchase.
"I think you will like what I will give you. My customers always leave happy. Gold is $1200 an ounce and silver is $20.today. You will not receive less."
"I'll take it, but not the necklace on my neck. That I will keep." She made a phone call and told the manager of her apartment she would return with the balance of the rent. While she was on the phone, I asked Ken--I found out his name later- what time the store would be open to on Christmas Eve.
"We close at three o'clock, but the men swarm in at the last second. They don't wish to feel the wrath of their wives. There is nary any ladies after three. They wait in line for the purchase to make sure their betrothed present them with whatever they wish on the Day of Christmas."
Before I left, he told me to write down the website that captured a picture of the two men who robbed him. Yet I wished to know why he seemed so, so happy. The young gal who ushered me out confessed he had been her husband, and the love of her life for thirty one years. The I knew he was an expert in picking out the finest jewels--of course meaning Mrs. Freeman.
His address is 4926 Newport Ave. and is offering still, a ten thousand dollar reward for information leading to the capture of the robbers on this website: www.z-computerguy.com. The doll I did buy at my last stop at Mallory's. I bought a few other things before I took the number 35 bus back to Old Town.
So if any of you men wish to buy something special, visit the Empire Enterprises.
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