265th day sober. I practiced for what was probably close to 2 hours before going to bed, found 4 of those nasty hairy little seeds in here before going to bed so that pretty much answers why I coughed so bad that night.
I woke up at noon then just "rested my eyes" and woke up again at around 2:30. I decided I was going to get that trip to the music store out of my system once and for all. So I was out the door by 2:45. My first stop was Nijiya for a can of cold coffee and some cash back, then by the time I got to Whole Foods I had to pit stop for the bathroom and got a can of cold coffee and one of those elderberry shots and drank those while hanging around the petition guy - he mentioned to a sucker he was working on that he's "based" in Santa Cruz.
I headed up to Sunol then to Park then to Lincoln down to Curtner and all the way over to Union, and went right over to the music store. It was a bit of a ride, about an hour just from Whole Foods to there. The music store had four trumpets on the wall, all silver plated (which no one but high school kids want any more) and that was it. A few saxes.
Mainly they had tons of books so I figured I'd buy a book while I was there, and picked out either the Charlier or the Concone, I forget as I always get those mixed up. The guy checked the price for me and it was almost $70 so I said "Maybe next week". The guy said he was a "wind" player and according to him, it's easier to go from sax to clarinet instead of what everyone says, which is the other way around. The reason, he said, is clarinet requires a very tight embouchure and apparently it's difficult to train out of that. This is good to know if I want to play sax, if so I won't bother with the clarinet first but will just play sax. I doubt I will, though.
I was glad to get visiting there out of my system, at least. I went to the International Food Bazaar and was going to get a kebab plate but it was super busy so I just got olives and stuff and the line was long enough just to check out with that. The ride home was easy, as it was a slight downhill all the way. I had to use the loo again and homed right in on Whole Foods again.
I did stop, however, at the hardware store where I got what might have been their last two bottles of rubbing alcohol, the small ones, for about $4 each. CVS was out of it, as there's a run on it right now. Maybe the antivaxxers are drinking it, who knows.
I went back to Whole Foods and used the loo and picked out a basic dinner of meat balls, mashed potatoes, and broccoli, with a can of fizzy water. A cop was dealing with a crazy guy outside who supposedly had stolen a bag of stuff and was arguing, very stridently, with the cop about it. If the guy was smart he'd just run. Instead the guy acted so crazy the cop got his night stick out then he retreated and took off.
I just ate my food, then went out to my bike and got to talk a little with the petition guy but mostly listen in - it turns out he's an anti-masker and thoroughly, even vehemently endorses that awful book about Dr. Fauci. That makes him an enemy although I won't let him know. He was telling a lady all kinds of stupid things like to eat 8 eggs a day and that wearing a mask "causes brain damage".
I took off, and got as far as the SAP Center when I remembered, my plan had been to eat and then shop! I turned around and went back - Petition Guy was working on the same mark - and did my shopping, and came back out and loaded up the bike. I got to talk to Petition Guy a bit, and it came out that he lives in his truck and spends half his income on storage units which contain his "life's work" as he's a film maker. Of course he is. I asked if he needs page protectors as I have tons of 'em, but he has no use for them.
But I guess the guy has me filed as at least somewhat friendly, and I even got his business card. I rode off, this time for good, and took a little loop around San Pedro Square and the "SoFa" area and there were no street musicians, and even the usual beggars were gone. It was now a bit past 7, so the equivalent of a bit past 10 in the Before Times, when there would be plenty of performers and beggars around. I am honestly the last street musician in San Jose, a city of well over a million and it doesn't feel as good as I thought it would. It does not feel good at all, actually.
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