Well .... I didn't make it to the old mission ... not for lack of trying ... it just wasn't meant to be yesterday ... too many forces at work ... too many distractions put in the way by the 'watcher' ... he has discovered what is kryptonite to me ... let me recap ...
I am staying at a location which we will generally refer to as the West Beach ... I left this area heading north on foot in the early morning ... my plan was to take the shuttle but I thought better about this when I saw the 'watcher's people' riding it ... so I continued north on foot ... and just outside the Santa Barbara Museum, I saw them, his sentinels ... I had no choice but to enter the museum and spend time in the exhibits ...
There was a photographic exhibit on Yosemite that included 4 photographs by Ansel Adams ... in my opinion, one of the best artists behind the camera and in the darkroom in the 20th century .... remember now ... in my opinion ... there were several other great photographers represented ...
I decided to continue north but to move over 2 streets to the east to get off the main thoroughfare that State Street is ... this put me on Santa Barbara Street ... I started walking north .... I was making a good pace when all of a sudden I was knocked down by a patron exiting a used book store ... exiting in a hurried and worried fashion ... I picked myself up ... he apologized profusely ... I see he has dropped a book .. I bend down to retrieve it and in doing so note the title, 'Tales of Santa Barbara: From Native Story Tellers to Sue Grafton'.
I tell the harried book buyer not to worry ... no problem ... don't worry about it ... he moves on. In the back of mind ... that book ... was it just coincidence or is there something there ... giving in to instinct, raw and pure, I enter the book store, found a copy of the same book and purchased it.
There was a cheese shop next door .... C'est Cheese ... I went in there and purchased a French Camembert ... just north there is a bakery ... I bought a baguette ... I realize that I have been steered in this direction by the 'watcher' and his sentinels ... there was no way I was going to make it to the mission today ... 'he' had discovered my weakness .... I turned back south and as soon as I did so the sun broke through overcast skies ... another sign that on this day the 'watcher' was the better 'man' .... if man indeed was the right word.
I made it to the Press Room ... and just as I feared they had Firestone Union Jack IPA on tap ... maybe the best IPA I have ever had ... a glass was sitting at the bar .. already poured ... head overflow and condensation dripping down the side of the glass ... the bartender just looks at me and smiles ... and then says, ' are you the Forever Man ....?..... I just stand there slack jawed ... 'it's for you' ... and he pushes it forward ... I clasp the glass and almost down it in one gulp ..... 'I was told you'd like it', he says .... he pours another one .... 'you'll need this ... and a lot more from where that came from' ....
I just sat at the bar and savored the beer ... maybe the best of it's kind I've ever had ... and a lot more from where that came from ... Firestone is in Paso Robles .... is it the old mission or Paso Robles ... or is it both ... I ordered another Union Jack .... broke off a piece of baguette, cut a piece of Camembert and examined the book ... the clues are here I decided .... everything needs more study .... everything .. I moved on ... continuing south ...
I recovered my senses in the Brewhouse ... I must have been in a dream state ... I was drinking a Nirvana IPA and munching on prawns wrapped in bacon ... yes ... more study ... I opened the book and started reading ...
To quote from verse 699 of the Krome Koan,
'Even if the voices aren't real, they have some good ideas ...'
Oh .... remember the 4 village lads from yesterday ... here's 3 lads and 2 lasses ... or was that lashes ... never mind .... locals I suppose .. enjoying the Press Room ...
Looking for answers in the paperback ... while it rains ....
Forever Man
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