California

From my Weblog: http://icymarch.blogspot.com/?/2001_07_01_icymarch_archive.html

California

"Going back to California,
So many good things around,
Don't want to leave California
Sun seems to never go down..."


KTAO played John Mayall's
"California" this morning, brought back memories of long ago...
I remember hearing him play it live at a concert back in the 70's at The Palace, a beautiful old art-deco type theater in Waterbury Conn. The theater was filled with the sweet smoke common in those days, and I remember thinking back then how wonderful it would be to move to California. No more winter snow and sleet, instead every day a sunny day. Beaches filled with bikini-clad cuties and me there to meet them, a drink in my hand and my toes in the sand, that would be the life...


"Some people may treat you ugly,
Some treat you beautiful too,
That's the way life is all over,
So look for the good things for you..."


After first moving to Colorado, I eventually did end up moving to "Sunny Southern California". Yeah, the beaches were nice, but I had to struggle to get a job. And I had to split a rental with a questionable roommate, since I couldn't afford the expensive apartment prices. I had my share of problems in those days, and spent too many hours in the clubs and bars, consulting with Jim Beam and Bud Weiser looking for the answers. And I was foolish enough to give my share of the rent money directly to my roommate. "I'll make out the checks for the bills, you just give me cash" he said. Turns out he wasn't paying anything, just took the money I gave him and spent it on cocaine, then skipped out after a couple months.


The utilities company turned the power off, and the landlord came looking to me for rent money. I explained to him what happened and he was nice enough to let me stay until I could find other living arangements. I stayed there another week, having to take cold water showers and cook my dinners in the kitchen on a camp-stove by candlelight. I finally found an cheap apartment in a bad neighborhood, deciding it was better than trying another roommate deal.


To make a long story short, I eventually got my life on track, a decent job, a wife who helped straighten me out, and a son who's just the greatest. But my "California dream life" turned out a little different than what I imagined it would be years ago when I saw my first "Life's a Beach" bumper sticker on a VW in Hermosa. Gotta put up with the smog, traffic, stress at work. And lots of people here seem obsessed with making money just to buy lots of stuff, but I guess that could be said about almost anywhere, it's "The American Way". I try to keep it in perspective.


I was ramping onto the 405 one day last week, late for work (as usual). Traffic was moving along pretty well, but once I merged into the number four lane it just ground to a halt. This lady a few cars behind me in a BMW cut over to the ramp, drove up on the right halfway across the line, and started to wedge in front of me in an attempt to get to her destination a little sooner. I could feel my blood pressure rising. I was gonna roll down the window and cuss her out for being such an asshole, tell her to hang up her cellphone and learn how to drive. I decided it wasn't worth it, life's too short, gotta mellow out. I'm only going to work, not like it's some kind of emergency. I slowed down and waved to the lady, let her cut in ahead of me. After all, "It's just another sunny day, I love L.A.". And Saturday I'll get to hit the beach with my son and catch a few waves.


"California...
That's where I belong,
California...
I'll be back there before long..."


...Maybe California isn't so much a State as it is a State of Mind.
_

posted by Cy at 4:52 PM 7/10/01