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~A Redwood City Tale Too Far~

Rose was half white half brown. Beautiful. A hint of sad. Young and innocent. So I thought. I took a ride with her to downtown Sacramento from Redwood City on a whim one night. Both of us high on acid. Got there a half hour before closing time. I needed beer. She stopped in front of a bar on J Street. Lots of black people out front on the sidewalk. I walked up to the crowd and asked where I might purchase a six pack. I was immediately circled by young black guys. "Yeah, man. Let's go over to K Street. We can get beer there," one of them offered.

"Fuck. I'm in deep shit," I figured, then put both my hands in the side pockets of the black leather jacket I was wearing and said "fuck you guys," then hoped like hell they all thought I was armed as I walked back to Rose's yellow VW bug. None of them followed me. I was surprised my bluff worked. I was also surprised Rose had kept the engine running the whole time. 

Rose got me to a 7/11 store at about 1:45 AM.  I got my six pack, then she drove us to a dark street in an area of apartment buildings and parked next to railroad tracks with tall, green, grass growing along side them and killed the engine. We got out of the car and sat in the grass with the six pack. I was calming down. There was a cool breeze. I took a deep breath of relief. Rose sat next to me as we popped open our beers. Two black guys emerged from an apartment building across the street and started to walk towards us. When it became clear that they were walking up to us I said "I wonder what these guys want." "Don't say a word," Rose said. "Do you know them?" I asked. She didn't answer.

When they got to us, one guy stayed just a few feet behind the other one. I knew something was up. Then Rose said to the one nearest to us "Hi, Abdhulla." 

"Oh, fuck," I thought. I was no longer calming. 

"Hey, Rosie. Said Abdhulla. I'm wondering why you're sitting here across the street from my apartment at two in the morning with this young gentleman?"

"I'm dead." I thought.

"He rode with me from Redwood City. He's friends with my sister and her boyfriend. He was bored and wanted something to do. I didn't want to drive alone."

"Yeah. I said. I'm taking the Greyhound back to Redwood City in a few minutes." Rose discreetly motioned with her hand for me to shut up. I complied.

We walked to the yellow VW bug. Abdhulla got in the driver seat and started it with his key. It was then I realized I hadn't bluffed anyone at the bar. They all recognized the yellow VW bug as Abdhulla's, and I knew then everyone in that part of town knows better than to fuck with Abdhulla or his woman or anyone she might be associated with. 

I climbed into the back seat, hoping I would be taken to the Greyhound depot without suffering bodily harm or death. I promised God if He let me make it through this I would stop going too far for lust or anything else ever again. I was done with going too far. I just wanted to exist in peace for a while.

When I boarded the bus I went directly to the very back where there was one long seat port to starboard where I was able to curl up and crash. Really crash. I was totally exhausted. I'm a short guy, so no one noticed me back there.

Some time later I felt myself being nudged by someone. I opened my eyes and saw it was broad daylight and a Greyhound Bus driver was looking down at me. 

"Where are you headed?" the driver asked.

"Redwood City," I said.

"Well, he said, we're in the bus yard in Mountain View. I didn't see you back here when we stopped in Redwood City." 

"Oh. I said. Can I get a ride back to Redwood City? I don't have enough money to buy another ticket."

"It's my fault I didn't see you back here. There will be no charge."

On the way back to Redwood City I thought to my self: "Even in my sleep I manage to go too far. I really gotta cool it."