Gobbles and Graves

Last night after I finished working here, I was quite hungry, so I went in search of food. But as I wandered about, I found little that was relatively inexpensive, filling, and delicious. And then, as I passed an upscale French restaurant, I saw Them. Two wealthy-looking, middle-aged folk walking towards Their red sports car, with food wrapped in butcher paper in Their hands. They were eating fries-- or chips-- out of it, looking quite happy with Their greasy and delicious food. I almost stopped Them, the saviors of my stomach.

But I was embarrassed, so I moved on.

But then-- I saw another boy, sitting down and eating hungrily out of another wrapped bundle. I knew I was close on the trail. I passed by the Caffe Nero and there it was! Carry-out fish and chips! Well, I'll tell you something. Fish and chips are excellent. First of all, it's cheap-- regular chips (more than I could eat) costs one pound, and the fish cost like two pounds or something. I think next time, I won't get fish (chicken would be better), and I know it's greasy and fatty, but it is so filling and hot and yummy! So anyway, I'll probably be heading there again, but I'm not sure if I'll do that tonight.

The same pop standards CD that was playing in this coffeehouse yesterday is playing here today. It's an okay CD, but really, I could use some new music. I don't know how the baristas can take it.

I walked home eating my fish and chips. I felt like some sort of fatty hobo, with my fish and chips in my hands, and with a definite waddle caused by the off-balance walk of mine (I carry my laptop, purse, and digital camera with me everywhere, so I'm always leaning towards my laptop-carrying side). As I crossed in front of a gas station, a homeless man offered me a basket (er, now I wonder if he meant it for all of my junk), but I declined it. Instead, I offered him my chips, because I had way too many to eat, but he said he wasn't hungry. I wrapped the rest of my food up and kept going. Just before I reached my street, as I was passing by the cemetery, a boy jumped out of the bushes to the cemetery. He had long, curly brown hair, a beard, and a long dark coat. He also had a green bottle in his hand. He turned around and offered his hand to a black girl with curly hair, also wearing a long black coat with a green bottle in her hand, as she jumped out of the bushes. It was dusk, and they must have been drinking in the cemetery. It felt very surreal-- they ignored me-- but it was very like a scene from a movie or a book.

When I got back to the house, I settled into bed to write postcards to Jenny, Jasmine, and Jessi, and ate some more chips. Watched TV, etc. I saw the news about the Pope's death. I also watched a TV show called "Stars in their Eyes," which is where people dress up as their favorite pop stars and sing. Last night it was the celebrity version, and Jerry Springer sang as Elvis. It was very bizarre.

This morning, I went to breakfast downstairs, and had my usual-- orange juice, coffee with lots of cream and sugar, corn flakes with sugar (I have to put sugar in everything...), toast, bacon, and roasted tomato. Today I had the strange feeling that perhaps this dining room is my mind-- every time I go in, songs that I know well and like and are very much a part of me are playing on the radio. Yesterday it was "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys and "Mellow Yellow." And today it was "Let's Get Together" by Al Green, "Son of a Preacher Man" by Janis Joplin, and "Lovin' You." Very much a relaxed Sunday morning selection of songs. The room has walls covered in dark red wallpaper, and although it's a bit stuffy, it isn't entirely so. It's a bit cluttered, with trinkets everywhere. Er, so anyway, that was my feeling of the moment. I was really afraid I was going to lose it. I need to get a small notebook or pad, because I don't have anything to jot notes or thoughts down on. It's really getting bad. I don't want to forget anything.

I went upstairs and got ready after breakfast, and then went to Locksbrook Cemetery. When I say I like cemeteries, I mean it. I spent a while there, and I'll put pictures up soon. Yesterday the weather was lovely, sunny and warm-- today it is foggy and chilly. I couldn't stay at the cemetery as long as I would have liked for that reason. However, the hills and the rest of the city were very lovely, distant in the mist (the cemetery is on a hill). Some of the tombstones, and the layout of the cemetery, were also very nice. I came into town after about forty-five minutes there, and I've been at the Caffe Nero since, drinking hot chocolate and typing captions for photos. After this, I'm not sure where I'll go, but I'm thinking of going to the evening service at 5:30 pm at the Abbey, and maybe the Hysterical Bath walking tour at 8 pm, if they're going tonight.