Slumming on NW 23rd Street and Other Tales
I finally found the time and the nerve to do this one thing I discovered some months ago. I ventured down to NW 23rd Street to a lab that collects plasma. The plan hit a snag, however; because the lab uses your Social Security number to track their donors, they needed to see mine, and I don't carry mine on me anymore (for obvious reasons). So I couldn't donate today, so I will have to get back down that way later in the week.
Across from the lab, there was this shop. It was called something like "Exotic" or "Tradewind" or words along those lines. It looked like one of those tourist trap places that line such exotic locales such as...NW 23rd Street. What got me was the picture on the shop's sign: an "Indian maiden". Not just any garden variety Indian maiden, but one dressed in a vest and a loincloth and very little underneath. She looked like what Playboy would think Native American women dressed to attract the Honorable Warrior to her teepee.
Out in the very small parking space in front of the shop, some man in a truck was yelling at someone (I never saw who) down the street in a rather loud and gruff voice, like he was talking to a dog who shit on the new carpet.
Also on NW 23rd Street, there are any number of body piercing studios (and probably tattoo parlors, too, if tattoo parlors were not illegal in Oklahoma. If you really want a tat, you gotta go to Texas. Sorry Tank), and check cashing places. And there were a couple of shops that looked like they came straight out of the 1970's Black Power movement. Down the street a bit, there's Shepherd Mall, where the Social Security office is. The mall has seen better days, as there were not many stores left. It's mostly government offices and a few die hard stores that seem to still have some clientele. Maybe students at nearby Oklahoma City University shop there. I don't know.
There was a Church's Fried Chicken, and I hear there's a Popeye's, too. But I didn't travel down that far today.
===========================
A couple weeks ago or so, I had a post titled, "Dance Like No One is Watching, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt" (I think that's the exact title. I'm relying on my memory here). Well, someone was looking for that line in a search that ended up on my referrers list. I followed the link and found out who wrote the line. The whole line is this:
Work like you don't need the money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.
Time waits for no one.
I found it here, and the author's name is Crystal Boyd. She states in an email to the webmaster of the site I found this at that she wrote it in 1998, along with an entire essay that ends with those lines quoted above. However, Ms. Boyd's website hasn't been updated since late 2003, so whether she still works on the site or not, I have no idea.
========================
Still thinking about Saon and his predicament. He said he'd call, but I don't think he will (calling cards cost money), but he's supposed to be online from the job center in Hutch about the same time as today, so we shall see what happens. I hope that all works out for him and he finds someone (preferably family) to stay with until he gets on his feet. I can imagine that his family is tired of his inability to have plans when he ends up back home, but if it were me (and it's not), I'd take him in, just because he's kin. But, I don't know about those folks down there in the N.O.... the rules are different, I suppose.
--MorelaterZ--
Across from the lab, there was this shop. It was called something like "Exotic" or "Tradewind" or words along those lines. It looked like one of those tourist trap places that line such exotic locales such as...NW 23rd Street. What got me was the picture on the shop's sign: an "Indian maiden". Not just any garden variety Indian maiden, but one dressed in a vest and a loincloth and very little underneath. She looked like what Playboy would think Native American women dressed to attract the Honorable Warrior to her teepee.
Out in the very small parking space in front of the shop, some man in a truck was yelling at someone (I never saw who) down the street in a rather loud and gruff voice, like he was talking to a dog who shit on the new carpet.
Also on NW 23rd Street, there are any number of body piercing studios (and probably tattoo parlors, too, if tattoo parlors were not illegal in Oklahoma. If you really want a tat, you gotta go to Texas. Sorry Tank), and check cashing places. And there were a couple of shops that looked like they came straight out of the 1970's Black Power movement. Down the street a bit, there's Shepherd Mall, where the Social Security office is. The mall has seen better days, as there were not many stores left. It's mostly government offices and a few die hard stores that seem to still have some clientele. Maybe students at nearby Oklahoma City University shop there. I don't know.
There was a Church's Fried Chicken, and I hear there's a Popeye's, too. But I didn't travel down that far today.
===========================
A couple weeks ago or so, I had a post titled, "Dance Like No One is Watching, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt" (I think that's the exact title. I'm relying on my memory here). Well, someone was looking for that line in a search that ended up on my referrers list. I followed the link and found out who wrote the line. The whole line is this:
Work like you don't need the money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.
Time waits for no one.
I found it here, and the author's name is Crystal Boyd. She states in an email to the webmaster of the site I found this at that she wrote it in 1998, along with an entire essay that ends with those lines quoted above. However, Ms. Boyd's website hasn't been updated since late 2003, so whether she still works on the site or not, I have no idea.
========================
Still thinking about Saon and his predicament. He said he'd call, but I don't think he will (calling cards cost money), but he's supposed to be online from the job center in Hutch about the same time as today, so we shall see what happens. I hope that all works out for him and he finds someone (preferably family) to stay with until he gets on his feet. I can imagine that his family is tired of his inability to have plans when he ends up back home, but if it were me (and it's not), I'd take him in, just because he's kin. But, I don't know about those folks down there in the N.O.... the rules are different, I suppose.
--MorelaterZ--
My name is Stef, and I approve this post. Posted @ 1:59 PM
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