It has to be the season that brings more cars to the streets. Sunday drivers shopping on the weekdays. That, and in the downtown area, development bringing the stores to draw them, and the restaurants to rest in afterward.
A couple of nights last week, the crawl to Beverly Boulevard or Sunset via Olive
and First was slower than a baby's. The sea of red tail lights before me meant I had to find patience that is not natural to me. It gave me time to observe, and to think. The first barrier, Olympic. There is a bit of the salmon in the driver who must enter the intersection even though it is obvious he will not clear it and will block it at the change of light. He can't go, and the traffic in the opposite direction can't go. Used to be only New Yorkers' were known for leaning on the horn. Los Angeleans have developed the posture, with an equal relish, although it doesn't change a thing. Past that obstacle now, I come to seventh, and a similar buildup. I notice the new loft building on my left. Finally, the chain link fence that has long blocked the entrance is gone. There has been a light on in one of the lofts, of which I can only see concrete ceiling and vents, for days, but this time I see an actual floor lamp. Someone is living in what looks to me like a prison. And downstairs an upscale (is it possible?) Seven Eleven is being prepared for its opening. Not the store I'd put there to revitalize a neighborhood, but I am not a city planner.
Not too far from Cicada now. A dark, expensive restaurant, that never seems to have any people going into it, but yet it is apparently a success. Ice Skating again in Pershing Square. All concrete in modern times, back in the good old summertime of the late 1800s and early 1900's it was a real green strolling park. Across from it is the still swanky Biltmore. I remember that the oldest resident, there have been a few, just died a while back. I think the very first Academy Awards in 1927 was there. I remember a surprise birthday there, thrown by a still colleague, maybe no longer friend, at S'Mereldas. We were able to hold our friendship for a long time, though being on opposite sides of legal advocacy. But I guess it got too hard, and what should have been separated from the personal, became personal. I am guessing we each believe the other responsible. Then Sai Sai. I remember an office gathering there. One of my friends will eat nothing but safe American food, you know Italian, Burgers, spaghetti. There was nothing for her on the menu there. Except of course gathering with the rest of us. We never went there again for an office meet up. The homeless guy is in the street. Do I give him anything and cause him to wander further into danger? And I shouldn't be resenting him for doing it, but I am because I am feeling distrust. Is he really in need? What difference does it make to me if he is? Just a little further up, it should clear. But it doesn't! All the way up the hill past fifth, the still closed Angel's Flight (someone died there a few years ago when the "train" up and down the hill had an accident), and past the Omni. There's a cocktail party going on on the second floor. A baby grand being played. I wish I were there having an apple martini. Meanwhile, streets are closed off and I will trickle toward first and the Courthouse. I take this opportunity to set channels on FM2 and FM3 of my radio---keeping watch all the time on what is before me. As best I can while I can be cited for driving distracted. FIRST! YES! It has taken 45 minutes to go maybe a mile and a half. Left, left, by Disney Hall, just a little more traffic before I get to the nearly built school on an environmentally unsafe landfill, Belmont.
And I am free! Any deep thoughts in all of this. Yeah, fragments, about life, and death, and work and friendship---but they were disjointed and not profound. And all I can think about now is being able to go more the 5 miles per hour.
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