California Journal Episode 4
Our account will mercifully fast forward a few minutes to rejoin our hero at the wheel of the Explorer, which has been refilled with guests and bags.
The pressure is now officially on. Les Français need to be transported from Ninth and Mission to Eddy Street and ... where? As our hero’s hero, Bat Masterson, was known to say “Always act with deliberation.” In modern parlance, “Act decisively.”
Well, there’s a V8 in this thing so let’s get some benefit out of it. Ninth Street is one way. Well there’s a decision made for you. Up to Market, then to Fell. Construction zone, street narrows, squeeze that other car out. What was it, anyhow? On to Divisidero, then Turk. Webster? Hmmm. Oops, there’s Fell again, and Divisidero, too. Well, maybe nobody’s noticing.
Wait, straight ahead up the hill, there’s EDDY!! NO LEFT TURN! Damn! On to Ellis, left. One block more... NO LEFT TURN! Next block, left. Left again and onto Eddy. SUCCESS!
Well, partial success. Careful, eyes open, still have to find the bleeping hotel. Which is made a little easier since it is the SAME NAME as the first one. Before long it appears, and guests and baggage are deposited once again.
The office has an odd neon art deco ceiling, but still better than the neon down on Ninth Street. It’s also bigger, but I note that this time the bags and all but one of les Français stay outside near the vehicle. And my Sieble-savvy “guest” handles all the check-in this time.
All goes smoothly for les Français and I am superfluous to this process. So I inquire about making a reservation here myself. My “guest” offers confidentially for whatever negotiation use I may make of it that “nous payons soixante-quatorze.”
“What?! Seventy-four! I’m paying $139 at the first place!”
In the law, such a communication is known as an “excited utterance.” It is one of the many exceptions to the hearsay rule. Information in such outbursts is presumably deemed to be more reliable because it is not thought out. Indeed. For the third time that day a person in conversation with me suddenly realizes he’s talking to a total idiot.
Can our hero get through a couple of days in San Francisco without paying twice as much for everything? Why does he go to Silicon Valley and Monterey by himself? Why do les Français seem skeptical when he explains that he knows the area like the back of his hand? Why does Pier 39 sound better to them instead? The answers to these and other questions may never be fully known. |
