I wake around 7:18am, thinking it's later, and listen to Robert drag his door closed and head downstairs to wander off to his "state worker" job. Outside, I notice the monotonous pounding of a jackhammer, the ker-chuck of heavy equipment tearing into the hard concrete in the alley behind the house. It's a little early for hardcore construction, but Sacramento likes to get things done, apparently. I can't complain. The alley is going to look quite nice when it's fully restored. It will go well with my new Grocery Outlet.
I'm officially moved in, save for one box left behind in Sean's garage. My TV is here, hooked up to videogames and a rarely-used PC. My bed is here, covered in non-matching blankets and two old pillows. My movies are here, filling three rows of a black DVD rack, partially color-coded and arranged by size. Using four milk crates and a pastry box I took from work, I made myself a desk for the netbook, though I've yet to get a chair to complete it with. My Helena Willi painting is hung above it. I have all my books in stacks under the windowsill with the old Smith-Corona and Underwood typewriters on two over-turned milk crates like little museum pieces. The majority of the Stephen King collection is on the shelf in my closet. Also in the closet:: my mini-fridge, which I've stocked with a six-pack of Fat Tire, some cran-raspberry juice, milk, and the makings for peanut-butter jelly sandwiches. There's still room for improvement. Trash that needs to be taken out. I have to figure out what to do with my giant mirror. I need to organize my clothes, somehow.
I put my minimal kitchen items into the empty bottom shelf of the corner-cabinets in the kitchen, making a space for myself in this Victorian dormitory. I also have a toothbrush/toothpaste cup and a towel in the bathroom, which means I officially live here, and it feels good.
I met Richard yesterday. He said he felt sick, so we didn't get to shake hands. He works for The State, like one out of every four people do in this area, and has only been living here since June. Cool guy. Glad to finally put a face to the stranger in the room next-door, and it's a kind face, and that's good news. Drew and his girlfriend, Amber, tend to have late-night tickle fights that send Amber's giggling laughter downstairs from their attic getaway, but it's not bad. The whole situation feels like College 2.0, with Old Soul as my main focus and Sac Press as a minor. Classes every day with varying hours. I live within walking distance to pretty much everything on campus. All the faces I see and people I meet, they're just other students with their own busy schedules, taking different classes, learning different things. We never really stop going to school, the setting just changes and FAFSA stops sending financial aid.
My schedule was finally changed at Old Soul. I open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with closing shifts on Monday and Tuesday. This means I'll spend a few hours at Sac Press on Wednesday and Thursday, while having the evenings open on the weekend for any homework. Seems better. Tips will be better. I won't be so mind-numbingly bored. My classmates have noticed: Chris, a new friend, brought me a Rubik's Cube to busy myself with. A part of me will miss the monotony, part of me will miss sleeping in, but most of me will be glad to have my evenings, most of me will be glad for the change.
Today I'm just waiting until 10:00 for the nearest Goodwill to open. I want to get a rickety old chair for my makeshift desk. Then I work from 1:30 to 9:00 and wrap up Tuesday (my new Friday) at Old Soul. I may or may not hang out with Joe after midnight. I still feel like I haven't caught up on all the sleep I need. Sean's coming to visit on Wednesday. I'm excited to have dinner at Chipotle.
That's it for now. Photos coming soon.
- Left to Fry
UPDATE: Just got my chair from a thrift shop on E Street, as recommended by Meredith when I walked to Old Soul for a mocha. Five bucks for this chair! I wrapped it in a burlap coffee sack to make it my own, and it's awesome. Now my desk is complete!
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