02.12.07
Uvieu,España
" Vanished from the face of the earth..."
These were the last words spoken about Slamo.
Nobody had seen him in months...
" Last time I saw him we was a drinkin'
and the brother was mumblin' something
about Seattle, and some guy named Jess..
Nope, don't know more... hey, you gotta buck
for a veteran, buddy.....? "
It was true. Slamo caught a Iberica flight to
Seattle. Spent all the money the first day
and found refuge at the " Elephant ", a notorious
flop house in The First Hill district...
Jerry was there and Brad , wavin' a big gun around...
There would be many freaks and freakshows, truths and
near truths crossing and crossing again
an again in and outta
his life..." Hey, you know a guy named Jess...? " he asked...
" You know a guy named Jess... about this high... Gray hair
and a gotee like Velazquez...? ", he asks of everyone he'd meet.
"...I'm lookin' for a guy named Jess.. Paints bad clowns and bull fighters.",
he'd asked everyone he'd met.
Slamo was way outta his territory....
"... Big mean ulgy town..." sighed Slamo,
zippin' himself into the sleeping bag
under the I-5 freeway overpass.
Seattle began to rain ..." Of course..." and
" Manaña mas y mejor, Slam old boy "....said Slamo, to
himself.
Slamo dreams.....
Hanging out in Campo San Fransisco with Juanjo, Zazir The Great, a mime, and the russian oprea singer. It had been a good day for all, they shared 10 boxes of wine between them..." Remember when....? " and " Well, we usta....." Slamo, drank and thought about the little house in the Valley, " ...Long time ago..." he thought. Then the russian began to talk, a rare occasion... he told stories of his mothers borscht " steaming hot with a big drop of well soured cream..." Humm..." Hummed Zazir The Great ..The russian told of his fathers machine shop, and the bribes to the police,and the last day of the year celebrating with the guys whom worked for him... low pay harshly cold, and little future... He said he was " blessed to be here, and in the company of such fine and generous friends..."
Zazir The Great looked over to Juanjo, " You speak russian ? " he asked, " what ? me? russian ? huh, his eyes are speaking english and spanish and french...just read the eyes of the brother, brother, it's all there...". Slamo, he told the story of the flight to Spain...then the flight to Vietnam, to Paris to Helsinki and beyond, until the sun went down and they gathered their stuff, moving on to where they would drink and sleep and refuel their hope for tommorow " Awhicha way ya going there Slam ?... ", asked the russian opera singer...
" ...West, I think..Yuri, West...." said Slamo.
Tommorow Slamo would go back to the Elephant to wash some clothes,
he'd met a chick , that lived there
that said she knew where Jess could be found,
Slamo took it well ,
with hope , but not much....
" Stop in if your ever in Seattle, Slam.... " Jess had said...
The fones number had been changed long ago...
The next morning Seattle continued to rain
Slamo packed up the hill towards the Elephant
Jean was there, cooking fried rice and mushrooms,
and smiling...
Slamo, wringin' out some soxs
looks out the window towards Lake Washington
and the house of Bill Gates, up there aways....
" Huh ! Why don't I just call Bill ..Duh....wheres my god damned fone ?
rinnnnng-rinnnnng-rinnnnng...
" Hello Bill ?, Slamo here.....yeah... yeah.. I'm in Seattle....great ,yeah, great
Yeah huh huh... looking at your house as we speak...yeah
9:00's better for me... Ok ... yeah..... see you there... Anything to smoke ?
..any thing better ? Jo.....
Slamo smiled, I think I'll wear the BIG pants.... ! NO !
I'm gonna wear the suit...
end of Part 1
be well todo mundo,
J.Level
foto&story:©spl2007
