NEXT DAY PART 14

IT WAS A MONDAY AND A PACIFIC STORM WAS DUE TO HIT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LATER IN THE DAY.  ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN EXPECTED.  THERE WAS A CIRRUS DECK ALREADY WITH THE LOWER LEVEL NIMBUS EXPECTED SOON. I SPENT THE BETTER PART OF AN HOUR UPDATING MY DIARY..TRYING TO RECALL EXCACTLY WHAT BOBBY SAID.  IN A WAY, HE WAS A GENIOUS...MISGUIDED, YES, BUT FOR A TWELVE YEAR OLD TO CONCOCT SUCH AN IDEALOGY WAS AMAZING. HE SAID THAT LANGUAGE WAS A VERY FAULTY WAY TO COMMUNICATE AND THAT WAS WHY HE DID NOT LIKE SCHOOL.  HE LIKENED LANGUAGE TO A STRING OF DOTS, WHEN DEEP SECRETS ARE ONLY REVEALED IN A CONTINUING LINE.  HE TOLD ME THE SPIRITS HE LOVED GAVE IMPRESSIONS IN A CONTINUING  LINE...NO WORDS,,JUST AN UNDERSTANDING,  I HAD NOTICED A NICE QUARTZ ROCK ON HIS DESK AND ASKED HIM ABOUT.  HE SAID MR BRANN NEXT DOOR HAD GIVEN IT TO HIM.  "MR BRANN IS A ROCK HOUND. HE GOES ROCK HUNTING IN THE DESERT AND ONE TIME HE TOOK ME WITH HIM.  HE EVEN GAVE ME A ROCK HUNTERS HAMMER.  HE REALLY LIKES ME.  HE MAKES UP FOR SOME OF THE THINGS DAD DOESN'T HAVE"  HE SAID.  I ASKED HIM "LIKE WHAT?"   "I AM KIND OF AFRAID OF MY DAD....I DO NOT FEEL ACCEPTED BY HIM....HE IS GENEROUS, BUT NEVER PLAYS BALL WITH ME.....HE CAN GET SO MAD I RUN OUT OF THE HOUSE.  HE LOVES MY MOM, BUT WHEN HE GETS REALLY MAD AT HER, HE IS VERY LOUD.  HE NEVER LAYS A HAND ON HER AND DOES NOT SWEAR, BUT THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE .....ONE TIME AFTER ONE OF THESE SPELLS, I WENT INTO THE BACK YARD AND THREW UP.  HE WAS SILENT FOR QUITE AWHILE..THINKING...THEN HE CONTINUED...."ONE OF THE WORST DAYS IN MY LIFE WAS WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OLD.  WE LIVED ON NORTON STREET BACK THEN AND ONE SATURDAY, HE TOOK ME TO A MATINEE AT THE ATWATER THEATRE.  I HAD SEVERAL DOLLARS IN MY POCKET AND I WANTED TO SURPRISE HIM.  I RAN AHEAD AND BOUGHT OUR TICKETS.  HE ASKED ME WHERE I GOT THE MONEY AND I COULD NOT REMEMBER.  THEN, HE ACCUSED ME OF STEALING IT.   I WILL  NEVER FORGET THE SHOCK AND MY FIRST FLUSH OF FEELING LIKE I WAS A BAD PERSON."  I QUIT WRITING IN MY DIARY AT THAT POINT.  NOW, MONDAY...BOBBY WAS AT CLARK IN SCHOOL, HIS PARENTS WERE AT WORK,  AND I AM SITTING HERE WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH THIS DAY.  I DECIDED TO BUY SOME HOT DOGS AND BUNS AND SOME LIQUID REFRESHMENTS, AND DRIVE UP THE ANGELUS CREST HIGHWAY.    THE ANGELES CREST WAS A VERY CURVY  ROAD THAT STARTED AT THE BASE OF THE GABRIELS AND SNAKED ITS WAY UP TO THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS INCLUDING MT WILSON..HOME OF A VERY FAMOUS TELESCOPE AND OBSERVATORY.  MANY DISCOVERIES OF THE HEAVENS WERE MADE THERE UNTIL L.A. GOT SO BIG, THERE WAS A LIGHT POLLUTION PROBLEM.  QUITE A FEW WEALTHY INNOVATORS WERE FASCINATED WITH THE POTENTIAL OF THE SAN GABRIELS IN TERMS OF RESORTS AND SKI SLOPES.  ONE SUCH VENTURE WAS ON MT LOWE.  A TRAM WAS BUILT FROM ALTADENA TO MT LOWE, AND A VERY NICE INN AND RECREATION AREA WAS BUILT THERE.  THIS WAS BACK IN THE VERY EARLY  20'S.  NOW, (AND THEN)  THE INN WAS IN RUINS,  THE TRAM HAD BEEN WASHED OUT IN A FLOOD..AND ONLY REMNANTS OF THE GRAND OLD INN STILL REMAINED.  PORTIONS OF THREE STORY WALLS REMAINED STANDING, WITH TONS OF RUBBLE EVERY WHERE.  LOTS OF COPPER LYING AROUND FROM THE OLD TRAM.  WELL, I WENT TO SHOPPING BAG AND BOUGHT FRANKS, BUNS, MUSTARD, RELISH, ONIONS, CHIPS, MATCHES, AND A GOOD SIZE BOTTLE OF SCOTCH FROM HILL'S LIQUOR MART.  THE TRIP UP WAS LIKE GOING BACK IN TIME !!!!  THAT HIGHWAY WAS SOMETHING THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS COULD NOT CHANGE.   IT WAS AND IS A VERY DEADLY HIGHWAY.  STEEP DROP OFFS ON THE OUTSIDE TURNS AND NO GUARD RAILS. I DROVE ON UP TO CHILAO FLATS, ABOUT 6,000 FEET ALT.  THERE WAS A NICE PICNIC AREA THERE WITH TABLES AND GRILLS TO ROAST  WEENIES.   I SELECTED A SPOT OFF THE PARKING LOT AND JUST SAT DOWN AND LOOKED AND LISTENED.  SO MANY, MANY TIMES MY PARENTS BROUGHT ME AND FRIENDS HERE ON A SATURDAY....TO FEAST AND FELLOWSHIP.  WE KIDS ALWAYS FOUND SOMETHING TO DO....ONE TIME, MY PAL DEANY HURD AND I WENT THERE WITH MY FOLKS AND WE BROUGHT OUR TOY CARS AND GUNS.  WE BUILT ROADS AND FORTS,  STUCK OUR GUNS IN THE SOIL AND PRETENDED THEY WERE CANNONS.  NOW...JUST THE WHISPERING OF THE PINES...A SQUIRREL STOOD UP ON ITS HIND LEGS AND NIBBLED A NUT BETWEEN HIS PAWS...I BUILT A FIRE USING NEEDLES AND PINE CONES....THE SMOKE WAS AN INCENSE,,,THE GIVING UP OF CENTURIES OF STORIES.  THE HOWLING BLIZZARDS...THE WARMTH OF A THOUSAND SUNSETS,  THE MANY PEOPLE WHO CAME THERE TO TALK AND PERHAPS WORSHIP...THROUGH THE SMOKE OF MY FIRE, I BRIEFLY SAW TWO LITTLE BOYS PLAYING IN THE DIRT...TOY CARS...IMAGINATIONS RUN WILD..THEY WERE HAVING SO MUCH FUN....I ROASTED MY WEENIES...AND TOASTED THE BUNS...THEY WERE SO GOOD...BUT NOT AS GOOD AS WHEN I WAS WITH PEOPLE I LOVED.....(TO BE CONTINUED)