[LEMONS]


5.08.2002

Shit from an old notebook

While I was working at Macworld, I wrote the better part of a novel while riding the 5 Fulton. I kept at it from about July of 2000 until March of last year, when I began to ride my bike to work each day instead¹. And then, things sort of petered out. Sometime last summer, I lost the notebook. Yesterday, I found it. Today, I opened it, at random, to the following passage. I thought I'd share.

I woke up and went into work early today to try and pre-emp some of the shitstorm I'm bound to catch for skipping out yesterday. But my fucking keycard won't work. WTF?!? So I headed downstairs and across the street to Cafe Venue, where I got myself a soymilk chai latte and sat at an outside table.

Market Street is an explosion. So there I am. Rio player on the table. Headphones on, listening to "Ultra Obscene" and affecting a look of non-chalant, dot-commer chic. Today, I'm in nerd mode. Black glasses, too-small vintage sweater, orange plad pants, and a pair of gold Addidas with navy blue stripes.

I notice passersby casting furtive, jealous, wanting glances in my direction as I hold a cigarette between my thumb and first finger, at eyebrow level, with my elbow on the table. Capote cool. Men and women find me equally attractive. I am unassailable. Thinking about this gives me an erection.

At 9, I walk back up, but there is still nobody there. By 9:30 I know the score. I walked down the street to CompUSA and looked up FuckedCompany. Then I went home and began updating my resume.

How quaint, eh? How 2000. I'm now working on another book idea, and fortunately, I think I can swipe large chunks of the old and use it in the new.

(for therecord, I have two. Both Cannondales. One, an R700, is my road bike, the other a C400, is my city bike, complete with grocery rack)

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