I Pay Homage to My Favorite Author With a Trip into the City

“It seemed like a matter of minutes when we began rolling in the foothills before Oakland and suddenly reached a height and saw stretched out ahead of us the fabulous white city of San Francisco on her eleven mystic hills with the blue Pacific and its advancing wall of potato-patch fog beyond, and smoke and goldenness in the late afternoon of time.” --- From On the Road

Last Saturday was the centennial of Jack Kerouac’s birthday. My plan to honor him: visit the Beat Museum where they were having an open house, then cross the street to City Lights Bookstore where Kerouac often hung out.

Got to the BART station a few minutes before my scheduled train was to depart. Train was out of service due to mechanical issues so hard to wait twenty-seven minutes then transfer.

Damn.

Got to downtown SF. There was a Saint Patrick’s Day parade — poorly attended, I thought — blocking the area where I’d catch the bus to North Beach.

Damn.

Walked several blocks to where I could catch the bus.

One was waiting for me.

We went three blocks then the bus stopped and didn’t move again for ten minutes as the driver walked around made calls and look befuddled. It was obvious that there was a mechanical issue but the driver said nothing.

Damn.

Finally another bus came. Boarded it.

It went through my stop.

Damn.

Forgot to ring for the next one.

Damn. 

Finally got off and went to the Beat Museum, less than a ten-minute walk despite the missed stops.

There was someone playing the guitar and singing Kerouac poems.

He was tolerable.

There was a large pizza that anyone could take a slice of.

I’m not one to share pizza with strangers so gave it a miss.

Walked around the museum. Not much to see especially as the entire upstairs was closed. 

Took a few photos.

Made the rounds twice hoping to find something of interest.

A few first editions of Kerouac novels on display. A signed letter.

Enjoyed the museum, has a nice feel to it and does honor to the Beats.

Then an old woman got up and read a poem of her own composition. She stumbled through it, her voice breaking.

I managed to block the old gal out.

Went into the Mobile Beat Museum parked outside. It was really a gift shop with no displays, just items for sale. Had a nice chat with the woman working there.

Crossed the street to City Lights. 

Had to wait a few minutes to get in.

Went straight for the Beat Section. 

Bought two Kerouac books: Book of Sketches and Book of Haikus.

Pleased with my purchases.

Next to City Lights is Vesuvio Cafe which Kerouac and other Beats frequented. Took a photo. 

Headed down Columbus towards downtown. Stopped in a coffee shop and had a fruit cup.

Got to BART station fearing another twenty-plus minute wait. But a train arrived as I did.

Had to transfer at downtown Oakland. Usually a zero to three-minute wait. Today, due to ongoing mechanical issues, it was fourteen minutes.

Damn.

Got to Berkeley having spent fifty-seven minutes of my trip waiting for transportation.

Walked home.

Wife had returned from grocery shopping. I gave her a rundown of my travels.

Anyway, I’d paid homage to my favorite author.

So it was a day well-spent.