Breakfast-ham and cheese toast with a slice of pineapple under the cheese for oomph(!), if you are into that sort of thing.
Lunch-white bean soup and soft sausage
I left the ship at 2pm for a 3pm shuttle to pick-up me up at the Queen Mary to take me to Los Angeles Union Station.
At 3:30 I called the shuttle company and asked why there was no shuttle, they said wait 20 more minutes. 20 minutes later I called again and they said to wait another 20 minutes. This was for a prepaid reserved shuttle. I promptly canceled it. Thanks for nothing Prime Time Shuttle, you suck!
The nearby valet drivers ordered me a sedan for the same price (even though they got a cut), but at least I traveled in style. Made it to the train on time exhausted and ready for some shuteye.
April 5, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado
I was hoping that the last few nights of nearly zero sleeping hours would ease me into a deeply warm cocoon of slumbering goodness, alas, it t'wasn't to be (even though I took a double dose of sleeping pills.)
I attempted to remedy my malaise with the purchase of 3 "King Size" Snickers bars. The cashier chastised me and said that my mother would be disappointed, but she brightened up when she saw I was also buying a 100% all beef Hebrew National hotdog!
I spent the remainder of the night wandering the train.
The next day was spent wandering and napping. I found a good place to lay but there were 2 young Mexican kids who wanted me to play more than sleep. I spent much of the time teaching them English and them teaching me Spanish.
The conductor found a vagrant hitching a ride. After his capture he started to wander the aisle, now I have a very (un)rational fear that he will slit my throat as I sleep and get my new, sweat stained shirt all bloody.
I need a shower.
April 6 Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois
No sleep again last night, but atleast my throat remains sealed.
Got to talking with a man sitting next to me. Discussed the usual-politics (he doesn't care much for Obama, but we agreed that we hope he succeeds), travel (he asked me how much it costs to bed a Japanese woman, then informed me that a 16 year old Filipina wasn't so expensive), and drug mules (they are just innocent middlemen). It was the first time a black man called me "brother".
What little credibility he had went out with the bathwater when he said I was an eloquent speaker. Having a silver tongue and being tactful are two things I never expect to be said about dear ol' moi.
The man later did a quick look around the train carriage before stating "I'm not a racist, but..." (who knew that black people say that too??!!) then went on a rant about the "Jews" and Israel. I learned that American Indians used to be Muslim because they were originally from Africa. I didn't have the heart to tell him that they were originally whites but then god punished them and gave them dark skin because they killed Jesus somewhere in America's breadbasket.
As salâm ‘alekum indeed.
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