“Today is one of those days the sun comes out to really humiliate you.”

On days like this it’s impossible to stay inside. Just try it. Something will force you out. To confront the ball of fire that sits in the sky like a cigarette burn with hell behind it. So I go outside to go inside. I go into the tunnels under the city where it’s dark. Pitch black in fact. It’s my way to escape while also giving in. I would say that the sun feels good on my skin but that would be a lie. Not on a day like today. Today it burns. It burns in mid December because Los Angeles.

We don’t enjoy seasons in LA. We get summer and winter but you could wake up mid July and it could be raining outside. You could be wearing a heavy coat for the 4th. Christmas could be a barbecue day. Fire up the grill and cook some ribs. This isn’t global warming. It’s always been like this. LA is anything but predictable.

I stop by 7-Eleven as per my ritual to get an energy drink and something to stave off hunger half way through my piece. You never eat the “fresh” food at a 7-Eleven. EVER. It’s the equivalent of eating trash out of a rat's mouth. I know it’s cheap, I know it’s easy but respect yourself, you know? If you can’t respect yourself at least respect your asshole. You get some chicken wings or a slice of “pizza” and you’re going to have the runs, deep in a tunnel without a shred of toilet paper for miles. Literally. It’s not a good look. Even if you’re by yourself. Rushing your graffiti, clenching your ass... this was supposed to be relaxing. Fun, even. You’ve ruined it. Ruined it with the promise of what? A satisfying slice of pizza? From 7-Eleven? Trust me, it’s a lie.

On the way in a homeless guy with a big red beard holds his hand out and says, “when they fuck you, they do it without a jimmy.” I stop.

For that I can give the man a dollar. I check my wallet but it’s empty.

“I’ll get you on the way out, buddy.”

Red Man mumbles and goes back to a binder filled with papers. He’s got important business to take care of. I envy him. I have nothing but spray paint and a disdain for my father.

I buy an extra bag of Doritos and on my way out I attempt to put the chips in the red man’s hand. This is when I realize his hand is not empty. I realize this because his hand actually has a knife. Knife isn’t really the right word for it. I guess you’d call it a shiv. It has tape wrapped around the handle part and the blade is more pointy than I'm comfortable with. I realize this because he uses it to rip open the bag of chips. As the orange triangles rain down I let out a “YEEEP!”

“Take it. TAKE IT!” Screams Red Man.

Red Man wants me to take the knife. Why? Why does he need me to have his knife? The whites of his eyes are yellow and bloodshot. His teeth are stained with a thousand cigarettes. I knock the binder out of his other hand, papers fly everywhere.

“The children!”

I run.

To be continued...

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