5.366 city adventure again

Sunday 12/01/2024

After an early lunch I caught the 12:55 Caltrain to the city. For cross-town transport I took Lyft, because Lyft has been bugging me for weeks to get 30% off my next ride. OK, I’m here. So that ride cost only $7.

Walked around the neighborhood of SFJazz, up to Octavia, which is kind of a funky little plaza with some semi-permanent pop-up stores and a youth vibe with young couples standing around shopping. Had an ice cream. Back to SFJazz for the 3pm show. This was a two-star bill opening with Eli “Paperboy” Reed followed by old-time harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite. “Paperboy” about whom I knew nothing, turned out to be a very enthusiastic blues shouter, highly energetic stage presence (to the level of me saying “oh come on dude, chill”) with a six-piece band that were good, and also quite loud. Loud enough that I thought about downloading a DB meter app for the phone. I was fiddling with my phone because frankly, Mr. Reed’s act didn’t engage me.

Musselwhite was a different thing. Quiet, modest, also old (he admitted to having turned 80, which got a lot of applause), but extremely skillful and soulful with the harp.

Coming out at 5:35 I wanted to get back to the Caltrain in time for the 5:55 departure. Brought up Lyft. I may have mis-used the app, but it seemed to be saying 6:10 pickup. No bleedin’ way. Cancel that ride, open Waymo. Right: pickup in 6 minutes. Trouble-free pickup and ride like last time, and made the 5:55 train with 3 minutes to spare.

Walking briskly home, on an especially dark corner, I didn’t see a low brick planter that jutted out from a building, caught my right foot, and fell. Came down on my left buttock and shoulder. Somehow my left arm came up and I back-handed the pavement with my left hand knuckles. That was the only damage, oozing abrasions on two knuckles. Damn if I know how I did that. Anyway, came on home, band-aids, ibuprofen, I’m fine.