Skunkeye just had a spooky experience. After dropping my stuff off at mi casa following work, I decided to celebrate the much-needed weekend by strolling up to 18th street to buy a big basket and some cheap tunes. I know, I know, most single people my age do happy hour... Skunkeye adopts orphaned music and collects third world crafts. And re-arranges things and does laundry for kicks.
So, I stop by the African store where they have 50% off baskets but decided to purchase on the way en retour because I was geetting a huge one with a lid for my laundry. Cumbersome to carry. Better to buy on the way back...
So-o-o-o and then... I go to the CD Exchange for about ten minutes and spend $1.90 for four pretty good selections (Julle Cruise's 90's oevre and two rather tasty compilations from Uncut and Muzik). There was a creepy older man with pink hair, awflully white skin, and in tatty leather reeking of booze and rather anxiously looping around and looking for a Berlin ("Sex, i'm a...") harranguing about. He just bothered me and, Lord knows, the freaks tend to gravitate towards Skunkeye. Like a magnet I am, dunno why, and I don't like it.
So, of course, I made haste and skipped the $2.50 section and went off to fetch my basket at the African store. Tisket-a-Tasket - might have been a in casket. Charred remains and all.
On the way back I noticed black smoke billowing out into the street and into the dwindling sunscaped sky. Good thing I decided to make my basket purchase last. Skunkeye would have been toast. The African store was on fire! Actually, no one appeared to be hurt. X-Dios. The firetrucks came and were hosing the place down. A stoopid crowd gathered to watch and the authorities told 'em to get out of the way. Go back to happy hour, ya fools!
I'm sure all the merchandise and inventory is ruined and I feel horribly for the proprietors. But dammit! I was really hell-bent on that basket....
Skunkeye,
I'm very glad that you weren't burned to a crisp! Stay safe out there and come back to work in one piece.
Biddy
Posted by: Biddy | February 28, 2004 at 11:15 PM