Sitting on the dock of the bay

Carrie drives me to the airport at midday and I finally get my car. I’ve never been so happy to have a car. While Carrie gets lost on the way home, I manage to get there without a map. That makes me very brave. I make another meal, say goodbye and set off in the direction of Madison. After asking only 4 times, I find Lake Minona. This is where Otis Redding crashed his plane in December 1967. I listen to Sitting on the dock of the bay, flute along a bit and tease ducks with cherry pits. And realise that I need to buy an atlas.

Despite the atlas, I lose the way to Green Bay so often that I’m already thinking about just taking a road trip: no destination, just drive. At least then you don’t get annoyed about being wrong all the time.
The planned route was long. After 300 miles I’m in Appleton. I try some more war driving, find a wifi spot and check my emails. The guy from Green Bay hasn’t emailed. So I might as well stay in Appleton, get more sleep and hopefully get better.

I’ve been coughing again since last night. That was obvious. Two days before arriving in the land of 1000 lakes. And the wind was already good down here all day. I look for a pharmacy and try to get my prescription from NY filled. But in the USA, pharmacists are only allowed to dispense exactly what’s on the prescription. And unfortunately he doesn’t have the prescribed banger. It’s going to be a hot night…

I need a motel. My budget has already shrunk far too much because of the car. I’m trying to get by on $60 a day. And the motels here cost considerably more. After an hour I find one right next to the motorway. It smells like a septic tank outside and like smoke in the “lobby”. But cheap, 25$ – it won’t be too bad.

In Los Angeles, I wanted to look for one of Bukowski’s old lodgings. I don’t have to now. I think he lived right here. A bed, a chair, a table, a telly. Holy Bible on the table. I’m used to a lot. But here I only sleep with my jacket over my pillow. With the outside down, mind you. There’s really nothing in the whole room that isn’t completely filthy. I’m watching a game between the New York Yankees and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers lose big.