[From a little letter to Jimmy]

Not quite Oblivion, but almost.

Perfect timing on Cashapp..I had just got back to KIA from a coastal cliff hike. This is a cool place, literally. I did my normal thing, stood close to the edge a lot. Couldn’t really cry, so I prayed for guidance instead.

Along the way there was a guy sitting in a folding chair on a cliff prominence drinking IPA out of a can — looking sad — and I saw him do a bump [drugs] off his hand, too.

Nature’s (Artist’s) depiction of Man.

I was nearing his sitting place on the way back from which I came, and a huge raven was standing there upon the path. I slowly approached, got pretty close — maybe eight feet away — and the raven was gesturing and clicking, vocalizing. I talked with him for a bit and he kept nodding in the direction of that sad man I had earlier passed. I told him, “Thanks for the guidance,” before I left.

I approached the man, said how-do-you do. He lied, “Pretty good, how about you?”

I told him,

“I’ve been better, I’ve been worse.”

“Everything okay?” he said.

“Yeah, everything’s okay. You?”

He paused for an almost imperceptible second, said,

“Yeah. Everything’s okay.”

We small-talked another half a minute. I said, “Take care of yourself” and he said, “I will. You too.”

Thank you.

Now I can cry. Because I don’t think that man wants to be alive, but I also think we both just told each other that we’ll try.

Anyway, I’ve been seeing signs for this “Skunk Train” for a few days and a hundred miles. She rolled into town, Fort Bragg, right after I spent the beer money and parked for a little R&R. I once took an Amtrak from San Diego to Central Oregon and it was rad. This looks like it would be cool and hope something maybe we can do one day. Love you a bajillion. Pics or it didn’t happen.

I am searching for something. I just no longer know what.