yeti decided to leave home.
even though had not saved enough money.
decided to just leave anyway.
to go to paris and be a novelist like scott fitzgerald or gertrude stein, or to san francisco and be a beat poet like kerouac or bukowski.
sit in cafes and drink wine and smoke opium.
went down to the bus stop.
decided to spend half of money on bus ticket, go as far as ticket took.
changed mind at last minute, bought ticket for one third of money.
bus half full, pulled out at dusk.
rolling down the highway.
people on bus all ordinary looking people, wearing baseball caps.
yeti only person on bus not wearing baseball cap!
except bus driver, wearing visored hat.
yeti’s stop. middle of nowhere. still long way from san francisco or paris.
wanted to reconsider, go on to larger town, but mean look in bus driver’s eyes.
bus pulls away, disappears into the night.
yeti walks down dark street, backpack on back.
feet a bit sore already. should have bought new sneakers, but can’t afford everything.
no stores open, no all night cafe, no mcdonalds or burger king, nothing.
this is the time, yeti thought, where i should meet a friend.
and right on cue, a friend appears.
or at least a breathing creature walking upright.
“howdy, stranger,” said yeti, a carefully prepared opening.
“hello yourself. “ the stranger had a white face, long black hair, and eyes like a raccoon. dressed in black, but like yeti, no hat.
“my name is yeti,” said yeti.
“not a very cool name,” replied the stranger.
“i’m sorry. it is what it is,” yeti blurted out.
“that’s a pretty stiff thing to say. what are you going to say next, that it isn’t over until it’s over?”
“what’s your name?” yeti asked the stranger.
“zombi.”
yeti did not say - a name was a name.
instead said, “i need someplace to sleep.”
“what about the ground?”
“i’m not used to sleeping on the ground. i just left home today and i am not used to sleeping on the ground. and it looks like it might rain.”
“are you afraid of getting wet?” zombi asked.
“i would prefer not to,” yeti replied.
“in that case, i think you are going to find the universe a hard lonely grueling maddening place. nevertheless i take pity on your weakness and i have a suggestion as to how you may spend the night indoors.”
“thank you, that is very kind of you.”
“down the road apiece you will see a little brown house. the number will be 34 - the number of the serpent. it will have a sign on the lawn saying dangerous dog but there is no dog.”
“is there a serpent?” yeti asked.
“it depends what you mean by a serpent. be that as it may, ring the bell and you might be admitted.”
“might be?”
“nothing is this world is certain. you asked me for assistance and i have given you assistance, which you may accept or reject. i bid you good evening.”
and with that zombi left yeti and proceeded down the road toward the town and the bus station.
yeti watched zombi go.
had wished good evening but not good luck.
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