Just Checking Out It looked hellish
A Huge Party.
without the boring, painful bits.
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by Joe B. On Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002. I’ve lived in San Francisco nearly a decade or more Halloween or Day Of The Dead celebrations were not on my top ten list. I was houseless and on G. A.[General Assistance and later work-fare]. Plus I’m basically a homebody with a messy room. A younger friend accused me of doing so because she might even though illness made her think otherwise. Just because I want to go this Castro thing now does not mean its because of her. I wanted to go because I never experienced it before. After work I rush home take a nap before take a shower then left with mint candy from Supervisor Chris Daly ‘s campaign of last night (they are left in my small refrigerator freezer to stay fresh). I was going to eat them as snacks but decided instead to hand them out to children trick or treating. By 8:58 I’m clean, dressed in a white Beverly Hills Polo shirt, [I didn't know that busty woman owned so much stuff! You know the one with the polo player on the horse? A lazy eyed rich guy is my disguise plus mints and tape recorder if I am to write about this night. The night sizzled, people walk, drive, on busses towards the Castro District conversely coming from the opposite direction are streams of people going toward Market Street. Traffic, people stop, voices of cheer and leers make their sounds mostly a younger crowd are walking steady upwards as others were heading up to Castro. "There are video camera’s filming" a young black women says talking her group friends. The crowds increases on the way there is live music of funk and singing by known or unknown artists. I’m glad I have endurance it works for me now. At the bar / café called The Mint, I gave three mint candies away because I cannot find children the two young girls and guy thanked me as I moved on up to Castro. As the migration continued it begins to be more dense as the crowd and I passed Safeway. I saw port potties which is a lode in case of urination. Quickly I go up the hill to Castro and States to watch the multitudes below. There is lots of "Oh, My God" from other people as well as myself when looking back down the hill in the gaping mouth of undulating bodies some who began celebration early. Costumes are inventive, genius, and full of fun I just worried about death walking around in plain sight without a costume. A few rowdy people, arguments of pissed off girl and boy friends with cops and new vans also near the bottom or riding up the hill. Some grounded fireworks and by twelve I start down the hill. In an apartment complex a young women display their upper body parts and on street level I get a cheap thrill from a young miss dressed as Marilyn Monroe. Decked out in the famous classic white dress scene in "The Seven Year Itch '1955, a stepping over a subway grate as an updraft blows her dress up. This scene turned her into a star and icon. (Thank You, Hollywood.Com). This Marilyn is petite proudly showing her breasts for the crowd saying. "Want to see real breasts I have real tits." She’s one proud and pretty woman. While I entered the crowed again for a bathroom break one realizes that in a crowd your still warm. The streets are jammed packed as I trudge back to Market Street. Mounted police, helicopters, cycle cops, NBC 11, KRON, and 5 with satellites up to view the part atmosphere. I’m down the hill, walking trough crowds, almost getting hit by two cars coming at from two opposite directions on Van Ness trying to an alternate room home. All I can say of this night is the Castro Halloween Party is an Absolutely Fabulous Event. The next time if I’m here I’ll have a date and a video camera. Please send donations to For Joe only my snail mail: Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org |