Looking backwards, to see forward

I was so glad to see 1992...
See, 1991 was such a year of turmoil: survived the "wars" at home and abroad; went from San Francisco to NYC and back in one summer(finding ACT UP in both cities along the way), and lastly staking my name and my reputation on a prediction that was a long shot at best: George Bush was going to lose the 1992 election. I said this right after the "Mother of all Battles" had been "won" by the international community.

San Francisco is like no other city I have ever lived, in the United States; people try to live most accordingly to the principles they ascribe. The level of personal responsibility and community spirit makes the city tolerant, and consistently contentious. Therefore people know where they stand and are ready to defend the choices made by neighbor and most importantly, by self...
Though when it comes to the "State", especially principalities(Sacramento) far away (DC), the lack of support and toleration diminishes according to their proximity to the city. The degree of enmity is only exacerbated during a time of international "conflict"; and unlike most places we San Franciscans do not sit quietly when roused. When the bombs dropped on Baghdad, we "dropped" our's too.
Mass gatherings in the city always brought the many different forces together; some hostile to the existence of the other but when it came time to gather...all local animosities faded.
Shit, you would see someone you knew, but was not active normally, wearing a bandanna and out for vengeance against the powers that be.
So it usually happened like this: an individual or group would call a meeting site; get the crowd roused and then head out to protest; since the mob is a great cover to strike at targets along the way it also turned into a storm of destruction; wreaking havoc, for every car and window shop that dared to represent the ruling class. That was the night of January 15Th, 1991, aka Martin Luther Kings birthday.
Well, I joined a group that had hid a stash of long wooden sticks and metal poles behind a building at Market and Van Ness. We waited until we were a block from Union Square, marching down O'Farrell towards Market St., an area lined with expensive shops and stores. When we got near Macy's it was on: 'Oops, sorry about that Macy's', 'darn I hate to see that done to Miss Tiffany's'...and 'oh no, not the Mercedes.'

Oh, Darn!

But as often happens in every society, there is going to be those whom are not as supportive of our direct actions, "stop that" they said adding, "let's stick to non-violence". This distraction was just that--a distraction-- though as if on cue, a more direct counter to our actions came from just behind me: "OK buddy", said the large white male presence among us..."you are going down."
Then he began to try and arrest me by grabbing at my sweater. His grip was as effective as the lefty "peaceniks"; I pulled away, turning the corner and headed towards Union Square via Stockton St. I made that run in the shortest time being care full not to look back to see if he had followed. "I just have to get to Leavenworth and Geary", I thought realizing that my home was just five blocks away. I crossed over, to the park side of the Square knowing that it would give me some cover in case I was followed. And as I said this a car pulled up besides me; it stopped and so did my heart(but I kept walking); as I was about to run the four men opened the four doors to their sedan, closed them and began to run towards the direction I had just left. "Damn, I have got to move" I thought as I crossed Powell, heading west on Leavenworth, and headed to my home in the "Tenderloin."
The Tenderloin neighborhood was San Francisco at it's dirty, smelly, best; a unique enclave home to everything and everyone you did not think could exist...but does. A place I still think fondly of, even to this day. (Way better people than the phony/plastic out of towners who come to DC)

Lucky for me it is close to Union Square; which made it a popular starting point on my many walks around SF. But, damn-- I have NEVER walked from it so fast nor felt its distance had been so FAR, then that night. I was so relieved to see the crusty old building that sat on the corner; I slid past the collection of working girls that always gravitated to those four corners. Jumped down the flight of stairs, and sat alone in that small basement apartment; I had a hard time forgetting the chain of events which had brought me to this spot. Thinking: 'What had just happened' and 'what about everybody else'; a concern for my 4 "dead heads" roomates whom I knew were still out there.
I exhaled, closed my eyes and collapsed into a deep, dark sleep...