Camden - July 14 2002

Yesterday I woke up at 10.00 and didnt feed the cats, I thought I
had till I found out later that I hadn't. I fed my Mum &; Dad's cat
about 11 and then went round the corner to Christies to see if I could
get my haircut. But Simone was away with an upset stomach. I think a
lot of people have this bug at present. I had to walk into Leigh and
get some cash out then round to Del Boys which was run by Tony who knew
Simone quite well. After waiting for half an hour for those ahead of me
to have their crops, even one chap who looked like he had just had a
haircut had his head re-shaved, I had my grade 4 and 6 on top. Tony
kept talking about Simone once he had realised that I knew her.

The haircut cost me ?7 and i gave a tip. Then I bought a bottle of
Lucozade and went down the station, and the train pulled in just as I
got to the station and I ran and caught it. On the train I sat there
thinking, and listening to the music in my mind with my eyes shut,
while this Aussie bloke in the next section told his friends his life
story.

Out at Fenchurch Street, I walk down to Tower Hill and get the tube to
Monument, then through the passageway to Bank, and get the tube to
Camden Town tube station. Once outside I was in a throng of strangely
dressed people handing out leaflets about restaurants and bars and I
kept walking up past the Market on the right where people were buying
records and clothes, and the music was pounding out loud. I passed some
goths who were walking down from the Lock, they all had huge boots on
and long black hair. And there was me with my black leather jacket,
Bennetton racing tshirt and my Wranglers looking like a biker just up
for the day. I guess all these clothes are a way of identifying
yourself. Are you what you wear, I wonder?

I went in couple of shops and asked where the Man In The Moon was, they
looked at me and then pointed at the sky. I went in a pub and asked and
they told me it was further up the road.

So I find the pub, and again I have no idea what the people I am going
to meet look like, so I am reduced to asking if people are Karl? One
bloke said that Karl was Irish and became confused when I said that
Karl was English. I found them. And sat down and said hi to George and
Karl, Justin, 1LegSpider, Jude, his mates.

Missi had a chat with me about this and that and then I had a chat with
Jude and a long chat with Karl, as over the course of the next five
hours people gradually left. I was on Lemonade you see. Karl talked at
length about poetry and what its all about and writing and what that's
all about. We wandered back to the tube, and Karl was telling me how
much he loved going to Camden. I like the place as well, I have only
been to Camden a few times before and this time I didn't buy any cds or
clothes. It was about 8.15 and the street beaters were already out
banging their drums and there were lots of smartly dressed people
wandering about because it was the evening. We got the tube to Bank
which didnt take too long, I got the nine pm from Fenchurch
Street.

I rang my wife to let her know I was on the train and I rang ... for a
chat. I got them at the right time when not much else was
happening.

I fed my mum and dad's cat again and then got in, I watched Big Brother
and had some tea, then I went online and had a look at the forums. More
troll posts, what a yawn.

I wrote another poem, sent an email and then went to bed.

I am listening to the new Hives album as I write this, and it is good.
I like it.