Halloween and I've a tentative date with Batsh*t, supposed to pick him up in Riondel and take him to the Cabin for their Halloween party...
I'm not expecting to see him there, it was "arranged" - if that is the word, by scroll, cryptic messages hidden in with all the "Mocha Java" and strippers and coffee cups.
But I'm not going to be the one to default on the date, I'm there, it's 5:30 (damned Ferry Schedule, either be an hour and a half early or an hour late...), 5 to 6 he sidles up to the jeep. Outside, raining, cold, he's cautious in his approach, I've noticed he doesn't make eye contact, he's got his coffee thermos in his hand, a plastic bag in the other, another gift...
We get to the cabin, it's mostly empty, the party won't start for a couple more hours, there's 5 waitresses there in various costumes, I'm starting to figure out where he gets his ideas for the 5 piece Electra Band, 5 costumed, nubile young women, as demons, zombies, always the bit of leg, breast, arm...
They know him, they're kind to him, he's flush, it's the end of the month. he's got an envelope full of cash...
I was hoping for some good documentary footage, but the light is too dim, and the flash bothers his face, nonetheless he tells a single story for me, afterward he segways into other stories, camera off, about how he's wearing Roger Vadim's Leather coat, about other adventures with Marilyn, Jane, Sophia...
He buys a round of drinks, the night continues, by 9:00 PM after the fire show it's time to run him back to his bike, hidden in the bushes, he digs it out and hops on, he's keeping his shack a secret for the moment, he's given me - in addition to some more scrolls, a bag of coffee and $5.00, just because, it's what he likes to do, and it crosses my mind that for someone with nothing he's one of the most generous people I've ever met...