Entries this day: skate_frisbee_job_search

skate frisbee job search

2 August 1996

Last night was my most recent Wild Skating Adventure. I started at Fuzzy's at about 9pm and skated down to Jones Plaza, where a Rod Stewart impersonator was performing at Party on the Plaza. For some reason, there was not a very large crowd. ;)

I chatted with Joy and said HI to a couple of friends and tried to find someone to play frisbee with me across the street at Jones Hall. No one was interested, so I went to go play by myself, thank-you-very-much. Turns out there was a security guard there, who was not allowed to let anyone play in the area. Doh!

So I talked with him a bit. He's from Sudan and has a cool accent; Sudan has about 200 languages spoken there but everyone speaks Arabic; He's been in the US for a few months after being given political asylum in Egypt by the US. He still wouldn't let me play frisbee.

So I went back to the Plaza and assured Joy that it didn't *matter* if she had never played frisbee before; she could learn and be very good at it. We cruised over to a bank parking lot down the street and played there. She did quite well throwing for her first time.

As we played, a family walked by, including a 12-or-so year old girl. I had just missed a catch and she smart alec-ly smiled, "it helps if you catch it."

"Thank you so much," I replied.

After they walked by, she was still watching, so I threw it to her. She yelled, "hey don't throw it to me *I* can't catch it!" She missed, but threw it back pretty well.

Skated back to the Plaza and hung out there a bit. Some drunk guy was telling me (I think) about how he was going to become a ninja and one day everyone would want to be like him. One day, he's going to make a lot of money. He didn't have a plan of action, though.

Joy and Linda and I skated toward La Carafe, where they planned to get something to drink. I got sidetracked at Market Square, where some people were playing in the water sprinklers and shouted something including the word "frisbee" so I threw it to them.

I was hot; the water was refreshing; I took my skates off and joined them.

The grass felt super on my bare feet. Freshly cut, it made a great diversion from hot skates. My clothes were entirely soaked after playing about 20 minutes. Entirely refreshed and entirely wet, I went inside to chat with Joy. After about ten minutes of trying to figure out how we can meet Ms/Mr "Right", I realized I was only wearing one kneepad. Doh!

I hoped not many people would be interested in a lonely kneepad on the sidewalk. When I went outside, I found a guy selling flowers and watching for the owner of this mysterious kneepad. He asked if I would like to buy his whole bouquet of flowers for only four dollars. I truly did not have any money on me, but I was truly thankful for his gaurdian services, so I went inside and snagged a dollar from Joy. I bought 1 flower and talked with him for a while.

His name is David, and he's been homeless in Houston for about 6 months. He had been laid off his welding job in Dallas, and came here for a job that didn't work out.

While listening to his story, I could tell he took great pride in his welding work, as well as pride in that he has not resorted to any illegal activities to feed himself. I also noted that he didn't necessarily believe that anyone needed welding done.

I suggested simply that he talk to people, "say- who do you know that works where people weld?" Or maybe go to a truck stop and just start talking to the truckers, who certainly come into vaguely close contact with the welding profession. (Certainly closer than I do, as a programmer.)

Joy came outside and I gave her the flower in exchange for her answer to "who do you know that needs to hire a welder?" Her dad works over in the ship yards. Certainly he would know someone. She didn't have his work number handy, but the point was made clear: he may find work more easily if he poses that question to people.

David cruised over to Pete's Blues Burgers to see what he could buy for a dollar and to see who knew of some welding jobs. Joy and Linda cruised home, and I cruised back over to Jones Plaza.

The younger crowd of aggressive skaters were there, grinding on the steps, so I stopped to watch. Randy saw my frisbee so I threw it to him and we tossed it around a bit. The drunk would-be-ninja guy was there and he played pretty well for his condition. Maybe he will be a ninja. I did a few cool catches, considering I had to navigate the curb, parked cars, and a few moving vehicles on the street. At least *I* thought they were cool.

They weren't cool enough to keep me entertained for more than about 30 minutes, so I went home.