Book excerpt
I decide to go back to the neighborhood where I saw the Muse’s film, Unconditional. It is a beautiful neighborhood and I feel safe there. I drive around looking for a place to park. I find a random dark spot but when I awake in the early morning, I see quite a few joggers staring at me. That makes me uncomfortable. I sleep in the same spot a couple more nights but always awake to joggers peering into my vehicle. I decide to look for another spot in Culver City to sleep. The next night as I drive through a dark neighborhood looking for a spot to sleep, I notice a cop following me. I know I’m not speeding and have done nothing wrong, but he proceeds to pull me over.
“Do you know why I pulled you over?”
“No. I don’t.”
“Let me see your license and registration.”
As he walks away, I still don’t know why he pulled me over. As he approaches the car he peers inside and obviously sees all my belongings.
“Why were you driving so slowly through the neighborhood. Where are you headed?”
I hesitate.
“I was looking for a place to sleep.”
“Are you living in your car?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me that?”
“Honestly I didn’t think it was any of your business,” I say cautiously.
“Well, you’re not going to be able to sleep in your car in Culver City. Someone in the neighborhood will see you and just call us and we’ll have to make you move. You can park wherever you see the blue street signs.”
“Blue street signs?”
“Yes. When you see blue street signs you know you’re in L.A. and it’s okay to sleep in your car without anyone asking you to move.” I’ve never even noticed the street signs in Culver City were green until after the officer pointed it out.
“You know I could get you for the cover over your plate, but you have a good night.” The cover over my plate? I don’t understand but I search for the blue signs so I can find a place to sleep. To my surprise I find a nice spot directly across the street from Culver City and I drift off to sleep.
The fact that I am sleeping in my car is surreal. I would have never thought it would have come to this. I know there is a reason behind it, and I know that I am destined for greatness.
