Dave Went to California
US Interstate 5 (I-5), which runs north-south on the west coast of North America, from British Columbia through Washington and Oregon state to California.
1988.
Dave heard the song first time he crossed the border, I-5, California bound
no money, none, save for a Shell card “borrowed” from his mom
his car a loaner too. The card, enough for gas, slim-jims, egg muffins
and an endless pour of styro-tepid-coffee, Zeppelin II and IV his company
for Californian pilgrimage, there back, four days, an aching in his heart
day one and two Zep II, day three and four Zep IV, four sticks
the ciggie slim-jims keeping company with Bonham fills of tom-tom, coffee, petrol
always I would wonder what the fuck took Dave so far away for just four days
his misty mountain redwood hop past Monterey across the Golden Gate
where ghostly haunts of undead Ferlinghetti, Grateful Dead, and Journey echo
ins-and-outs of intercourse and interstates, the off-and-on of off-ramps
turnpike turnarounds, an endless spin of wheels, squeals, rubber laid
in truck-stop bathroom stalls like rain-slick squalls with outsized keys
attached to hubcaps, who in hell would keep a key to access piss-soaked-cum-stained
shit hole lavs like this I couldn’t say, no way you’d find me here backed up
against graffiti getting off some exittramp, a hey-hey mama make you move a fast-cash
moolah sweat and groove, one mangy black dog mutt, another coffee, cold, banana cream
and Dave is heading north again but this you knew already from the scoring references
to IV and in the backseat 24, a flat of Pabst, two jerry cans before the Shell card’s cancelled
for the final day Dave knows he’ll get no coffee, fuel, refill, nothing left to eat
no worries he’s been here before, too often, he’ll survive just like his rifle toting dad
and mom – long suffering, will welcome him and cook for him and send him on his way
and check the post box, wait for her new Shell card to arrive.
US Interstate 5 (I-5), Vancouver to Los Angeles, via Google maps.
Stereo story #524
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Cheers to my writing partner Mala Rai, coming up with the Zeppelin writing prompt to trigger the inspiration. And to Dave, for living it. Oh yes, and to Jimmy and Robert too.