Off to California I go

Very early in the morning I plan to be on the trusty Greyhound bus on my way to downtown Los Angeles where my son Raymond will pick me up. My son Gary called yesterday to see if I was still going. I said yes. I did not mention that Doc was not going with me, since Doc is doing everything he can to make my trip easier, including paying for my ticket there, waking me up (if I don't hear my alarm) and accompanying me to the bus station even at 4:45 am. Greater love hath no other man short term. Gary was happy and said that he thought he would leave that evening, so hopefully the two brothers have been reunited in California. I especially urged my son Gary to see the show, as it was his dad, too, who disappeared into the desert. He was just not involved with him as Raymond was in their adult lives. However, he was ten years old when we divorced, so he took it harder than Raymond did. Dean always thought Gary had a good singing voice. I loved his rendition of "I am a child of God." The above photo was taken the year I left Dean. I am with Gary and Raymond in Phoenix.
Gary loves to go to karaoke bars and sing, but construction work does not leave him much time or energy for anything else. He told me once when he was in his late teens that he thought about pursueing a career as a country western singer, but he already had a taste for alcohol, and he said he thought it would be too much temptation for him and he would be better off outdoors and working hard. He has had a very varied and challenging career in construction where he has often acted as a supervisor on all the field jobs for his company, coordinating the work, delivery of supplies, equipment, etc.

I hope the two brothers are together in California as I write.
I also got a welcome call from my sister Linda in San Francisco who sounded happier than I have heard her since she left. She had just found an apartment there she really likes, close enough to the beach you can see the ocean! She is about ten minutes drive from her daughter Carissa's. It is across the street from the zoo. I said oh her grandkids will like that! Apartments are hard to find down there, even though her daughter was going to sign with her, but her son Scott who drove her up there found one on Craig's list, which had just come up, and they rushed down and got it! She says she will have to go down and get signed up at Social Services just as she would have had to do here, and it will be probably a month or more before she can be seen by a doctor.

Here Linda and I are, standing in front of the Beat Museum in San Francisco where Linda gave a reading of her Bukowski poems last year, and displayed some of the 'heads' of poets she has sculptured, including her rather famous one of Bukowski. I think Linda is very happy now that she has made her move, and I wish her a more fulfilling life doing her art work and writing her poetry in beautiful San Francisco! Once she has received the proper medical treatment I am sure she will be on her way!
Here is her review of Bohemian Cowboy: "I saw Cowboys and Bohemians in L.A. last weekend, first by myself and then with family from Utah. I think it is a very powerful piece of work with insights coming from many directions of the feelings between a father and son. The mystery of Hanks disappearance sticks in the mind. I felt all kinds of emotions as Shurtz moved the story forward, including chills up my spine, sad, happy, embarrassed, and I would say almost grateful sometimes. I don't know if I was grateful for good entertainment...good writing or a good performance.
Raymond King Shurtz is my nephew, but I have followed him through numerous plays in Phoenix. His Blue Baby play won the $5000 fellowship award in Phoenix without hardly a word of praise from the local critic. I was so happy to see the wonderful "Pick of the week" review in LA Weekly. He deserves every word and more.
He and his mom lived for a time with me in Silverlake area of L.A. when I was with Charles Bukowski and Raymond was lead actor in the high school play. He still has it and so much more. You need to see for yourself 38 pages of dialog come to life. He is also a fine poet.
Linda King"

News Flash!!! Raymond just posted saying that David Foti who runs the theater complex has asked him to extend the show another week as more press is coming to review! Gary got there and will see the show tonight. See Raymond's blog Cowboys and Bohemians on my blog list and read the latest.