Runnin' for freedom (Chapter 2)

San Francisco, the sun was rising above the horizon when the bus thundered into the outskirts of the city. I watched the buildings go by slower and slower, while the bus was making its way to the nearest bus-stop. Hopping of at Mission street I began looking for a vacant room somewhere, and thus I started walking. Before long I saw a building with a sign that said «Vacant room, $2 a week, ask inside».

Walking inside I saw an entrance, wallpapers which were cracked and faded in places, and a single big door where it said «Landlord». I knocked on the door and out came a fairly big man, clad in a dirty pair of blue paints, and an even dirtier t-shirt. He had a balding head,where the greying hair was hanging on for dear life, and when he opened his mouth I could see a set of teeth that hadn't been touched by a toothbrush for what seemed to be years at least. But he was a gentle and kind man, and we soon hit it off. It helped, perhaps, that I looked older than my age.

«So you need a room, huh?»; he said with a gruff and raspy voice.. «Well, you're in luck, I got one left.. It ain't much but we might get to an accord, I think.. Just wait here a bit, while I get my keys».
He went in for a minute, I could hear the clanking of keys and before long he came out again and said; «Follow me, it's in the second store.».

We walked up a rickety staircase, I could hear the creaking for each step we took. He suddenly asked «Do you smoke,boy?». «Yeah»; I replied, a bit dumbfounded; «I hope you don't mind».. «Nah, just as long as you don't burn down the house».. He laughed for a bit and then said ; «Now, the rules are simple.. After 11 at night, no fuzz or noise, all right?.. No parties either, I have had enough of cleaning up after hippies trashing my rooms. Besides, my wife has a bad heart, she needs the rest.The rent is payable at the end of each week, and I'll have to hit you for two weeks in advance I am afraid.. Think you can swing that?»..

«Yeah, no problems.. By the way, do you know where I can get a job around here.. I haven't got so much experience, but I don't mind doing heavy work.». We got to the room, and while he opened the door he said; «Yeah, I got a pal who has hiring for the moment.. He owns a garage a couple of blocks from here, It's heavy labour but you seem like a boy who could do that..Just walk down Kingston from here till you get to a big grey garage.. the Sign says «Hills Auto». Just say that Gaff sent you, he'll know what you mean.».

«Ah, here we are, not much as I said, but It'll do».. Not much, that was right.. An old fridge, a cooking plate. A bed which had seen its glory days long ago, a table and a couple of chairs. A window from which I couldn't see to much at all.. Well, I didn't care, I was happy having a roof over my head for the time being. Fishing up four dollars I said «That'll do».. Gaff handed me the key and said «Good Luck tomorrow kid.».

I tossed the suitcase under the bed, sat down and fished a cigarette out from my pocket and lit up.. Drawing the acrid smoke into my lungs I uttered a sigh of relief.. Finally I would have a chance of a life of my own, without the beatings. Without a mother that never fought back, without a father that never was any good. Thinking about my mom, I suddenly began regretting my decision of running away. But only for a while, I knew Pop would be the death of me if I had been there any longer.

In the afternoon I went out to find a store where I could buy me some food, and perhaps some beer. I was lucky enough to find a small store just 5 minutes away from Gaff's place. 20 minutes after I returned to my new home with a couple of bags of groceries, bread, milk, a couple of packs of smokes and incredibly enough two six-packs of Millers. It must have been my looks that helped me, because I wasn't asked for ID at all.1

I went to sleep early that day, being so tired from the long bus-ride. Tomorrow I would have to be fresh to stand a chance getting the job Gaff had told me about. 2