9-8-99 W 3:20 PM

My desk at Wilshire Hill. I’m tired and thirsty. The water in the fountains is brown with rust and/or lead and/or raw sewage and/or something. I tried to work on stupid-ass Jim this morning to no avail. I ate cereal and drank coffee but left without drinking my juice and vitamin. I got La Opinion and the Times but haven’t had a chance to read them yet.  Today was the first day of the 99-00 school year.  Only eleven children showed up.  We talked about the class rules, and we introduced ourselves and made posters of our favorite things and did a math lesson. I had Taco Hell for lunch. Since school has been over, I’ve read a few more pages of the sparring between Drake and Ledesma at Cartegena. Now I’m doing this.  I can’t wait to drink some non-rusty water. I’ll have leftover fish for dinner. I’ve got to do a new third-person page. I’ll read the papers at home. Five’ll get you ten I’ll fall asleep. The to night school. Hopefully, a sentence or two will give itself to me for Jim. Then get a good night’s sleep and start all over again tomorrow. I have to figure out how to get my insurance to cover me with Gorlitzki. I’ll call the number on the back of the Blue Cross card when I get home. Tomorrow night I’m supposed to go to the Bounty with crazy Slim Jim Phantom.       We have the Dodger game on Friday.  I’d like to check out that cornfield maze this weekend. I think the Dan Castellaneta show wraps up next Wednesday.  It’s too early for me to be missing night school classes. Tomorrow, we’ll do summer vacation essays. I’ve got to clear off this desk. What else? Seems like I’ve been writing for hours and not saying anything. [green ink drawing of an elaborately windowed patio] It was mostly clear skies today. I can’t wait to have a drink. What’ll we do Friday?  Do a morning of self-selected reading? The new principal said she’d come by in the morning.