Friday Jan 20th- day 14

I got my "Husky card" today which means free bus travel. Well, unlimited travel for $45, which ain't bad. In the evening, I went off to a gig. Four local bands I had never heard of- DAYLIGHT BASEMENT, THE PALE PACIFIC, STARS OF TRACK AND FIELD & THE ELEPHANTS. It was a bus and a walk through a ropey part of town on East Pine Street (a long street which turns all posh downtown). I found the venue, and paid my $8. On going in, the bouncer was asking for ID, and when I produced my driving licence, he kind of scoffed.
"Need yer pass port."
"Eh?"
"If you don't have State ID, I need your passport."
My bottom lip begain to quiver.
"How far away is it?"
"Oh, too far..."
So I left, with half a mind to go back and get it. And of course, as I walk away, I think of all the persuasive things I could have said.
"Look, I'm 33!"
"I've got grey hairs and everything."
"If you chop my foot off, you can count the rings- all 33 of em!"
"If I beat you at arm wrestling, can I come in?"
But none of these were going to cut much ice, and I realised that if he let me in he was risking losing his job, or getting thrown into jail to rot for ever... (CLANG!)

I trudge back to downtown and realise that going home and coming back is not really an option. Instead, I go to the Alibi Room- the gloomy little bar I went to on my first Sunday in Seattle. It seems to be "ladies' night". I get a beer, sit by the bar, adopt a classic barfly pose and drink to forget. Only I actually write some postcards, which isn't really what they do in the movies, but never mind, it cheers me up to think of some folks back home- Hi to Simon and Sarah, Liz and Brian, Lee and Lou, Jason and Elaine, Helen and Nori!