Shocking SF

Well I’ve been here long enough to get a good taste of local flavors, if you will. But be advised: I am going to give an objective account of the things I have experienced in this city and it is not for the faint of heart or easily offended! For you see, San Francisco seems to have a plethora of raunchy, offensive goings-on.

Cocaine. Yeah, it’s pretty abundant and readily available here. What about marijuana, you ask? Well that’s nothing! Just down the street from Buca di Beppo is a clinic licensed to distribute pot for medical purposes. You can tell that’s what it is because of the sign sporting a large pot leaf out front. So since San Franciscans have accepted the pseudo-legality of the drug and pass it off as nothing more than a harmless recreation (but don’t most people anyways?), they’ve vested their amusements into something much more stimulating. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if there was no cocaine in Nashville, I just never had to wait outside the bathroom while someone was doing lines inside. But then maybe I’m just an innocent... Point being, everyone does it, everyone loves, and it keeps this city raving.



Well we all know SF is gay-capital of America. No surprise there. But have you ever heard of Folsom Street Fair? This magical days occurs in October and celebrates all that is bondage with a public parade and nonchalant displays. By that I mean sex in the street. I know, sounds unbelievable, right? Well ... let me just say you don’t want me to go into detail. But I suppose this ties nicely into the fun little fact that at nearly every festival or fair, there are always naked people. I don’t know how they get away with this, but there they are, pink, fleshy and exposed for all the word to witness.



Another fact of city life are all the crazies and homeless people (usually but not always one in the same). You may think that last paragraph explained those types already, but you’d be wrong. Those were just recreational nudists and exhibitionists. These are guys different. They stand on corners shouting or mumbling, the only coherent words being vulgarities. While they sound hostile, they seem altogether harmless, simply loose a screw and with/without a stimulant. Others more or less ignore them, pausing their conversations just long enough to sidestep the sad heap of humanity. Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be many of this lot in my neighborhood. A bit too cold I think.

Shocking as this may (or may not) sound, let me add one very important observation: since I've been here, I have not witnessed a single act of dangerous crime. I have never even felt in danger or ill-at-ease, mostly because I avoid the sketchy areas of town and don't wander about alone a night. But also because most people are normal folks, trying to be safe and sane.