Saturday, November 10, 2007

Bus Report #267

I rode home tonight on the 38, from downtown after watching the film Wristcutters. It’s great, go see it, then read the story it’s based on, called ‘Kneller’s Happy Campers’ by Etgar Keret. He also made it into a great graphic novel called ‘Kamikaze Pizza’.
Anyhow, nighttime buses always make me sad. Something about the poor lighting and the mix of passengers that is so different than commute hour passengers.
I spent ten minutes watching the kid/boy/man in front of me pop his ear plug (you know, those rings or plugs people use to stretch out their earlobes) in and out of it’s hole.
Ugh.
Then some USF students got on and crowded the aisle in front of me.
I had my headphones on so I didn’t hear their conversation.
I got out a couple of stops early to walk and stretch my legs.
Clement was a ghost town already. There weren’t even people hanging out near Pizza Orgasmica or Coriya Hot Pot City.
I came around the corner and was about to cross the street near the donut shop. As usual, I looked through the glass windows to see if the Alien Donut Man was there.
And he was.
For the first time in at least two months.
Same blue ski jacket. Same rigid posture.
I was glad to see him.
I walked past the donut shop quickly, not wanting him to see me.
But I know he did: as I went by I could see him out of the corner of my eye.
Instead of turning his head to watch me go by, he turned his whole body.

4 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Wristcutters is a great example of adaptation of story to film. What a film and what a story!! Nice to read you knew about the original story!
I have loved Edgar Keret from the moment he started writing stories and re-read his collection of short stories "The Busdriver Who Wanted to Be God" (Toby Press $12.95)every so often (of which "Kneller's Happy Campers" is the last story)
GO see if you can get on DVD Keret's latest full length movie Medusoth (Jelly Fish in English), am sure you'll love it as well!

1:35 AM  
Blogger Rachel said...

Thanks for the suggestion of the film... Etgar Keret's writing is truly a revelation. I hope for some more stuff to read soon, translated into English...

12:58 PM  
Blogger Chicken said...

OH. MY. GOD.

I SAW THAT ALIEN GUY AT THE DONUT SHOP TONIGHT TOO!

I took my walk down clement at 8 pm after my parents got into an argument and.. i dont know man... he was just sitting there all weird.. not much hair.. and looked at me. shudder* Is that the man?

12:04 AM  
Blogger Rachel said...

love_4books and Rachel - yes, love Etgar Keret! Jellyfish was great. Have you seen 9.99? It's Australian and it is animated, I think it's based on some of Keret's short stories. Check out the This American Life website, too. They have some of Keret's stories on the show sometimes, and they are always amazing.

LittoBubbo - Yep, that was him. He seems like such a fragile being... I worry about him.

1:37 PM  

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