1981 - A Fish Tale

I caught the 71 Noriega at 6am to go to work
I chose to begin my work day early and the first bus was at 6
I worked for Data Architects where we were developing a system for Crocker Bank
Crocker's Data Center was at Fifth and Howard
Muni dropped me off at 5th and Market and I walked the two blocks to the Data Center

There was a small parking lot on the East side of Fifth Street
In the entrance was a little shack to shelter the attendant on duty
The lot was closed at night
After closing on most nights, behind the little shack lived a one legged man named Gary
The parking lot owner let him sleep there and he would chase away scofflaws who wanted to park overnight
He asked passersby for spare change and if he collected enough would get a room or bottle or, if he got lucky, both
He was a big man and had a friendly nature

When I first encountered him I gave him some change
As the days went by and we saw each other more often, I began giving him a buck or two
On payday, or on a day I felt flush, I would give him a five or a ten
He would tell me the story about how he lost leg
Each time it was a little different
I don't think he was lying
He lived in more than one universe

Anyway one morning I passed by the shack
I remember it being shirtsleeve warm at 7AM
Gary popped out, he kind of danced when he walked
His wooden leg was shorter than the one made of flesh and bones
The VA offered a new prosthesis but he liked both his legs equally and did not want to give up either of them
He used a handmade crutch that sometimes made him look like a pirate.
On this morning when he saw me approaching he danced back to behind the shack and pulled out something wrapped in the Green Pages
The grin on his face and the sparkle in his eye indicated something special inside that newspaper

"Here, I caught this last night" he said as he handed me the package
It was a fish
At least 18" long and heavy
He had three more buried under a wheelbarrow full of crushed ice he got from the Pickwick Hotel nearby
He was taking the three remaining fish to a transient hotel to share with fellow travelers
But he save the best for me
"Take it home, clean it up, invite some friends and have a party"
I knew he caught catfish and ate them behind the shack
Sometimes there were remnants of a coffee can stove
But this was huge - I don't remember but I assume a salmon
Caught at Hunters Point

As touched as I was, I had no idea what I could do with a 16-pound fish
The security guard did not want to let me into the building.
I told him I was going to the cafeteria and throw it away there
I knew some of the staff who worked in the cafeteria
I always asked for more fish and veggie options at lunchtime
The chief cook, Gary, knew Gary from the parking lot
They were loosely related, both from near Pascagoula Mississippi
Gary (the cook) told me to come back around 2:30 for lunch

When I got to the cafeteria it was closed and I had to bend under a rope
The kitchen staff was sitting at a large table with colorful bowls of steaming food filling every inch
Mac and Cheese topped with Bread Crumbs
Mashed Squash
Biscuits AND Cornbread
Fried Potatoes and Onions
And a Platter of Fish Fillets with Greens and Carrots and Onions

Mrs D. was the manager of the cafeteria and sometimes gruff with me
Not this afternoon
She had certainly found the cooking sherry on that afternoon
She stood and toasted Gary, Gary and Gary
We clinked our plastic glasses of soft drink/milk/water/juice and dug in