Post 9/11

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I wonder if my taking photos all around the Bay Bridge anchor room in full view of the National Guardsmen is to account for the increased security I’m seeing tonight. More helicopters than normal, and they’re flying closer to the Bridge.

I knew I was pushing it bringing out my camera and snapping away — especially getting the close ups of the razor wire against the bright sky. The gentlemen guardsmen were very tense, alert, following me as I moved about. However, I’m putting together a little pictorial essay of my neighborhood and I needed the photos. Nothing wrong with taking a little backyard photograph is there?

I didn’t get all I wanted, but I knew when enough was enough. I was very careful to let the soldiers see the camera at all times, and I dressed as innocuously as possible. These are no weekend warriors — these are people who are determined that nothing will happen to the Bay bridge on their watch.

See San Francisco! Nob Hill! Golden Gate Bridge! The cable cars!

The homeless! The garbage! The razor wire! The national guardsmen! The empty shops and vacant businesses!

By the way, do you think the razor wire picture or this one will be better for the California Photo contest?

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Hmmmm. Increased security at the old Bay Bridge anchor room today. National Guardsmen in plain view as well as some suspicious black vans with heavy privacy glass parked right next to the barricade on my side of the barricade. I should grab my camera and go down and take some pictures — see what kind of excitement I can generate.

Week before last some poor folks moving out of the Bayview Apartments had their moving van surrounded by four CHP cars and two CHP motorcycles. Reason? The movees were darker skinned, had dark hair, and I think one had a mustache. Ah, folks — I have a hint for you. Darker skinned folks with black hair aren’t that uncommon in California.

Last week a homeless person breached the Bridge security and set up an encampment right next to the bridge. It wouldn’t be so bad but this particular homeless person is scarier than shit as he has a habit of chasing people screaming at them. If he’s there, I can’t go to the only store in the area because I don’t know what he’ll do. When I called the San Francisco police department with the problem I was connected with a Sargeant responsible for San Fran’s vagrancy problem. According to him, the San Francisco police department isn’t responsible for any bridge security in any way. I would need to call the CHP instead.

Okay.

I called the CHP and was connected to Dispatch. I told them a homeless person had violated the Bridge security and was encamped next to the bridge. They said they would send someone out to check it out.

Two days later the homeless person finally just moved away on his own. Today, three days after the homeless person left, Bridge security is stepped up.

There’s a moral to this story somewhere, but damned if I can figure it out.