smile I hear (and know) so many bad things about it, I really enjoy
hearing nice things about my home town.

Joy (born in East L.A.)

"Magic Mood Jeep©" wrote in message
news:CdGac.150455$Cb.1542891@attbi_s51...
Back in 1997 I spent a week with my brother in Sacramento, CA, and
then a
week with a friend in LA. My friend lived 1 block south of Sunset
(she
actually lived on Holloway at the time). I strolled up & down several
times
that week, always crossing at a light (few & far between at that
point), and
one time decided to cross over & head back to her place in between
those
rare lights. There was a cross walk there (I might add that this was
at the
bottom of a huge hill), so I decided to wait for a break in traffic to
cross. A gentleman joined me in the wait (though we didn't speak),
and
after a couple of minutes, ALL FOUR LANES (2 lanes in either
direction) OF
TRAFFIC ****STOPPED**** to let ****2**** people cross the street!!!!!
I was
flabbergasted/stunned/shocked!!!! Here in Bloomington (with the
Indiana
University campus nearby) even if you cross at a cross-walk, stop
light or
stop sign or not, you're risking it!!!!

Also, when I arrived in LA, I took a cab to meet my friend in the
office
building where she worked (it was staffed by MGM employees at the
time, but
was not near the studios - I think it was mostly accountants, lawyers
&
advertising), the cabbie (besides barely speaking English) 1) gave me
too
much change and 2) carried my luggage half way around the building to
the
entrance. When I got inside the building, I was getting ready to take
said
luggage onto the elevators to go to the 14th floor, someone else, a
nice
guy, grabbed my suitcase & DID NOT try to run of with it but actually
HELPED
me on & off the elevator (even though he was going to a different
floor),
and I didn't even ask!!!! A total stranger!!!

Not ALL people in LA are creeps, gangsters or thugs.
--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy
former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
http://www.geocities.com/the_magic_mood_jeep/
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep


"Bev" wrote in message
...
As I make the arrangements for our Alaska cruise I am reminded of
our
first trip overseas and in particular our stay in LA.
We stayed at Santa Monica on the way home from that trip as I wanted
to
attend a writers' conference held there.

I have never forgotten our trip to downtown LA by bus. From memory,
we
caught a bus that said Sunset Boulevard on the front. Then our
troubles
began. The bus driver hated us on sight. We didn't have the
right
change and he slapped his hand on a box by his seat and snarled at
us.
We couldn't understand what he said and desperately shuffled through
handfuls of alien coins trying to please him. I guess we looked a
bit
odd. We hadn't learned to dress like the locals
(something a traveller should always do when he/she goes away)
I think I was wearing a sun-frock, unheard of in those days in LA
and
John a sports jacket. We also spoke with a funny accent and people
sometimes had trouble understanding us (and we them).

The bus seemed to be travelling all day, people got on and off every
two
minutes and we slowly began to realise the length of Sunset
Boulevarde. What seemed like hours later we thought we might be in
downtown LA so got off. Big mistake. We didn't have a clue where
we
were and badly wanted to use a toilet.

We wandered along, being eyed by a lot of seedy characters and found
a
garage with a toilet attached. It was locked, tighter than a tomb.
We found the owner, a Mexican man and asked if we could use it. He
smiled at us and said in impeccable upper class English. "I am so
sorry, I do not speak English".

We got on another bus and travelled on, we knew not where.
Got off again and finally decided that Americans did not have public
toilets. We finally found a bar - whew!!! We got a taxi back to
Santa
Monica.

When we left LA we got a taxi to the International airport.
A downy-faced youth appeared in a car that looked as if it had been
used
in the Demolition Derby. He would never have got a Warrant of
Fitness
in New Zealand. He put our cases in the boot (trunk in the US) and
I
noticed that there was no handle on the boot. "I hope you can get
that
open again" I murmured uneasily. He patted me on the shoulder
soothingly.

At the airport the boot wouldn't open even with the bit of wire he
kept
for a key. Half an hour passed, three quarters of an hour, we
were
getting nervous, were we going to miss the plane. Finally he
kicked
the thing in frustration and presto!!

This will be our fourth trip to the US. Except for the surly bus
driver people there were unfailingly polite and nice to us when we
stumbled around wanting advice and directions. We will be in LA on
the
28th, 29th, 30th and 31st of August and staying in Burbank with my
cousin. Later I will post her addy and phone number if anyone wants
to
get in touch with us, or visit.

Bev

-
I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic.