Tom is away this week on a business trip to San Francisco, a city we both like to shit on because it literally gets shit on all the time. Don’t believe me? Check out this poo map.
Despite the pain of being on a work trip in a “bum-ridden hell hole,” there are always upsides to being in California.
“It’s just lovely here,” texted Tom. I barely heard the phone ping over the din of yesterday’s torrential downpour. “Like 72 and sunny. I had to visit the Google office earlier, had free lunch outside overlooking the bay.”
I interviewed there once before, I said. I got a free bottle of water.
Also thankfully, Tom has friends there – the open-minded ladies who set us up, no less! – Last night, he dined with our friend Amy at Mandalay, a Burmese restaurant which is, according to Amy, supposed to be less famous and but no less delicious than the legendary Burma Superstar.
“How was it?” I asked this morning.
“Oh it was alright,” he said, “But I still want to get In n’ Out.”
I reminded him about the photo.
“I went out of the hotel and there were literally seven bums in view,” said Tom, “But it was super obvious I was taking a selfie so I had to aim for bums across the street.”
A little while later, he sent the photo above.
“Man, where are you?” I asked.
He is staying in the Tenderloin, which, if you Google Image it, produces these results:
Anyway, absence makes the heart grow fonder and I’m looking forward to Tom’s return tomorrow evening. He’s great over text, but he’s better in person.
Happy Thursday 🙂 And sorry if you live in San Francisco.
Also: Tom’s Thursday Thoughts on Bums, My Thoughts on SF Bums, and Literary San Francisco.
VERY HIGHBROW 
Lived in SF for 2 months in 2007. My wife and I prefer SoCal for many reasons. We live in Ventura now.
Tom and I were childhood friends in Tokyo. I discovered the Thursday Thoughts on Facebook. Amazing. He has not changed at all, except the appreciation for musicals.
No shortage of bums in the Tenderloin, that’s for sure.
Hi Leo, thanks for reading! Glad to know Tom has always been the same – except for the musicals 😛 Do you live in SF?