15.04.2005 The free person

Morning in San-Francisco. There are few people in the street. Most of shops are closed- it is a weekend. I was having a short walk through the streets running up. It is then in the evening when i got to the China Town by a famous tramway – a symbol of San-Francisco and found myself in a restaurant where i tasted sushi. My trip to America was great also because i had a chance to taste different cuisine of many world nations. At first the menu was European, but it didn’t last for a long time. Pretty soon i found myself in an Indian restaurant, then in Mexican and Chinese and Japanese restaurants and of course in a MacDonald’s. I didn’t like fast food and other viands of national cuisine. And so during my trip to America i missed so much Russian cuisine and Russian philology.
The sun didn’t burn, but was shining with millions of lamps. I was marching along paved streets, paying attention to the remarkable architector, nursed houses, rolling in flowers, luxurous cars. Friendly passers-by, having found out that i was a tourist, told me about the city and pointed the most beautiful places for taking photos, which should keep all memories of this unique corner of the world. On the left there was a church founded by some Norwegian seafarers, to the right there was a nice park. I went further. Suddenly a strange guy showed up in front of me. His exotic appearance struck me. Grey uncombed dirty hair framed his face. He had a strange head-dress saving from the heat, some shabby holey boots. He wore woman’s underwear instead of trousers and a skirt. This strange citizen had a “pacific” on his chest. At that moment i remembered what San-Francisco is famous for. Exactly in this place the hippies and beatniks movements were born. I had an opportunity to visit the place where Kessedy, Berroys, Keruak and Ginsburg met. Nowadays that place is a bookstore that keeps memories of the persons. The old “child of flowers” increased my happiness. He is an enemy of all conventionalities. His inner world is independent and self-appreciating. Who is he: insane or a person who keeps safe ideals of the youth, personal freedom, Non-conformism and peace.

Maxim Efimov
Septembre, 2002