Baltimore, Maryland

When we roll up to the punk rock venue the neighborhood seems ready to see us leave, but accepting of their fate.

One punk rocker waits outside for us like a herald of strange news to come. More and more people show up. As we start our circus it begins to thunderstorm. Some young brat punks try to get some middle aged woman to buy them beer.
"Make sure to get what we said. Make sure not to get the wrong stuff for us," they say, holding up some large bills.
"Alright," she says. They hand her the money.

One hour later water is pouring through and forming puddles all over. I am standing in a doorway watching the rain come down. The middle aged woman has not come back and the brats are bummed.

I take a break in the door jam to watch the rain right outside. A man walks the alley towards me holding an umbrella and a plastic bag.
"You wanna buy a pencil sharpener?" he shows me the bag.
"No, I don't need one at the moment."
"please, man."
"I'm sorry."
"Do you think someone inside would buy it?"
I turn to look at three completely drunken bro punks shouting at each other.
"I am not so sure."

In the other room a small water fall is cascading over a circuit breaker and other miscellaneous imortant-looking electrical equipment somewhat affixed to the wall. It forms a puddle immediately behind our stage curtain. This puddle might possibly electrocute anyone that steps into it.

Whenever we go out on the Baltimore street everyone we see is very friendly. The sort of kindness we received from the residents of Baltimore was unsurpassed. Tomorrow a man named Robert will lecture us in homebum sermon style. As we eat hunks of watermelon on the street he urges us to remember always: we must take care of one another.

Later we will go to Red Emma's bookstore where folks are nice and Georgios buys a sandwich with a euro bill. Tonight, though, the punks who rent this concrete garage are at least grateful for our presence. "I am so happy so many of you are staying here tonight," one of them says to us. "Maybe you all can keep the rats away."