My favorite time of day is after midnight. I like it that most people are sleeping, and I have the whole world all to myself. Plus, most of the normal ones — anyone with any real sense — is already in bed. So it’s mostly just the weird ones or the wild ones still roaming around after midnight. So I tend to fit in more with those types.
I used to regularly cut through the Haas School of Business (or whatever it is) late at night on the way to my campsite. There’s this very nice patio area, hidden away on the second floor, and almost always deserted after midnight. And I used to go through all the garbage cans looking for food for my kitties. They often had catered events at Haas — and those business people eat good — so there were usually tremendous treats in the cans. Big slabs of roast beef and cheese sandwiches. Steak burritos. You name it.
The only other person up there was this one security guard, this young black guy who hung out inside one of the buildings. And I guess he noticed me going through all the cans. Because one night he opened the door and said to me: “Psst. Hey you. Come over here.” And I figured: “Damn, I’m busted.” And that would be the end of that gig. Instead he gave me this big bag of burritos and liter bottles of soda and other goodies. I guess he saw me going through the garbage cans and took pity on me. So he cut me in on some of the leftovers that HE had scored from the catered event earlier. . . And he started doing that on a semi-regular basis. Giving me bags of treats when I came through at night.
Of course I didn’t tell him I was mostly looking for food for my cats. Ha ha.
