Latest
Update: February
19, 2001
12:11
PM, ROOM 222 OF THE ECONO LODGE.
I
quit. IÍm a quitter. Woke up this morning with no interest to
get the reel re-strung and head up to flog the Smith. Over it,
I guess. No fish. Loser.
I
took my wet clothes to a Laundromat to dry them, then drove up
the Smith to say goodbye to The Bull.
The
river looked as good as ever. Greg commiserated, reminded me that
it wasnÍt easy and once again suggested I go with a guide. I told
him I was going to go back to Half Moon Bay for a week or two
to help Eric Nelson and Curt Myers with their next Mavericks video.
Then IÍm going to drive back up in March and fish the Smith again
on the way up to Washington.
Greg
has a lot of boats in his yard: A Jet boat, a Zodiac, and several
aluminum and driftboats. TheyÍre all his. There is a different
kind of fishing happening every day within 50 miles of his house:
springers on the Klamath, summer steelhead here, fall salmon there.
ItÍs fish heaven, and I want to die and go here.
Greg
said heÍs heading for the Kenai in June and he listed all of his
other projects: Buffalo KeaulanaÍs beach bash, a trip to Mexico,
etc. etc. HeÍs a busy man.
Anyway,
I gave him the Douglas MacArthur, thanked him for his hospitality
and said ñAu revoir.î
I
took another look at Old Man River, shook my fist and drove back
to Crescent City.
Now
IÍm in the motel room fixing to drive south. I have about $50
left, and the charges for all those Valentines day FTD flowers
havenÍt come through yet.
I
just sent another book pitch to Sarah Malarkey at Chronicle Books.
I donÍt think she liked the murder mystery idea. Maybe sheÍll
like this one.
Sarah
Malarkey Chronicle Books February 19, 2001 Sarah,
Looks
like the murder mystery idea didn't fly either.
Here's
one more attempt.
I'm sitting in a motel room in Crescent City and just watched
"Escape from Alcatraz."
Several months ago I sent Aaron Kilber a pitch for a book called
"Cinema San Francisco." This would be a book the chronicles
the San Francisco and northern California influence on the movie
industry, from 1896 to George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola
and the digital revolution.
I
put together a business plan for a tour company that would take
tourists to all the famous movie locations within San Francisco
and a day's drive north or south.
But
the information I gathered might also make a good book.
You
could have interviews with Clint Eastwood and Robin Williams
and Francis Ford Coppola and other moviemakers who have based
themselves out of San Francisco and northern California.
You
could have a whole chapter on car chases, beginning with a deconstruction
of the famous chase in Bullit and then describing how
the car chase has become a cliche in almost every San Francisco
movie ever made. Some of the variations are funny, like Nicholas
Cage in a yellow Ferrari chasing Sean Connery in a Humvee in
The Rock.
I
have attached a chronology of San Francisco and northern California
movie history, including important movies made in the area,
and also movie people who were born in San Francisco and went
on to do great things. The list is pretty diverse and impressive,
from William Randolph Hearst to Gracie Allen to Jay Ward to
Danny Glover to Benjamin Bratt, and a lot in between.
It's
a big project. I don't think I would want to write it all, but
I'm sure there are plenty of writers out there who would like
to pitch in.
The Chronology of Northern California Movie History is attached.
I
will stop bugging you after this.
I just need something to do, and this would be a big project.
Thank
you.
Ben
Marcus
So,
thatÍs it. Loser. No fish. Heading south with some change in my
pocket.
I
need an oil change. ItÍs been about 12,000 miles. Need to take
better care of my home.
Bye
bye. Hope you enjoyed it. I shall return.
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