Slacker Town

Take Hollywood out of this town, take out the Dodgers, take out surfing and business sophistication and it would be a very different place.  Yesterday I went downtown and, ignoring the decayed opulence of any of its buildings, the town has the feel of any of a number of inland cities - Stockton, Sacramento, Spokane or Fresno.  Cities designed with grain hoppers and train tracks in mind.  Streets now vaguely smelling of dried urine.  Minor league towns.  Towns with some city life, but one with a direct link to the past.  Guys drive hot rods, wear pomade and listen to three-chord punk and the girls cultivate a Betty Paige look.   It's a backward looking thing.  It's a "what are we gonna do next" attitude.

Man that girl can take it.  One thing, tattoos and greased hair only look good until about thirty or so.