Oakland Marriott Convention Center
Linda and I planned our “family day” outing to attend a rather nebulous event based on “the future of cannabis.” We had no way of knowing that there was a strike going on at the Oakland Marriott Convention Center! We drove around and around and were almost ready to just call it a day and leave when Linda decided to drive two blocks down the street from the side of the building. There was one handicapped-accessible parking slot. ONE! That’s all we needed. Emily had a hard time standing up and walking due to her nerve pain so I carried her most of the way, then put her in the leather carrier on the floor of Linda’s scooter.
We were late to the one seminar we were interested in, that on micro-dosing, with a panel of cannabis professionals. It was interesting and Linda especially liked the idea of “slips”–paper-thin wafers containing only 2mg of THC (sativa, I believe), to be taken at frequent intervals during the day.
It was a strange ambiance there in the once-familiar hallways and presentation room that, many years ago, was the home of the computer shows in the late ’90s. Nothing looked the same, really. Everything–exhibitors tables, people’s clothing–seemed to be covered in black. We didn’t know anyone there, so there was no human interaction of any kind.
On the way back to our van, Linda stopped to apologize to the picketers for crossing their picket line. They wore bright red shirts with big white lettering that said, “ONE JOB SHOULD BE ENOUGH.” Indeed, it should! But it hasn’t been, even before my kids were grown. Their father always worked a part-time weekend job, whenever he could, in addition to his full-time job as a lieutenant in the United States Air Force.
But I digress.
Emily walked a little better on the way back, but Linda did not want her to walk even in the little patch of grass on the edge of the city park. She was afraid there might be needles in the grass. Needles laced with heavy drugs and/or HIV/AIDS contaminants. I picked Emily up long before we got there. She had already peed on the sidewalk. She’s truly a city dog!
