Faces of Meth or my trip to the deep east.

159th and Division. This was the destination of my travels that day, a day in which I found a ultra rare 2 door 2nd generation 4runner. This is my holy grail of my 4runner purchases, as a stiff tariff on the trucks in 1990 made a bad business case for the Japanese, who in turn exported 4 door 4runners that skirted the tariff. I've only seen one in my life, which was t-boned by 4 of us teenagers back in my skateboarding days. The guy was fine, but his uber rare truck was toast. Our proud volvo, on the other hand, made it home with a busted radiator. But that is another story in and of itself which I can tell later.

So since fun camp will be right around the corner, I found myself a rare Toyota and figured the ways to allow for payments. This sucker is mine, I told myself over and over in a futile nature which I can't escape. I have a weird issue around this time of year in which I make a mad dash to buy something that can serve as a tent and an off road champion.

The deep east of Portland has never been kind to me. Most of my bad automotive purchases stem from the area. It really is another way of life out there. Coming from ultra pretentious Johns Landing, or Goose Hollow, there is a marked contrast in the citizens of the area.

Alarming aspect #1: Everyone walking the street has bitter beer face, usually a good sign of meth/crack addiction and a lifetime of generic brand cigarettes.

Alarming aspect #2: Birth Control is a foreign concept in these parts. The archetype seems to be this...15-16year old girl pushing stroller, stringy hair usually pulled back, wearing her deadbeat boyfriend's(you are the father!!! says Maury Povich) LugZ™ sweat shirt. And yes, she is smoking. The only time I've seen an abundance of tots with tots like this harks back to my bimonthly trips to Olympia(near Fort Lewis) and all of the Pregnant? billboards that litter the area.

Alarming aspect #3: In 3 blocks, all dumpsters were being picked clean by upstanding citizens who need a snack. Salvation army should just start operating at bus shelters. Also, anyone over the age of 30 is wearing the finest in 1980's fashions, such as acid washed jeans and full Canadian Tuxedos.

Alarming aspect #4: Check cashing, liquor, dollar store, and Churches bordering wire lined fences are the only shops out here, aside from easy credit auto lots, which frankly are a draw for me.

So what did the day bring? Let's take inventory...

I got a 500% interest rate title loan, 2 bottles of night train, a hit of Jesus, and an 89 Chevrolet Beretta that I'll financed for an 85 month loan. Oh and some meth. So me and my new gal Misti(or Trixy, I really can't recall) are expecting, and celebrating with some Magnum Malt Liquor. There might be something to be learned from all this, but I'm not sure what it is. Expect my english to get progressively worse and ThEn ILLL B TYPIN AllL Up IN DIZ betch.

-Nick aka Lil SKrAPz

ps I didn't buy the truck...too many miles. Eyes still wide open for another.

pps my face really itches and scratching for days on end seems to be a good idea. That's not dust on the hardwood floor, its the ash from my skin that makes Mount St. Helens seem like a 3rd grader's science experiment. That's what the chemical cocktail of meth does, I guess.