My father told me a story of how a cable car broke away from is tracks and joined a dragon in a parade on the Chinese New Year-- everyone wanted to come here. I guess it was just a matter of time...there was a magic that drew me back.

I moved to back San Francisco from Salt Lake City about 5 years ago. My initial culture shock was similar to Captain Kirk's experience after that transporter accident that sent him to the alternate version of the Enterprise, where Mr. Spock looks like the deranged beatnick...

I was watching one of those " bullshit or not ?" infotainment shows the other night and saw a segment on labyrinths. Apparently, labyrinths used to be the must have item for church court yards. They are circular mazes set into the floor in using colored tile. As you walk through the intricate spiral pattern, you are supposed to experience a change of mental state, and when you reach the center- you arrive at higher consciousness.
The " bullshit or not ?" program concluded with a stunning picture of the grand daddy labyrinth at the Grace Cathedral- San Francisco. I recognized the image on TV- it was about six blocks from my apartment.

Last night-I remembered all of this maze stuff as I was leaving the Red Room. I had just finished three whiskey sours and was feeling fearless and spiritual, so I walked up the steep hill to Grace Cathedral. The night was luxurious, it was misty cold and the thin layer of fog made the street lights of Russian hill a rich amber. I notice the moisture condensing against the skin of my bald head, it is almost too cold- which, for some strange reason, I found very sensual. Near the top of the hill I hear subterranean gears and wires making exotic music, ratcheting cable cars up California street. Three motorcycles shot by, their headlights making luminous tracers.

In the courtyard of the Grace Cathedral, I discovered the large circular maze. It's lines looked so- deliberate. The vivid blue tile against the marbled white. What the hell, I needed an altered state of something... I started my mediation in motion at the beginning, there were interlocking loops and twists, with only one path leading to the center of the circle. Okay... am I doing this right ? I found it difficult to silence my mind. I wondered what the lines represented. The one truth path to Heaven ? The lower intestine of God ? The journey took about 20 minutes, probably longer than it should have. I would have found it difficult to pass a field sobriety test and could not have walked a strait line for a cop to save my life. So, the maze presented a considerable challenge. The labyrinth was like the game I played on the living room furniture as a kid. Jumping from chair to sofa to coffee table- pretending the shag carpet was poisonous shark infested water. Carefully...carefully. I must have wondered what would happen when I got to the center. But at some point I let go of any expectations, it was then I looked down and found myself in the center of the circle. I turned around to look at the Cathedral, at that moment the bell in the tower rang.
Once- deep and soothing.
I was a charmed moment for me, when I realized how lucky I was to live here.