Made it to Cafe Trieste, nice walk br through a downtown where everyone seemed to be br 'preparing a face for work', till I got here to North Beach- br br only place in the world where Italy borders China. br Had to run over to China to buy a pen, br the storekeepers in Italy weren't up yet. br br So I've been here an hour and a half, br pleasant atmosphere, not too crowded, really a nice, br Italian, or Italianbeatnik, feeling. Civility. br br A guy came up to me, first asked if I need br any problems solved, I said I couldn't think of any, br then he asked if I might support the arts, br and showed me several booklets of his poems. br br Rather than reply with, 'BUT I'M GOING TO WRITE br A POEM MYSELF IN A MOMENT! ', br I just asked his prices, and bought the $5 book br rather than a $10 one. Turned out to be br 'duets', poems he wrote quickly with friends or passersby, br not satisfying to read, so far. br br I asked him if he'd autograph the book. br He brought it back to me a little later with his name br and 'Solve any problem, $20 an hour! ' 'Genius idea, $1,000.' br br 'Hey, wait, I wanted an autograph, not an ad! ' br br But he seemed so crestfallen, about to fall over like a stout br tower of Pisa. I patted him on the back. br 'It's ok, don't worry, you did autograph it, it's fine.' br br That's what I like about this place.