Woke up around 8 am after a good night’s sleep. Rusty and Chapple were staying at (Ringo’s brother) Paul Harrisson’s house while Daddyo, Traci, (Traci’s friend from L.A.) Jade, Our friends Steve and Su and Scottish Steve were staying at Ringo’s house. I was at Jo Anne’s, with Keith coming by in the afternoon. About 9am i went with Jo Anne to walk her dog. As she bent down with th epoop bag a huge gust of wind pulled it from her hands and then, with a mind of it’s own, the bag raced down a York street. I ran after it and appeared to have it within reach when it disappeared into thin air! I looked around. I t seemed to be nowhere. I looked at an old lady. she nodded “to your left” and, lo and behold, it was hiding around the corner, near the post box. i went after it and, in al the excitement, the bag took off so another chase but this time i was too swift and cornered the little bugger next to a sign post. After we walked the dog (Taz is her name), Jo Anne made taost with butter and blueberries and then we was sat in the nook for tea with milk. i walked to the post office afterwards and mailed some postcards to some friends and family (especially my friend, Deborah, who i miss loads) and some diaries (Days 45 & 46) to Caryne. If she’s as good as i think she is, they should be up by sunday night! See, Caryne’s a school teacher so she knows how to get things done! So Keith rings me about 11am saying he’s taking the train down and should be in York nearer to half past 1. So about half past 12, Jo and i set off for town, which is about a 15 minute walk. it is during this walk that a disagreement ensues on which route is the best route to get to town centre. Jo seems to think the way near the horse track is best. i diagree and suggest Bishopthorpe is the quickest, as she lives in Southbank. But we do it Jo’s way and it takes far too much time (Napolean invaded Russia in less time…) So, as we walk past the York Rail station we eye the Maltings, which is a freehouse Pub and carries Black Sheep Ale, which is made by the Theakston’s family. But the Maltings is too full, as it’s friday afternoon and everyone has left work early in order to start their weekend properly pissed. So we walk over the bridge and bump into none other than….Antonia Taylor Harrison (AKA, “Mrs. Ringo”). So we turn Toni round and our trio headed to Varsity for pints and snacks. Jo doesnt drink so she had cranberry jiuce and orange juice. Toni had merlot and i had Stella. Jo and i ordered Chips with veggie chili (Jo’s a veggi girl) and that was good. Then Keith showed up and he had a pint of Stella and this was about 2:30. Then Rusty and Ringo showed up about 10 minutes later. Then Daddyo, Traci and Jade showed up and we had a serious octoberfest going on. after that, Jo, Keith and I walked back to Jo’s house and i was really tired. Plus i’d gotten an email that wasnt too good and i was in a bad way. Keith made me a cape cod and then i napped from 4pm till Ringo called, which was just before 7pm, as we were supposed to meet them at a pub and then have a curry. i apologized and then we hit the road. Again, taking Jo’s way (AKA, the long way) but we finally got there. The curry wasnt bad. i wasnt much hungry. the waiter was a really funny guy. i had water at the resteraunt, as i wasnt much up for a pint. afterwards, we met up with paul at the White Swan pub and everyone had drinks cept me, who again had water. i know it sounds crazy but it’s true. i sort of started off and thought about things. i recalled a Billy Bragg line that suggested “love was not a game you played to win” and with that we were at the taxi stand and soon we were at Jo’s. and of course we asked the taxi driver which way was faster, the horse track way or Bishopthorpe? he said he didn’t know but that he always took Bishopthorpe. and for some reason i didn’t feel vindicated and Jo wasnt really impressed with his answer as well. and so, as it sat, the time was a bit after midnight and Keith was playing his punk pop CDs (as usual) and i was tired, even after a cuppa tea. I went off to bed and couldnt sleep. i laid up till 4am just thinking. on a cold York night. finally dozed off but woke up again at 7am, which was DAY 48. tomorrow would be my 7th week on this road trip. I missed my son, Julian and i know he missed me. I thought about the baseball game i planned to take him to. i hoped the Dodgers would suck again this year. But what difference would it make. i once hope this would be my year. But this was the Yankees’ year. Any idiot could see that.

Mike Randle