Crazy black guy on Market St. dancing to James Brown

Just when you thought you've seen it all in San Francisco, somebody goes and takes it to a whole new level. I was walking down Market St. heading for the bus stop when I detected a low, funky sound from across the street. Could it be...could it really be...The Godfather of Soul, James Brown? Was somebody playing James Brown on a stereo? Was somebody singing James Brown live? Little did I know that the ordinary categories did not apply in this situation. I looked across the street, and lo and behold, there was a man was playing James Brown and singing James Brown! He had a crazy-looking stereo with wires coming out in every direction, a microphone set up in front of him, and he was singing along to James Brown's "The Payback." And this guy was old! He must have been at least 65. But he was singing his guts out, and he was even doing a little bit of dancing, in his own, 65-year-old man sort of way. And he had a buddy sitting there in a chair next to him the whole time, not doing anything. Maybe the buddy was providing the moral support, I don't know. And then the CD was skipping occasionally, so the guy would hit the button to re-start the song, and he would get all into his groove and such, and then suddenly the song would stop, and he had to reach over and push the button again. But he was pretty into it.

Now I don't know if he had the city's permission, or if he was just some crazy guy with a stereo and a microphone, or what the story was exactly, but I thought it was pretty awesome myself. People were walking by trying to cover up their smiles, but I just tapped my feet and waited for the bus. I mean, maybe this guy had the secret to life. Maybe this guy had achieved a whole new plane of spiritual existence that only a blessed few ever get to taste. Or maybe he needed some medical attention. I couldn't say. But I can say that it's guys like that that make you believe...in the power of Market St.