My first home. On California st in San Francisco. I was born here in SF at exactly the same hour as Robert Capa was shooting Marines hitting the beach at Normandy June 6, 1944. It was the 5th in SF. Yup matched birth certificate with Capa records. Doesn’t really mean anything of course, but is just one of those good karma things. My mother told me this morning that she and my father paid $29 per month for a small apartment in this bldg. My father of course spent little time here. His battleship Mississippi based here but mostly out in the Pacific during this wartime. Surely this obscure and insignificant bldg becomes a key point for me now for Off For A Family Drive.
This is a video shot by Brandon Li on the night of the Lucie awards.
Photo of me standing in front of my first home by Bill Kotsatos.
AKAKY IRL: You’re going to be pedantic, aren’t you?
AKAKY: Yes, I am. How did you know?
AKAKY IRL: You got that look on your face.
AKAKY: What look?
AKAKY IRL: That smug oh I’m smarter than you are look. You always get it when you’re about to point something out that someone else missed. You’ve been doing it ever since you corrected Michael Morrissey in the fourth grade. Remember? He got the seven deadly sins wrong and you corrected him.
AKAKY: Michael Morrissey. I haven’t thought about him in years. Jesus, I hated him. Well, I wasn’t alone; everyone hated him. He was the teacher’s pet. There was always something about him that made you want to punch him in the nose.
AKAKY IRL: So what’s the big news?
AKAKY: What big news?
AKAKY IRL: Whatever it is that you want to crow about.
AKAKY: Oh…damn, I forgot. Something to do with the Marine Corps and the Normandy invasion.
AKAKY IRL: What the hell are you talking about? There were no Marines involved in the Normandy landings. It was a strictly Army thing.
AKAKY: I know that.
AKAKY IRL: So why are you bringing it up?
AKAKY: I don’t remember.
AKAKY IRL: You’re on drugs, aren’t you?
AKAKY: Other than the usual stuff, no.
AKAKY IRL: Yeah, right; tell me another one.
I recognize this house. Mark Twain used to live there, with three cats, all named Mississippi.
In a previous life, I was one of those cats. That’s how I recognize the house. Mark would say, “Hey Mississippi, come over here, so I can scratch your ears.” I would, too – but damnit, so would two other cats!
I am very pleased to learn you got your start here.
Hey Akaky,
You want pedantic???
On June 6, 1944 most Marine Corps frontline combat units were preparing for the invasion of Saipan in the Marianas, which they attacked 9 days later.
All through the Second World War, the overwhelming preponderance of Marine resources were allocated to the Pacific Theater.
Some of the Army units in the first and second waves to hit the beaches at Normandy had received training under Marine instructors, however.
Your real name is Morrissey, isn’t it, Sidney?
FrostFrog!! I 100% believe this story. xo
The video was interesting to say the least. Are we to understand that that shot of nude male and girl on rocking horse just happened? I’d assumed all along it was set up. It’s one of the best shots I’ve seen.