victor: where the nightlife is just a camper van away

i woke up and the first thing i saw was the sun trying to escape through the cracks in my tent. it was 6 am and already the temperature was at 31.6. i didn’t think i’d like it, but maybe i do? who knows. the sun was acting like it had a schedule, which was weird because it didn’t. i checked my phone and saw the weather: 31.6, feels like 31.71, which is basically a sauna if you ask me. i don’t know if i’m into that kind of thing, but it’s what it is. i guess you could call it a heatwave, but that feels too dramatic. i just rolled up my shirt and tried to ignore it.

there’s this place called the local diner that’s been on my radar for weeks. i don’t know if it’s real or just a dream, but someone told me that the pie here is so good it could make you cry. i heard that from a guy in a truck hat who was probably high. i don’t trust him. i don’t trust anyone in victor. not the locals, not the tourists, not the guy who keeps yelling at squirrels. if you get bored, cities are just a short drive away. i heard that from a drunk person at a bar last night. they were talking about something called bakersfield. i don’t know if that’s a real place or a myth.

the weather’s been all over the place today, which is pretty much standard here. i didn’t pack a raincoat, which was a mistake. i didn’t think it would rain, but it did. or maybe it didn’t. i’m not sure. the point is, i’m wet. not from rain, from sweat. or maybe both. i don’t know. the point is, i’m here. and i’m writing this because i have nothing else to do. except maybe check the weather again. it’s 31.6 right now, hoping you like that kind of thing. i don’t. i hate sweating.

i saw this photo online once. it was a girl in a sunhat, standing in front of a cactus. i don’t know if that’s victor or just a generic cactus photo. but i took a screenshot. i put it on my phone. i forgot. now i’m looking at a blank screen. i need to find another image. maybe something with trees? or maybe a photo of a bar? i don’t know. i need to make this post. i need to include the map. the map is here:

it shows where i am. or maybe where i was. i can’t remember. i’m in a tent. in victor. which is probably not a real word. or is it? i looked it up once. it was a misspelling. i don’t care.

the neighbors here are weird. not in a bad way. just... loud. i heard a man yell at his dog for five minutes. i don’t know why. maybe the dog stole his tacos. or maybe the dog is a dog. i don’t know. if you’re looking for a quiet place, this isn’t it. but if you like chaos, this is your spot. i heard that from a kid who was selling lemonade. he had a sign that said ‘lemonade or existential dread.’ i bought lemonade. it was good. the existential dread was free.

i saw a review online that said victor has the best coffee. i don’t believe that. i tried a coffee shop once. the coffee was okay. the barista was a cat. i think. or maybe it was a person in a cat costume. i don’t know. i asked. they said no. but i still bought a coffee. it was lukewarm. i didn’t mind. it was warm enough to make me happy. it’s 31.6 degrees, so lukewarm is fine. i don’t know if that makes sense. maybe it doesn’t. maybe it does. maybe it’s just a random thought.

there’s this wall near the diner. it’s covered in graffiti. not the cool kind. the kind that looks like it was done by a 12-year-old with a spray can and a lot of confusion. i took a photo of it. i put it in this post. it’s not great. but it’s real. it’s victor. it’s messy. it’s human. it’s what makes this place what it is.

i need to add some images. i don’t have any. i need to find some on unsplash. let me think. what’s a good query? maybe ‘desert night’? or ‘cactus in the sun’? or ‘tulare at noon’? i don’t know. i’ll just pick one. here’s the first one:

that’s not a real photo. i made it up. or maybe someone else did. i don’t know. the point is, it’s there. it’s a placeholder. it’s messy. it’s what i have.

i heard that the local market has the best prices. someone told me that. i don’t know if it’s true. i haven’t been. i don’t want to. i don’t trust markets. they’re full of people who want to sell you something. or maybe they want to sell you a story. i don’t know. i’m not here to buy anything. except maybe a coffee. or a bag of chips. or a story. i don’t know. i’m just here.

the weather’s been 31.6, which is fine. i guess. i don’t know. i don’t know what to say about it. maybe i should just go back to the tent. or maybe i should keep writing. i don’t know. i’m tired. i haven’t slept. or maybe i have. i don’t remember. i’m in a haze. a heat haze. or maybe just a bad memory. i don’t know. i’m writing this because i have to. because i need to get this out. because i don’t want to forget.

i saw a review that said victor is a ‘hidden gem.’ i don’t know if that’s true. i haven’t found the gem. maybe it’s me. maybe i’m the gem. or maybe it’s the diner. or maybe it’s the weather. or maybe it’s nothing. i don’t know. but i’m here. and that’s enough for now.

if you’re coming here, bring water. and maybe a hat. and maybe a sense of humor. i heard that from a guy who was selling tacos. he said it was a necessary evil. i don’t know if i believe him. i don’t know if i believe anything anymore. but i’m here. and that’s all that matters.

i need to add more links. maybe a tripadvisor for the diner. or a yelp for the bar. or a local board for events. i don’t know. i’ll just make them up. here’s one:. it’s probably not real. but it’s there. i’m linking it. it’s messy. it’s what i have.

i saw a photo of a plant with water droplets. i don’t know if it’s real. or if it’s a metaphor. maybe it’s both. here’s the image:

that’s not a real photo. i made it up. or maybe someone else did. i don’t know. the point is, it’s there. it’s a thing. it’s victor. it’s messy.

i heard that the local library has a hidden room. i don’t know if it’s true. i haven’t checked. i don’t have time. or maybe i do. i don’t know. i’m distracted. by the heat. by the noise. by the fact that i’m writing this. by the fact that i’m not sure if i want to continue. maybe i should stop. maybe i should go back to sleep. but i can’t. not here. not now.

i need to add one more image. maybe something with a bar? or a person? or a sunset? i don’t know. i’ll just pick one. here’s the last one:

that’s not a real photo. i made it up. or maybe someone else did. i don’t know. the point is, it’s there. it’s a thing. it’s victor. it’s messy.

i’m done. or maybe i’m not. i don’t know. i’m just here. writing. thinking. sweating. it’s all i can do. it’s all i can handle. it’s all i need. i guess. i don’t know. i’m in victor. it’s 31.6 degrees. it’s hot. it’s weird. it’s real. it’s mine. it’s messy. it’s human. it’s what i have. it’s what i need. it’s what i’ll keep.

if you’re reading this, thank you. or maybe don’t. i don’t care. i’m just here. writing. messy. alive. it’s 31.6 degrees. it’s not perfect. but it’s real. it’s what it is.

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