If you’re local, you may well have heard the news reports about the 800 block of Post Street being closed off the other day. The shootout with the cops. The guy — on the run after killing his mother — firing randomly through walls into other units, then starting to torch the place before a police sniper took him down.
I heard the coverage, and wondered, Hey, was it in 891?
Nope. But close. The shootout was down the block in 861 Post.
I figured it was worth a moment on the blog, to let people know the mean streets are still mean.
Every now and then something exciting happens adjacent to the Sam Spade apartment. My fave, years ago, when Bill Arney was in residence, was the building directly across Hyde Street exploding (after an underground gas leak filled it to the brim), the shock waves blowing out every window for blocks around, debris from the structure landing in courtyards of buildings a block away in every direction.
Bill was in the Sutter Station bar, saw the flames on the TV, heard “Post and Hyde”. . . .
He jumped in a cab, asked for 891 Post.
“Don’t bother,” said the cabbie. “That building just blew up.”
Nooooooooooooooooooo!
Bill went there anyway, saw 891 was still standing, roped off by police tape. He tried to get through — Bill, as always garbed in black, in a black hat. The cops grabbed him.
“Look!” said a bystander. “They’ve caught the bomber!”
That was a good one. I suppose my next favorite was when the Buddhist shrine in an apartment on the other side of the fourth floor caught fire.
