The Li Po bar on Grant Ave., Chinatown, San Francisco still has the atmosphere of strangeness and intrigue associated with that quarter of the city at certain times in its history. I once went to a BLADE RUNNER party there. The setting fit the subject matter perfectly.

Juan "Bob" Chan asked that I meet him at Li Po at midnight the other night...he had agreed to show me a portal into the Chinatown (and Druid Heights) underworld. He showed up drunk and late but he insisted on being my guide anyway. I am sworn to secrecy as to the alley, and subsequently, the building we entered. Both were "guarded" by "guards" one would never suspect of providing security. He insisted, however, that these guards were more than capable of performing this service.

Inside the building, we walked down several flights of stairs, the into a huge (I think) pitch black room. I was led across the room and through a series of doors. Finally, we emerged into what seemed like a hanger sized mall of mystery and corruption. I felt like I had been transported into a living movie about Shanghai in the 30s.

The fictitious version of this place that I have been creating for the setting of a Benny Pristine mystery pales in the face of what I saw and experienced that night. As expected there were opium parlors, casinos, bars and brothels. Also, among other things, there were betting rooms which featured animal fights and human fights to the death. This used to be common in Asia (and may still be...underground) but has "officially" fallen from favor. Live sex shows of every kind abounded.

Juan Bob's purpose for bringing me here was to introduce to a "real" San Francisco private eye. "Benny Pristine nothing...you got to meet this guy! I take you if you keep mouth shut!" So much for that. Of course, I am changing things around enough so that no place nor anybody is in any real danger of being exposed by any of this. A version of this apparently did happen, however. Anyway, that night Juan introduced me to the "Detective With No Name". This guy reminded me of Orson Welles in "Touch Of Evil"...same overweight, unshaven, dirty white suit, straw hat, I've seen it all more than twice look. He talked...I listened...

More later.