Pirates and Thieves

If you live in San Francisco and your stuff is stolen, this is where you go to find it. Donut World on Market and 7th. The employees sell you donuts and the scraggly customers sell you stolen loot. In my early days living here, my front bicycle tire rim was stolen. I came down to Donut World, ordered a maple old-fashioned and mini carton of 2%, and sat at a sticky table in the corner. Eventually a shady guy approached trying to sell me an iPod. I told him I was looking for a bike rim and tire. He looked both ways and then told me he'd be back in five minutes. 20 minutes later he came back into Donut World, arms filled with bicycle rims of all sizes. I didn't see my exact one, but bought a similar one. He wanted ten dollars. I bargained him down to a buck. A year later, my entire bicycle was stolen. I went back to Donut World hoping to find it for 10 bucks. I was shown an entire rack of stolen bicycles a block away, plenty of nice ones too, but mine wasn't in the bunch. I thought to pay 10 dollars and upgrade to one of the stolen ones, but I didn't want to encourage this racket. San Francisco was once known as the Barbary Coast; a place of pirates, thieves, prostitutes, and tasty pastries. That world is still alive and well inside Donut World.