As inhospitable and dangerous as it had become, the U.S. was still his only country.  And as crazy as it had gotten, he always came back home.  To Venice.

   His Venice, on Centinela Avenue near Culver.  Mago's, the 24-hour burger/plate lunch joint with its avocado cha-shu burgers, Centinela Sporting Goods, and Aloha Market with its daily homemade tofu.  Hawaiian royals at Kenny's Cafe.  The Submariner, next to Betty's Music where in the '60's Betty Norup had sponsored half the garage bands on the Westside.  M&S Pharmacy where Shaw Sakamoto filled prescriptions and cashed checks for working people, and all the neighborhood boys used to read Marvel comics after school.  Fresh menudo at El Indio, south to Braddock and the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, the Venice Japanese Community Center to the Venice Methodist Church, up to the bridge over Ballona Creek.

   His Venice was how he could feel a part of this country.

   The real America that never got on TV.