I ll never forget the time I almost went into the ocean. Passing Redondo Beach, I would drive to Palos Verdes, stopping constantly to ask people for directions to Marineland. When they tell me it s closed, I will slam my fist on the dashboard in disgust. The very last thing I would do before leaving L.A. would be to get on the 405 freeway and drive farther south to an area that has always frightened and fascinated me. In between Carson and Wilmington is an industrial area that looks like it s on fire.
Smoke pours out of the chimneys of strange-looking structures.
Maybe it s a giant plant that makes smoke-filled chimneys. There I will spend the rest of my life cheapening my love for the beach and ocean by painting crude landscapes. Andy Kindler is a standup comic who doesn t believe in self-promotion. Therefore you won t hear it from him that he has appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman and is a recurring character on the CBS series Everybody Loves Raymond . E-mail this story to a friend.