my life and times

Boston was another surprise, another indie rock place painted all black and with a bare green room, no amenities and with the bathrooms clear over on the other side of the facility. Don’t know what the rest did, but I changed clothes and cleaned up in the handicap stall on the women’s side. Not a good start.

But we headed down the street to our potential buyout locations. Bo walked until he found fresh clam chowder and some of his birding friends on their way to the concert. The rest of us ended up at a Mediterranian place where I had too many dolmas and splendid iced tea. Fueled up, we headed back to do the show at TT the Bear’s.

But here was the real surprise. They brought in some dozens of chairs and it was still a standing-room-only crowd, all of them loving the music and showing it. And for dessert, another friend from high school days, Janelle Clark Shubert, just retired from a teaching career that included Harvard, and husband, still working at MIT, and sporting the most intelligent face I think I’ve ever seen. Boy, do I want to get back there and talk some more with those folks, too. Or maybe just listen.

After the show we pack up and head out, looking for a likely stayover spot between there and the City. There wasn’t one. At some point, Jonathan said why don’t we just go on to New York and you can stay with us. So we did, arriving at Jonathan and Debra’s sometime after midnight. I found a couch and didn’t know another thing until 10 the next morning. Another great day to come.

Amazing evening. Not quite a full house, but full of laughter, enjoyment, and friends old and new. Amazing to get to spend time, if small, with high school chum Judy Marchbanks Findlay, now a celebrated Professor of Education who takes groups of student teachers all over the world to let them experience the educational experience and atmosphere in other parts of the world, from Brazil to South Africa to Pakistan. I always knew she’d amount to something. She brought husband Bill and three of her students. Such a joy to see someone so very smart and compassionate involved in work that is so rewarding, fulfilling and offers such a wider world view to her students and the people they reach. Hooray for you, Professor Judy! Hope to see more of you this fall as I pass by there on a research trip.

Also on hand at the DC show were NPR’s Neda Ulaby, who interviewed me re: a story she’s working up about Debra and Winter’s Bone and then stayed for the show, along with her assistant, whose name I should have written down. Another NPR pal in attendance was Renee Pringle, an engineer on Morning Edition who regularly shows up in West Plains every summer as part of the National Audio Theater crew, and who cheered and clapped in all the right places. It was a great night of fun, over too soon, and then we were off to Philadelphia, but the drive was too long for one night. We ended up at another Motel 6 somewhere on the north side of Baltimore, this one far better than our Phoenix experience, and everyone got a good rest.

After Atlanta we’re off to Chapel HIll. And after the deluge of beautiful scenery (the drive from Chatanooga to Atlanta through the southern Appalachians is truly majestic) we now endure seemingly endless miles of tree-lined corridors with no clue as to what’s on the other side. It’s just like Mississippi’s miles of pines except these are mostly deciduous. After a stop promising PEACHES but delivering instead a half-gallon of white peach cider, peach ice cream and apple (?) butter, we careen on into South Carolina and out the other side without a clue about what that state might have to offer. Whatever it was, it didn’t offer us any.

We’re watching weather ahead as we pass into North Carolina, and it delivers just as we arrive in Carrboro, where the venue actually is. We snake through a downpour in rush hour traffic and arrive safely at Cat’s Cradle right on time. The rain takes a break, we load in and wander off in search of supper. Fish and chips here feature actual cod, instead of pollock, and I grab some, while admiring the new CDs, some of which have met us here at Cat’s Cradle. Delicious, and the food was good, too.

Back at Cat’s Cradle, we discover our long-suffering groupie, Margaret Underwood, has arrived along with an entourage of family and friends. She’s a delight, coming from a folk music performance history and with an accent you could spread on bread. We have a good visit, not long enough, and deliver the show to a very kind and appreciative audience. We linger awhile after the show getting to know new friends and telling tales, then pack up and head for lodgings graciously provided by another of Margaret’s friends. Margaret has also brought fresh peaches, tomatoes from her garden and a couple of jars of North Carolina peanuts, and we enjoy an unusual but splendid breakfast and head out, this time for Washington, D.C.