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Marry a mountain girl and you marry the whole mountain.
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Saturday, September 2, 2000
Jack arrived in the afternoon, after camping for two nights with H---. I laughed when he told me that his Bellingham SF buddies came out to the state park and hung out with them last night.
The plan had been to take H---- to her mom's house, then double back to Seattle. But Jack hadn't been able to reach his ex-wife for the past few days, and he didn't want to drive down there (an hour and a half trip) until he knew she was there.
So Jack and H---- stopped at my place "on the way" and called again. Still no dice. It was late enough in the day that Jack decided that they would both spend the night at my place. H--- was distressed, but she was a good sport about it.
* * * * * * * *
We got H--- settled with the videos she'd brought with her, then we were off for the first event of the evening. I directed Jack to Ballard via Seattle Center. We got there, but there was some traffic along the way, because of Bumbershoot, the big music festival at the Center. This irritated Jack. I inwardly resolved to do more navigating for the rest of the evening. Huh! Let's see him get to Wallingford unassisted.
The occasion: the band my brother-in-law, J---, plays and sings in, Clay Pipe, was doing a benefit for some organizations that work for the homeless. It was also my brother-in-law's fiftieth birthday. I'm glad we got there early -- J-- had time to chat. My sister arrived and sat with us. I also saw movie buddy A--- and some friends from the film festival.
The music was grand, despite a few problems with the sound system. They do some traditional Irish songs, some drinking songs, sea chantys, mining songs, stuff like that. I always think they should have some modern working songs, about how the copier is broken down, or it's review time again. But soon it got warm and smoky. Jack was irritated when the bartender was rude to him (they don't sell coffee there, which seems unwise). He went to find a coffee place. I went outside to wait for him after a while, and he was there, smoking a cigar on the bench!
* * * * * * * *
Jack did ask me to navigate to Vanguard, so I consented. A quick stop at the Safeway on Stone Way, then we were at Vonda and Jane's house, a bit later than usual for me.
I was glad we made it! This was the night for swapping "stough" as Jane put it ("stuff" for the uninitiated.) This was a good deal, because we didn't have to take anything back! All contributions that weren't selected by someone else would go to be donated somewhere. I brought a teddy bear that was an ill-advised gift from a former date, a glass pitcher from somewhere or other that I don't think I've used in ten years, and a few other similar oddments.
Octavia Butler, who moved to Seattle recently, was at Vanguard -- her first time, I think, but I hope not her last. It's a good way to meet a congenial group of people.
Jane's got an amazing setup of toys in her part of the house, now. The feature tonight was a table full of buildings, with remote control cars, trucks, and bull-dozers and such. You can choose your vehicle and drive it around, picking up cargo and dropping it elsewhere. Too bad I forgot what brand it is!
Glenn Hackney sat in the living room, with Deb Notkin and Ian Haggeman on either side of him, intently discussing life questions. I told him later that it looked like they were doing an intervention, being so focussed on him.
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