tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17244774720416350302024-03-05T04:42:52.514-08:00will tinkhamFictionist
will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-83895829312503612662023-05-02T08:33:00.002-07:002023-05-02T08:33:55.817-07:00On a podcast<p><span style="font-size: large;">So I landed in a podcast. Or Teddy & Bara did. My mention runs
from about 11:35 to 15:10. He shows a blurb/tweet of mine and gets
Bara right (Bear-a, like Sara or Clara), then switches to Barr-a when
reading the back-cover blurb. Oh, well... Nice little shout-out to my
favorite clowns. Thanks, Jonathan!<br /><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/ZEq2yFgjxGY?t=691">https://youtu.be/ZEq2yFgjxGY?t=691</a><br /><br /></span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-54408454622474119842022-09-04T15:10:00.005-07:002022-09-04T15:17:38.533-07:00Part VII: My Bread Loaf Experience 1982<p> </p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;">(This
is the final installment of my series on a hitchhiking trip from CA
to VT and the Bread Loaf Writers' Workshop back in 1982. Chronicled
here before I forget it entirely.)</span></i></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;">Okay,
I began Part VII of this series but soon realized I'd already written
it. Back in 2011. My second post for this blog. It covers the
conference itself. As far as the hitchhiking goes, aside from the two
rides listed in this re-posted piece, the rest of the trip was
uneventful. So I give you the final installment as I'd written it
eleven years ago. </span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;">Thanks!</span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 class="date-header" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Friday, January 21, 2011</span></h2><div class="date-posts" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><a name="6430872048595778732"></a></span><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="margin: 20px 0px 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://willtinkham.blogspot.com/2011/01/on-meeting-john-gardner.html" style="font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">On Meeting John Gardner</span></a></h3><div class="post-header" style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6430872048595778732" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 590px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">[Wikipedia: <i>John Champlin Gardner, Jr. (July 21, 1933 – September 14, 1982) was an American novelist, essayist, literary critic and university professor. He is perhaps most noted for his novel GRENDEL, a retelling of the Beowulf myth from the monster's point of view.</i>]<br /><br />It was the spring of 1982 when I received a phone call from the Bread Loaf Writers' Workshop asking if I'd accept a scholarship to attend their conference that fall. The call itself was a shock and came just in time for me to escape a nasty roommate situation. They asked, would I be arriving by car, bus or plane?<br /><br />"On foot," I replied. "I guess I'll be hitchhiking..." I lived in San Jose, CA. The conference is held in Middlebury, VT. I was in no hurry. I had little money, no place to live and plenty of time. It took two months. <i>(If you hang around this blog long enough, I'll likely tell the hitchhiking story.)</i><br /><br />Twenty-five young writers received "working scholarships" that year. The "working" was waiting tables, something I'd never done before. They asked for a volunteer to take the children's table in the corner; they said the few children that had been dragged by parents to the conference always sat at that table. This seemed about my speed. The first night the table was empty and I happily ran food and bussed tables. That night a rather drunken John Gardner was one of the opening night speakers. He addressed the crowd with a succinct: "If you're not writing politically, you're not writing shit!" and stomped out of the hall.<br /><br />The next day's conversation obviously centered around Gardner's "speech." That night I was in the kitchen, helping out where I could, preparing for the dinner meal, when a fellow waitperson rushed into the kitchen. "Carolyn Forché and her people are at your table!" she screamed. I protested that it said "children only" right on the table. "Tim O'Brien's at your table!" another voice called out. That can't be, I demanded as the kitchen door opened and someone cried: "John Gardner and his entourage are at your table!"<br /><br />The children's table had become the big shots table (along with jokes about it still being the children's table) but that was the least of my problems: John Gardner was my "reader" for the event and had left a note in my box—along with the stories I had submitted—to meet in a few days and discuss my work.<br /><br />Arriving early for our meeting, I found a University of Minnesota wrestler named George seated on the very couch I was to meet Mr. Gardner at. "I have a meeting with John Gardner," George said. When Gardner arrived he apologized for the mix-up and asked George to return in twenty minutes. <i>Twenty minutes,</i> I thought. <i>I hitchhike across country for an hour-long meeting with this guy and all the bastard gives me is twenty minutes.</i> He took the stories from me—he'd made no notes on them—and proceeded to give me detailed critiques on each of the three. <i>From memory.</i><br /><br />He pointed to one story and said: "I bet you'd get some laughs if you read this one in front of a group." I explained that I had read it the night before at the scholarship winners reading and, yes, it got some laughs. "Sorry I missed it," he said, looking sufficiently contrite. He looked at his watch and I could see that my twenty minutes were up.<br /><br />But there was no George in sight and, to keep things rolling, I said the first thing that came to mind: "So, what about the 'you're not writing shit' speech?"<br /><br />"What's been the hot topic all week?" he asked.<br /><br />"Your speech," I admitted.<br /><br />"Exactly," he said, and still no George. After a pause, Gardner asked: "Where you from?" I said San Jose, then mentioned the two-month hitchhike. This seemed to impress him more than my writing. "How old are you?" he asked. I said twenty-five. "That's a good time to be published," he said and pointed to one of my stories: "Lop off the last line of this one and I'll publish it in my magazine, <i>MSS</i>." About then George arrived.<br /><br />I got a ride to Wisconsin from a fellow waiter and a lift from Minneapolis to Wyoming for a friend's wedding. I was back in San Jose by September 15, when the paper ran the story about John Gardner and his motorcycle crashing over a cliff the day before.</span></div></div></div></div><p align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br /></span></span></span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-66573262899445415362022-09-01T08:55:00.000-07:002022-09-01T08:55:42.573-07:00Part VI: New York City, Stamford and Boston<p> </p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(Part
VI of my series on a hitchhiking trip from CA to VT and the Bread
Loaf Writers' Workshop back in 1982. Chronicled here before I forget
it entirely.)</span></i></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">New
York City was a blur of late nights and waking to 90 degree/90%
humidity afternoons. I slept on Kevin's couch. He went by Kevin
Calhoun at the time and had a band called The Neighborhood. I went to
several of their practices during my week-long stay.</span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZs88iiY0qjyGS0yun1hC-IKD_-QoFBJOU4t7VKUk71ue6Dj4_bKbvWuiE-tDIeSVfGy-zKQboLzqj9c7ZCBcBEtS8xvjPLlmEp5_s-LhQX-YoECuOnYae8lyZoW38eEApvIiSYywufivysTH1wGJHjxRa_3yL0wPnpBouk11_t9HmHSwqSolyA1BHQ/s640/Kevin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZs88iiY0qjyGS0yun1hC-IKD_-QoFBJOU4t7VKUk71ue6Dj4_bKbvWuiE-tDIeSVfGy-zKQboLzqj9c7ZCBcBEtS8xvjPLlmEp5_s-LhQX-YoECuOnYae8lyZoW38eEApvIiSYywufivysTH1wGJHjxRa_3yL0wPnpBouk11_t9HmHSwqSolyA1BHQ/s320/Kevin.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The
Neighborhood had a gig the last night I was to be in town, so I was
given a task of handing out free tickets for the show. As I recall,
the band got $1 for every freebie used. I handed out hundreds as I
walked the streets. For my efforts, I got free drink tickets.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">One
night while Kevin worked, I decided to splurge and take in a show at
the Peppermint Lounge. The Undertones, I think, or maybe Split Enz.
Easy to mix up 40 years later but, either way, it was sold out and I
stopped into a bar next door. There was hardly anyone in the place,
just a lovely, young woman and a drunk guy harassing her. She
beseeched me to pretend to be her boyfriend. We kept the charade up
till morning. 😱</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Tim
Carr, A&R guy and so much more, got us into Danceteria for free one night-to-morning.
That was wild—and very hazy by now. I'd last seen Tim when he was
caddymaster and gave me good loops back in 1975. </span>
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">A
good crowd showed up for The Neighborhood's gig. My effort with the
freebies was appreciated. The band was great. I played roadie after
the show, loading their gear onto a flatbed truck—no sides, just
flat. I spent a terrifying ride back to their practice space trying
to keep their gear—and myself—from sliding off while a crazed
saxophone player drove like a maniac through whatever neighborhood we
were in.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Next
stop: a train station to meet a friend of my brother's, Jerry Parker.
The drinking started at the station, continued on a train, and I
remember waking up on the floor of a Stamford, CT motel. From there
we drove to Boston to meet up with Jerry's boss and attend some sort
of festival on the street. It turned out to be a contest between
Jerry and his boss on who could spend the most money—and who could
drink the most. I woke up the next morning</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; text-indent: -0.96px;"> </span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; text-indent: -0.96px;">on the boss's floor</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; text-indent: -0.01in;">.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Jerry
dropped me on a highway destined for Vermont, Boston at my back and
NYC already a fuzzy memory. Ahead was a “working scholarship” at
Bread Loaf—waiting tables—and finding out what John Gardner
thought of my work. Gardner, eminent teacher and author of <i>Grendel,
</i>had received three of my stories and we would have an hour-long
meeting during the conference.</span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrHDHTwoBPjqjr_fqLRdXthJ8IIhkVSPPrtVkWKw1KOXR4LjxwPPRi1CfOwn47DacCMqf-ep1ieSV5Pas7DK1ZVlOvXg9-fmSr0wTwQaPH3yJE1CBxt5Dx7pYgOc2yn1TZDro_ITgSlL0Xol6UNuts0pSZq9qNS2O76z7Z94qbOlJyTgql7tRGxrSJsQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="173" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrHDHTwoBPjqjr_fqLRdXthJ8IIhkVSPPrtVkWKw1KOXR4LjxwPPRi1CfOwn47DacCMqf-ep1ieSV5Pas7DK1ZVlOvXg9-fmSr0wTwQaPH3yJE1CBxt5Dx7pYgOc2yn1TZDro_ITgSlL0Xol6UNuts0pSZq9qNS2O76z7Z94qbOlJyTgql7tRGxrSJsQ" width="319" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I
waited on a highway that no one seemed to travel. We of the wait
staff were required to be there a day early, checking in at 4pm. I
began to fear I'd be late. Finally, a car pulled over. A traveling
salesman, just beginning his vacation. His son had attended
Middlebury College, where Bread Loaf was held. He had fond memories
of fishing the streams in the mountains south of Middlebury with his
boy. I had the unsuspecting man just where I wanted him.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">If
I got him waxing nostalgic about the boy and the fishing, I could get
him to detour through the mountains and maybe I'd get to the college
on time. I had him point out the location of their favorite spot on
my map. <i>What kinda fish ya catch? How old was your boy? Gee, that
musta been great!</i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">He
fell for it. We took a nice ride through the mountains. He pointed
out this stream and that cabin. “Heck,” he said finally. “We're
not far from Middlebury now. I wouldn't mind taking another look at
the campus.”</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">He
knew exactly where I needed to go and dropped my there at 4 o'clock
sharp. A fellow waitperson came down off the porch to help with my
pack. “Nice of your dad to drive you here,” he said. “Where you
from?”</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“San
Jose,” I said. “Not my dad. Just some stranger.”</span></span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-59621906833520780132022-08-30T10:09:00.000-07:002022-08-30T10:09:26.173-07:00Part V: Nine-Hour Trip from Philly to NYC<p> </p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(I
prefaced Part I of this series by saying I may not get this
done before the 40<sup>th</sup> anniversary of my hitchhiking trip
from San Jose to Bread Loaf in Vermont, which I'm chronicling here.
That anniversary has arrived. My last installment was
over 16 months ago. Hey, I had a novel to write.)</span></i></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Okay,
now it gets weird. I'm on a roadway with no shoulder, behind me is a
strip mall that seems to run all the way to New York City, across the
road is a beautiful, hilly, wooded area. I'm in PA or NJ. Who knows, for sure? I'm standing on a sidewalk
with my thumb out trying to get the attention of rush-hour traffic
commuters who have nowhere to pull over even if they want to pick me
up. I've been standing here for hours with </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">my chances of making New York City by nightfall slipping away.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Behind
me, I hear the crunching of tires stopping in a parking lot. A fat
man's sweaty face shows in the driver side window. “Nowhere to pull
over on this road,” he says. I don't know if he somehow saw me from
a distance or passed me earlier and doubled back. I didn't much care.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“It's
the only road I got,” I said, climbing in. He immediately starts in
on his own hitchhiking story—they all got 'em—only his is
different. He's twelve and a station wagon full of guys pick him up
and ultimately gang rape him. He tells it vividly. They leave him in
his shame and the next morning he's hitchhiking again and the same
station wagon pulls over. They apologize and promise to not do it
again. He accepts the ride and gets raped again. <i>Fool me once...</i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Of
course, I'm feeling pretty sorry for this poor sap, though his tales
of subsequent therapy sessions grow tiresome. Suddenly he swings a
left up into the picturesque hills. “I have to take a leak,” he
says after I question the detour. </span>
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Now,
short of jumping from a moving vehicle, I have no escape. He turns up
a path and further back into the woods. He finally parks. I don't mind saying, I'm scared. “This is
where the gays hang out,” he says and exits the car. There's a
shack—outhouse—but he walks past it and out of sight. He's fat
and, at 25, I'm still in pretty good shape, so I'm not too worried
about him—unless he returns with others set on retribution for the
gang rape twenty-some years earlier. I'm checking the door handles as
he returns, having taken longer than one would to piss, though not
long enough to establish any sort of romantic relationship back
there. And, thankfully, alone.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">That's
his story. Here my memory fails, but somehow I end up on a ramp to nowhere overlooking the
Holland Tunnel with the sun beginning to set.</span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZaeJJC0mDcHmYOmAA5eadNZcXLJKSCLOwwyb9C4p7XhVLgbkZuYgKxeZuohoOpYvqPCV34rhre9HrXS3N-e3oxX6xnCxEtG8z37t3BaDKk3on0oOIGEy4_7tQPPMXtQy9lB1bJm6lqNklYuX3jceq96bOJPe8XR3Al5uZNDg9d8kidJ7xf6TPalUPw/s259/Holland%20Tunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZaeJJC0mDcHmYOmAA5eadNZcXLJKSCLOwwyb9C4p7XhVLgbkZuYgKxeZuohoOpYvqPCV34rhre9HrXS3N-e3oxX6xnCxEtG8z37t3BaDKk3on0oOIGEy4_7tQPPMXtQy9lB1bJm6lqNklYuX3jceq96bOJPe8XR3Al5uZNDg9d8kidJ7xf6TPalUPw/s1600/Holland%20Tunnel.jpg" width="259" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;">What
the hell're you doin' up here? Nobody gonna pick you up here!” a
man calls out, pulling over to pick me up.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“You
just did,” I say, throwing my pack in the backseat and climbing in.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Dismissing
that, he asks: “Where you headed?”</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I
point to the NYC skyline and say: “There. Specifically St. Mark's
Place.” I mention the name of the restaurant my friend Kevin
Hazlett works at.</span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dDFOBN55j5QiDQV6GWIhU898LlNA5dJZF_IWTd0m9mw1i2C_JM2c4pHZYWba9iPp2e8sbkhoq6CwuaMXWARGhczhiSGZdnAbMXuH0z-laSc-29GukpI31yK6ZT4lNH4g8FO9CM-5EcEeya6v6P2DiQhzdLpzJdHZ5Arhw7FLTNyDjQbccgRRcpTJIA/s639/saint%20marks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="437" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dDFOBN55j5QiDQV6GWIhU898LlNA5dJZF_IWTd0m9mw1i2C_JM2c4pHZYWba9iPp2e8sbkhoq6CwuaMXWARGhczhiSGZdnAbMXuH0z-laSc-29GukpI31yK6ZT4lNH4g8FO9CM-5EcEeya6v6P2DiQhzdLpzJdHZ5Arhw7FLTNyDjQbccgRRcpTJIA/s320/saint%20marks.jpg" width="219" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>© photo by Paul Wright This is Saint Marks Place as it looked in November 1982.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">He
puts it in gear. “I'm gonna take you to Staten Island,” he says.
I protest. He goes on: “I'm gonna drop you at a bus stop that goes
directly to the Ferry, which is free going into the city. Get off the
Ferry and there's a subway station right there. Take the subway to
Sheridan Station, walk up the steps and you'll see your buddy's bar
right across the street.”</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Again,
jumping from a moving vehicle is not an option. The fellow drives
like a madman to Staten Island, telling me all the way about the two
women he was with the night before, how much coke they did, how much
liquor they drank, and how much sex—and at what angles—they
enjoyed.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">He
was wrong about the bus and I had no change. Driver drops me at a
stop with a bodega for change and the correct bus heading for the Staten Island
Ferry. I enjoy a nice boat ride, get off and buy a token, next
train's mine. I jump off at Sheridan Station, walk up to the street
and before I can sit at a sidewalk table, Kevin is out the door with a Beck's Beer on his tray.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“How
was your trip?” he asks.</span></span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-83306581649170908792021-10-07T09:35:00.000-07:002021-10-07T09:35:35.574-07:00Two things<p> <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">YouTube vidy of m<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">y reading a couple weeks back at Magers & Quinn:</span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MV-J00OamnU" width="320" youtube-src-id="MV-J00OamnU"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV-J00OamnU</span></div><br /><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">And, Amazon's got a relatively new feature for a series that is much nicer than their Author Page:</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqkl_U2uW45gq6zMQDbKnN-O_7bsPVupRCU85_ICE4bG-rj1RwXzQx9j6nPRl570MwgrbMbKsdYJlUnF53OA9BOKB0GdP9Rbwc2tgt9ph78qnCqgrkvVJ2QL38SkodIRMPPhYrtGMv7le/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="392" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqkl_U2uW45gq6zMQDbKnN-O_7bsPVupRCU85_ICE4bG-rj1RwXzQx9j6nPRl570MwgrbMbKsdYJlUnF53OA9BOKB0GdP9Rbwc2tgt9ph78qnCqgrkvVJ2QL38SkodIRMPPhYrtGMv7le/" width="314" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FFDLBRD</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-41360791088882624362021-08-07T12:05:00.001-07:002021-08-07T12:07:13.903-07:00On Ethna McKiernan<p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">Last night I attended a book launch for my friend Ethna McKiernan's
latest poetry collection. It was much more than that.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mSOxl2M04I-HxEST9hgzYTRpbADCLNFx93VEF26CjM-J5sMi-ebAPFGlLq1e6oiOZwhLtO83rqHq6SCQTTRW9EErBSSuO-hffaaDUVhCQ88s5fdzkxYEkW78M9sRwYGLIx9I_uKGMlgT/s640/EMbook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mSOxl2M04I-HxEST9hgzYTRpbADCLNFx93VEF26CjM-J5sMi-ebAPFGlLq1e6oiOZwhLtO83rqHq6SCQTTRW9EErBSSuO-hffaaDUVhCQ88s5fdzkxYEkW78M9sRwYGLIx9I_uKGMlgT/s320/EMbook.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">
I met Ethna back in 1989 when Jeff the Cabby decided we should meet.
Turned out we were both in the same issue of a magazine that'd just
come out. I was immediately intimidated by Ethna's success. We hit it
off anyway, and she invited me to join a writing group she headed up.
The group met often at Irish Books & Media, which she owned. I
suppose that wonderful thing lasted 4-5 years before my drinking made
me uncomfortable in the mostly-sober group and I walked away.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">
A pandemic-era stage had been built outside Celtic Junction and last
night I watched Ethna slip from a wheelchair onto a regular chair
during a very nice reception that preceded the reading portion of
event. For my part it mostly involved watching a photoshoot of the
McKiernan family and seizing an opportunity to run up and say hi to
my friend.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">
I quit drinking in 2006 and finished my first novel—started and
workshopped in that writing group back in the early '90s. I
reconnected with Ethna. She consented—offered?—to read the
manuscript. I remember her telling me it would be an “important
book.” <i>Can't be right all the time... </i>She invited me back
into the group. Shipping costs, she said, had forced her to give up
her business. She would soon begin doing outreach for the
homeless—checking camps and underpasses to make sure her clients
were safe.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">
Four poet friends of Ethna's joined her on stage and read a couple of
poems apiece from her new book, <i>Light Rolling Slowly Backwards.</i></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">In May, I had
nearly finished my ninth novel. It's heavy on Walt Whitman
and—needing a poet's eye to see if I'd done it right—I asked
Ethna if she would read it. She graciously agreed and, forty pages
later, emailed me back with mostly positive thoughts, some negatives,
and an apology for not being quicker to respond: “<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I
was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in November so my energy ebbs and
wanes.”</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGTvXtSJ1cC8bS2HrgXnLv570txFre_IFuvGqRri5PuTmv9RMuowoKYNm4QgcJ_p9QKTHSpC1nRy26Ap0UzWRe4JR2B9YD8eecyJaL5-dSGAGxACokxx8x1ZqyzIxiGonIC466DTHB2I1/s412/EMpink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGTvXtSJ1cC8bS2HrgXnLv570txFre_IFuvGqRri5PuTmv9RMuowoKYNm4QgcJ_p9QKTHSpC1nRy26Ap0UzWRe4JR2B9YD8eecyJaL5-dSGAGxACokxx8x1ZqyzIxiGonIC466DTHB2I1/s320/EMpink.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">They brought out a music stand and adjusted the microphone so Ethna could read. She read six or seven poems, a little shaky, though</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> very emotional—and felt by all.</span></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">Yes,
more than a book launch. A celebration of a life that still leaves me
intimidated. A celebration of a friend.</span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-76433399718710030172021-07-07T11:58:00.002-07:002021-07-08T08:05:07.305-07:00If I Lie in a Combat Zone<p> </p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.53in; text-indent: 0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">September 22, 7pm at Magers
& Quinn Booksellers, Uptown Minneapolis:</span></p>
<p align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.53in; text-indent: 0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">reading/launch of <i>If I
Lie in a Combat Zone, </i>a novel by Will Tinkham</span></p>
<p align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.53in; text-indent: 0.01in;">
<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8EYrhaUf-yZRmApMLirM2k745yd7011s7lnf_ParzfbkkyNOgR438r4JG2caybGmFbo636ul9kH-2kPkOZHeOiu5U_jIzbwha7PQkVwa2JwlVuwMXBPq66bPtuaFHdCcrmjaGyPSUgxh/s320/logo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="76" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8EYrhaUf-yZRmApMLirM2k745yd7011s7lnf_ParzfbkkyNOgR438r4JG2caybGmFbo636ul9kH-2kPkOZHeOiu5U_jIzbwha7PQkVwa2JwlVuwMXBPq66bPtuaFHdCcrmjaGyPSUgxh/s0/logo.gif" /></a></div><br />
<p align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.53in; text-indent: 0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: small;">It goes like this:</span></span></p>
<p align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.53in; text-indent: 0.01in;">
<br />
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="break-before: auto; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; page-break-before: auto; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">Ordered to inspect a
suspected Viet Cong tunnel in November of 1968, Private Walt Whitman
von Funck crawls inside and falls in love. And tears a hole in his
foot. Zow spends eight months nursing him back to health, while her
brother and grandfather conduct midnight raids and accumulate
prisoners, including a general.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">During his convalescence,
Walt and Zow wed; theirs is a love story that defies race, religion
and bureaucratic red tape. Upon his return to Chu Lai Air Base with
his pregnant wife and six prisoners, <i>Stars and Stripes </i>declares
Walt a hero.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">Till a U.S. Army doctor
declares the foot wound self-inflicted.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">Hailed, then
jailed—repeatedly—Walt becomes a favorite of the anti-war crowd
and a thorn in the side of President Nixon. Walt
accepts offers to speak on college campuses. Protests involving
gunfire and bombings become routine. It's almost as if they are
targeting him.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;">Far
from just another love story, <i>If I
Lie in a Combat Zone </i>provides a
fictional glimpse into child-actor Brandon deWilde's (“Come back,
Shane!”) portrayal of Walt on Broadway, soldier-songwriter John
Prine testing out tunes for Walt and Zow on a flight home from
Germany, Joe Biden's first Senate run and Donald Trump's initial
venture into housing discrimination.</span></span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-3697543653816568952021-05-25T10:27:00.001-07:002021-05-25T10:47:53.773-07:00Part IV: Chicago & Philadelphia via Green Bay<p> </p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(Part
IV of my series on a hitchhiking trip from CA to VT and the Bread
Loaf Writers' Workshop back in 1982. Chronicled here before I forget
it entirely.)</span></i></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;">Don't
recall many specifics about my stay in Minneapolis—just another
trip back home. I did run in an old friend, John Hazlett, who
mentioned that his brother Kevin was living in New York City. He sets
things up so that I could spend a week on Kevin's couch. This was
significant since I had a place to stay near Chicago and a place to
stay in Stamford, CT, which would be my last stop before reaching
Bread Loaf. A week in NY made my schedule complete.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">While
home, there was a letter from Bread Loaf informing me that my first
two choices to read my work, John Irving and Erica Jong, had to
cancel. (Irving had to shoot the </span><i style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">Garp </i><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">movie.) I opted for John
Gardner or Tim O'Brien, who I had been reading on the trip.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">I
made Chicago in less time than you could drive it as every ride
happened before I could even set my pack down, none of the drivers
stopped for gas or food, and next thing I knew I was in Glen Ellyn—a
suburb right on the train tracks where Din Din had relatives who had
stayed with us in San Jose.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">I
stayed with them over the weekend. Took the train into Chicago on
Saturday, wandered around and was surprised to find a massive beach.
Of course I knew the city was on Lake Michigan but I just didn't
associate Chicago with beaches. There, I sat in the sand near a
lovely young woman in a remarkably skimpy bikini. In time, I mustered
up the courage to speak with her.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">I
asked her a stupid question as to the whereabouts of a street that
turned out to be the very one I'd crossed to get there. She pointed
out her boyfriend, shamelessly flirting with another woman at the
water's edge. My new friend claimed to be a model and a fledgling
actress, and offered to show me around town—to get even with her
boyfriend, no doubt.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">As
we prepared to sneak away, the boyfriend returned, nixing that plan.
I wandered aimless about town and took the 6:00 train rather than the
one at midnight.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">Monday
morning, the woman of the house had to go into Chicago and offered me
a ride. A bit unnerved by the rush-hour traffic, she ended up dumping
me smack in the middle of a snarl of highways—forcing me to make a
dash for the nearest ramp and legal hitchhiking ground.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">A
car pulled in front of me. “We gotta get you off this road, bub,”
the guy said as I climbed in. “Cop just pulled someone over back
there and you'd be next.”</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">I
thanked him for looking out for me, and he left me at the top of a
ramp. A more legal place to be—or so I thought. Some time passed
before a police car pulled over. “You gotta be thirty feet off the
road's shoulder,” the cop said.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">I
peered down into the ditch—some twenty feet deep—at the ramp's
edge. “Nobody'll see me down there,” I said. He said he'd be back
in a half-hour and I better be gone. I wasn't.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">Upon
his return, he pointed down the highway. “There's an oasis about a
mile down the road,” he lied. Five miles, easy. Maybe closer to
ten. I had to ask directions several times. I recall climbing a fence
and wading through a small stream.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">Finally
the oasis came in sight: a huge truck stop with restaurants and
always a Howard Johnson. While sizing up the trucks parked there as
possible rides, I spotted a guy exiting the Howard Johnson restaurant
and walking toward me. “How far are you goin'?” he asked.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">New
York City,” I said.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">He
stopped in his tracks. “Oh, sorry,” he said and turned back.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">How
far are <i>you </i>goin'?” I called after him.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">Atlantic
City,” he replied. <i>I kid you not.</i></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">I
think we can work something out,” I said, picking up my pack and
following him to his car. He was from Green Bay and wanted to spend
his 21<sup>st</sup> birthday gambling in Atlantic City. Alone. His
first trip out of Green Bay. <i>Good luck...</i></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">Most
people picking up hitchhikers are looking for someone to talk to or
someone to listen to. Not this guy. Not Green Bay. I started out
telling him about my run-in with the cop and my trek to the oasis.
Didn't even get a smile or a shake of the head. I told him of the guy
with the machete and the limo ride. T thought playing poker on a Nevada highway might spark a gambling conversation.
Nothing. Green Bay never said a word that didn't pertain to the
business at hand. I guess I must've driven some, we never stopped
except for gas.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"></p><p align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><img alt="Liberty Bell - Wikipedia" class="rg_i Q4LuWd" data-atf="true" data-deferred="1" data-iml="1359.2549999993935" data-index="0" height="180" jsname="Q4LuWd" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAoHCBUWFRgWFhYZGRgZHCEfHBoaGhwfIRwaHxweHSQaHhohIS4lHB4rIR4aJjgmKy8xNTU1GiQ7QDs0Py40NTEBDAwMEA8QHxISHzQrJCs0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NDQ0NP/AABEIAOoA1wMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAAbAAACAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBQIDBgEAB//EAEcQAAIBAgQDBAYIAwUHBAMAAAECEQADBBIhMQVBUSJhcYEGMpGhscETQlJystHh8BQkYiM0gpLxFTNDosLS4lNzg5MlNWP/xAAZAQADAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAX/xAAqEQACAgEDAwMDBQEAAAAAAAAAAQIRIQMSMTJBUQQiYRSBkRNxobHBM//aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AaLtVTb1YNqg1WI8u9WpVaGrEGlAEprtU38Sieu6rO0nfwFWWLyOMyMGHUGaAJNRfCP8AfW/vL8RQdxwoJJgDc1dwDEo99MjTDLOh69/hQBH01/vcf+38RXIrnpk384fG38qkxgSeVNcE9zsUn4nfuLy7PUCavs8YR3CAETsWIHumdar43jhbQwVzkiAx5dYmallIVNiXP2vhXArnl7STS1OIXQ2aA+u0iIM6DXTlT58UgTOMpbLITON49WevKoKAvoH7hXRhCeZpd/tTEk5sij+nsxHjmn3074fii6ZnABG8QR7jQOij+CEbGh72HE6Crk40hbKyOsmAYJEzsf0mmGQTQISo7IaZYbE5iNYPxr2JtLIHM0tuMqFu16u48p3NAG0Q6CmPoAe3e8T8VpFwxXyAuRBAI66imHo5xS1hmuPdYqrGBCkyeyY0HdWj4I7izjZ0Pj86Qmac4/FJdRnQyMxGxEHf4EUmk0IloExIoZqLxINCmkUuCuK7U4NepDNvyqphVoqp6sCS1NTUENcvNCMRyUn3daAM1xzFpddcjgBMwJP1pjYA7aGqfR7iK4cuHcPmIIC6REkkyf3FJbeFZtyB07BX2zrR+AwYJgsBGvZHu/fWo5A0PEeLLctsiyhaIbMNNQeWu2nnVHo3xEYa/wDSMxdTl7KnmOesyd6W41CqEDfqd+X+Ue0nuoZMU+oJ8xzHy8Kok1HGuOrfvm8qOFJQwRrCR3c4qGJ9IVykG22oj1hse+NKzBxH71rzOCIoAztu3cZ2YO5+jYEEkkgZtG6CtAsN2mLMx67nzJoVUCXANIcFD57H2xVlpvH8vGpotBttwSQVIjvFTcpyM6xz+MQaHQySOW/IQOkeVTU8hse/9z+tMC9ltqQGcgxOgnnt4+VBX7qlHKMwkFdokEEVDE3QOcNAXQEzJ5CZ/wBKhYAzDSFUEnkIXXL3bbd9Sxpia0l1buQOwyxJkmOnvp6mYCPp7s/fP50Fw59Gc6s7TO/75UWxXfXWnQhm3FDzgwN/z1376ExF4O7N2QWiQxBGgjbyoG6BB191B4a5kGXkNqVUBp8N6QXLYg3EIiBOsR07ttKqfibXCGYK4zEjQ+HI6GI9lZ/F3VZSvXlHL/WiMOkrvPUHSmIc4DjGptJbATMZYSe2YEDu6mmJY1n7DjMgiAGWFAgDUVocx7qaJYJiJoY70XiDQhFJjXB4xXq5XqBm1jSoGps0Ch/4hSYBqgLkHwqjibxZuEckb8Jq9SPdQnFINi4BqcjbCT6vTn4UAYs4w95PSD79oozAs2ViTvEQDt4mlyzzBAn6w95QHU+MR30Zh7uhie7Tu8hQBdinhes7+E766eVBBxO3tn9BRNwkr19wHOhFCExrpz1j8vhtQBZnXaPcai5WZEQKnAnXN5ZfgTXsgJEFieh0+QoFQFioIBVgSDO/so4BdWnRoYaH6wn4z7KoxIGU669NK5g3DW1mDlzKdTBE5hqPOpKRzO0mI9tX23UGTPLSVoQuimSVAnWIMe0VBeJWydGzE+rCn3g7e2gAq8FdjIbboR7x8aGxZyWng6uQg6xz256CrrLgyTtG8fuPfVHEGzPbT7IzHxbYeykBfb0UCf341Yrz7PfFccDr7pP51BM3IQO86+ymM8YkmJFUui9KvRI+sfDlXs2v7286BAy4cH8tR8KvCgfpXmtgxlPxrhVqALrTHMv3hy7xz5Voc/cKziyGSAdWWdR9qtJm7qaIkD4k0GaMxJoVj3UnyNcFZr1dr1Ax/fxUg9r50uN+DUDdPhUWcmOtQ5WMN/iCwgHWKFxNxwjgk6qR7qiCRuK9igWRoGmU6ddKLATsukknTun4TVuGIMnXr+xQ2dFE5oGkGTl5adoRrRltiOYg7eHh41qI5fAYRrHjQxtr4+NWXbqdrUdneT12FCPi7YnTzyg/OkASijYDyzMJ9lcMrB89fzihjjrYB2JjbsHXpGbT2VRZDuYtMUnUhQW84G1JtIYXevGCTz0G+s8gI1oK+SoYNHbI8jPOi8Jw91ZWYuwCkHOCIYkbA68jV98284zgMRqAQY9nOhU1YnaYuwfDWa4mYplmAJbWTAmdAASDvypvxXhFtFAZbct2QbZBIJUkHQnpQGIx6MSg0O4AH7jw76CvXWAXkJmTy0NKgssfDPb/AOIrIDImcxGmlV4fFHOXcSrHeNqYYPiVvLqyjXXMB2ttIPLeo2AhV3nTWFA068qKCzrXEJ306zIjwnfyq4ONDp7f0qu5wNCBkdlOh6jzG59tU3eGXlgpcLDmux8iSaLHQQWHP5/GuPcUT37ae+qbDuSyumVliZJIg7HQ61cgK6gme4fsxTAhl+yhjvkfEiakA0bHyK/OoM4B1IjvJ+EVYGEZhqP6Zb3ATTERN4h0XKxJZZ1AgSNTB151qJFZG3xFi6KqkEssswIMFhoo79q2KWT0PsoTE0DYgyKFcUxv4cxtHjQDipZSKa9U3WuUAMHw55a1Ds8wQ3hTDAYguuojvmovZLEiJ7/1o2isAuNI1AEChMWrqhOZgNBoAdzG3OjcQ2VGkahTy7qTcQ4mz2spaDI1WRGvQEH2RSodnIYmS0ACCJgz11bx076Dv4hgQEEnuUGT45gKBui2ombj+AIX/Mf1qjNc+pbcKek6+Mb1ViC3t3WPbmOm0ear+dA4u3AkGRzg7VL+HuH1kce0e6rbWEuOQip2nIQTzJMAac5NJgKkOor7DwG0RaQREIvwArIYLhP8NdKEZrivlJiNRpA3itdhb9xSVZMqATnkR7aaYMV8SHaYHr8Kz/F8BmXPMFdZ10A3PsmtLicQpJ0DSdSAT7DQuMxqMjJkC5gVO3xOtJUuQlb4MtYwSpcCEh7jsBoAAs8vEzRXFuDPbQltdx5kGiMLZVLgdmzEPnIgCWmd5Ma014zxBbyZMuXUHNMnSdJk6UJpIGm2ZduFi6PpLMBICsm5Uj49Zpjg+HTlTs6kCYiFEkyfAEedS4XZ+iZ4YQ8SI3ImDG3M09wd9G3QhhzE6+I56d9JNMGmdGBH2x5V1sEoMFj5Ci3uW1O8+C1x8fanmfZRRVmX9IbQRldSwBGUnTkZHxPsoPDXUfkT4kx7iBWh4zctXrbLlbYkHMdDGhrDns7NpyjYD5eyhOhD1Tl1WBrvlA9hqrOJmQSDMg8xtMGlKYlgdACR1j3E6j3UanEUIh1U+MMPKR8KqxDLD3VDpmAzMwgyC0zp3itJkzOgJOjGP8p09lZO1fRWVk+jnMNAIPrCYgfGmqYouwUaSZmT0Og6DeoaTdlp0qHuLsQJPxFKm3rqWSTvNW3DGgApklDCvVepFepgEWMO4gBgP8P602tcOUsirfzMwBbKmik/VJzb71nm4jdPd5U99E2LPmbfN0HcfmaTYA/pq+R33AZAihQoGbLuSdgcwk91fNXxIy7aeeus19P9N8Izoc4VWZ9ArFhlyqu5VddJiKyZ4BaP1GBjk+/lFJuhpWZ7ALcvuFV2XQkkch5RNG2eHYogEZWHIkx5nStFhcGEiFAj7Kqp265alawECAzR3sdp2+VG4aj5EqcFuHVynlJg+zTypz6McHT+KtG4+VVYvmEk5k7S6HSMwHsrr8PB0JI8z8iJ9tFcMwCJ9KwJLfQ3NTsOzGgLEg6nn0o3A0KeL8RzYi41uXzOzByIntTMD9KGuYm457dxj3Fo9g5VBrDE76fvl+9qiLQ5ny8un73pkWFWFXdjPv8AlTnBPht3DE9wIHwpPYsL0E+E8u4bUWiEaAa8tPfrpH71ppITkx2r4IbIfMiuPi8GPqR4Gl7SAwGpAEHsiToTr7aibrKcuYEfa06dJ8qdIW5hV7F4b6q+Gk/Kl9/Eg7ZR0i2QR5hK4+JnfTuCzHnrvQt11n1THepnfccu+ocY+C1JlgxTja4w8WMexqpuYptzlbvAAPtXT2g0Obi66KPGBpVN1Qdfad+Y8aYmxzglS4DBII3Uxp5xqKQ4j0bGZsjnTqBvPdy2o7g5h9d4Ijrr+lM3wKuS2Ugnfp8RHvoKXBk7no/dA0YHyihDw28pgpvznTzrcrhBtkHmSaP4DwRL936MwnZJzdCCDpJjkR50Bg+aBGR4IykESJHj16U04djlFxSx0En3bAwfDatbxbg9tLr2zkYK0ZoWTEcxtQD8Hw4Rso7WUwZY8u/SgRt+B4VLmFZYYIz5wC0kdlRuFAnTpSfiWFw6I2V3F0MOySCCp+tOUd/srR+jthhhkIy5Mmu+bN3corMekI7Y1iR8DSodi2DyY+78q9XJr1UIt+kHIU+9FTL+f5UiOBu/+he/yN+VPvRW2yuAyMhmYYEGOsHlU0htsK9Nj6g/qFZMXu+tP6aNL2x/UKzJtON7Nwf/ABmh8grO/Sd5r2epJh3O1q7p/wDyP5176Nx/w7o/+M0YDJCe6iMOhyXeX9nv/jSqSj/Yu/8A1n866bLZHJVwAu7IQJzLpJ0n8qYZFFywZBBPLU+7eoJb1gsesTHt1jvqd4Hv8TJ9xqpJ5D2SKCQuyiSASp8dTTCyickG/NN9d5jpNLbVtidT7T/4mjLPDsxGqEnqoP8A01SJY1OGyozApJPZAC6co139lUXF7JlATA2Qdd9oJA+PlVP8CygAqgn+jQ+YIqD4Y88g/wAL/wDfTFgpuJuMngcm45THPfpQr2B9j/lPuq69bg6ZT5N82oRyOif5f1qGUqOXLKAH8493T8jQr2VOwPx+O1SZ+nwA+AqtkP7M0DCcAArrLdqZ58x+tOfpT9o++lOBtZnXx/fdTWkhoiTT30QA/iF0nsNp5UntLPOnvocg/iVHc34TToBZx/XE3YEdv5CgCpE+B+Faf0i4BiTed1RcjN2TnUHYcp7jSrEcBxKBi6ABVJJzqYGWZ310pWlgqm+Ea70cb+TX7orI+kBl18/jWo9GGnCD7tIsdwy9fabSBgpIbtAQTtv4GqZKEqIDXqZn0exa/wDCH+dfzrlTaHTN4iFjAdp6fs0pxCZcZEzCD56U+wM51nr0HQ0jxv8AfW8B8KUUVN9hT6Rv/M2Pvj41qsSmZwAm7Qxk7TuKyPHdcVYH9Y+Na97M3h1zjTzolyEPIWuGUZlAPQ67++qOIpkylcqkmNY5Ad1NRb1bfc/Kl/GUEJP2jHuoapBFtyyB4Vs1wDOOfZAPQ842oH0ub+W1jVx7sx+VH8JUfTCN9fgaVem7gWba6audBrtP50o8WOeHR80xDaxVNtxJUmB3AGD51O/6+mxocprtVdzIYpe0B3O5/fXerbeJeJU6fvrQWEEN1/03/fSp4e2S7w8nbJB7MT1PPXbpVJk0MVvXW3MiepPvoi7hmOUt05kSfy6fnQ/aAGg5iGmOu01SzOSOcc9dfEdYpiLboykDs7A+uPMd5+HlFA3HLA5h85opbqhcrE76kKpYzynQ+/nQV+/r2RGunOPbvSY0UuAuhgHpVbOCKra3JqaJE6UihhwVZdB1Me2jstBcEP8Aap99fxCmLLGlSuRo7h03p/6HD+aTwb8JpJhhrTr0TdRi0nbX8Jq0Jm542Ows/a+RoDjSjJcC6k2mmfuH5U04kytbBCkjNEQRrBoPido5XldPozyP2Os1lJZNov2/kzfoq38oPCr/AEaYk3ddmXTr61CeiR/lfI/GifRc9q8O9f8Aqq59JGn1Dy7cymSAZj4V6p4jQez4V2sjQuwFqHUyN/kaQYwfzz9wX8IrVYa2Q4MR/pWRxKEY27JnY7RuqmK1jgibtibiYnGWB/WPjW2FkfTg6+v86xmJWcfhx/WPjW/tWWNzOXGUMdJ6E6UpLIRdIm+IUFhlckEz2WPIHQxB3HvofHAMqdk6MdIjpr4VZiMDbdmLO3aJkB4AkKNOnq+81XesoAFDgAFm9bMSWMn/AEobwEVkp4VZi6DGkHXWsr6d38y2hEQXEAhphgJ0222rXYUW7bZs4J2iOvhWF9OnT6RUQAKqzAnVnYsTrzJNKPFBPmzFXh2pE+yoWkJNX4g6mBU8MhHjTMmcS1Fc4bh5v3YJmEJI56MZNGIo1BG+k9DO/skedTwWH/tr417Itc5iVbv+XOtEII/gz4Hlp3z03mqWwvePZ0p1hcGGXtZo6AfuDVz4NNgCZG5/WqpCM7ftrGg1jelt63r3U+xGEiYmlOJQzoNKhjQC61xUkxV7JUClIotwDZHVvssD7DNPMZbIdx/W3xNI7I1ra4bgFzEIt1L2UMB2chMFQFOs8yJ86ltJlRTfAlwwiZpp6NW5xdsZiNTqPukxRaeh987Xh4fRn86J4X6L37d5H+kDFCSRlymCsbz3iq3eAcfJrcThD9GEUljnLSdNDOnvqjiWFYqzaEBI1P8ATBqq9YujVjA21b9anxHWNY7Guu/ZrJu+xolS5Ml6In+WPnRHowO3e7Uary729lCeh/8Adj51f6PHtX9YjKfe351rPpM4dRosQ7Dft7RGnIzrXqgXlVhhtrXayNGMFV22JnxrMuhGLuzv2fwLWswzZTJ099ZW64bGXiOo/CKuJM2KbgnH4f7/AOdbQ2s1wgQJJ61jk14hh/vH4GtqlwLczRKgnx50S5Hp4RaeGH7Xu/WqMVhcrCT6xnbvo/8A2gvQ+786DxmIDERIjrFS0qwVFtvJRhsEHkliI7hXzPjeK+kvuw2nT7o0HurfcY4ibOHuGdWGVddiZ+U18zHM0RojUbugW4RPnV6cq69rSo2zVGYdhFl/Ki+G2x9LijOxtjnyTw7xQeGfKdOmtW8KxMXsQhMElHHeCgHuK1oiTV4O2QsLBB5ED31atgoCdB5Ut4fisqgEgQTr4kn50ceIKw0huWkfCqAXYu0GnTWsziF1NahrwOY+7vG9Z3HW1iVPLUVMhoVMpFcO9XHUTUCKzHR1N633oXi5tuhMZTI8DoawK0/9FsXkvLPqt2T57e+plwXF0z6hwplzNHSiUMXm8P8AtoBMG+oyAbc/1odrDh4Kgnv1Gw51UW6HJJvkZ8YjIPvDbzoHGLGXSZURr/TXRhX+ynuq3FW2iSQAFE7Tty0qHbZapKrMP6Hf7hvE1bwCfpLwgmY28ao9DW/sWHeaJ9HrqrdvFjAAnfvFay6TGPUaixhzp2ToOZ/SvUKvF0H1zr38vZXq57R0VLwO3VBuW8Y/SschH8TeiYzHetfhlDNB10J1rHr/AHm/98/Gto82ZSxgFw0HiFidpb8JrZ3AgJlGJnkR18axeDH/AORseLfhNbbDQXGmsn50S5CPFnksoRngiD6p3PvrhdJ/3cR1NDYjiDKW7Y0LcjpDqvJO+P3NCcY4sLdhHYhnYNlGu8xJBAMDwpNYGpZyZP02xwe4LaAKtsagHdzvr3CB7azbmABVt1yzFiZJMknmag450GcslTuda5ZrhBOmtWLbJ06d1G5Aol679B8qp4swRkvz6hCuOttiJ/ymCPOrVB6RHdUb1vMrKwlWBB8CIqtyDaxsLuvj8K6lyPVid6z3CcV/ZgNqyHI2+6aD3RTMYihyBRCTe023n30FcWrw4gSdKtQLHrDwP6VlLUo0jCxS6VTFPTw4kTO/fQb4BhqBPzrNa0X3Kekxd8ausvBmvPbPP51wJWyaZm4tH1P0exZxFoEMQ66HtHcd08xV2F4iWvXLM6IujmTJbTx5V8/4BxEWbilxmSe0uo8xHMVrcLg5vG4qgo6jK2cjrMQ0+2qj4Btjt8BlXMCGAMQM2/tq2+pOSFHqjlXLNoJYdBsrwDOY8tzO9RxKiFJb6o28TrUySRcW5K2Yr0RWLbeJ+NEcAthrt8ETKnTzFUei57Dfeb4mrOAqWvXwN8h28VFaPpM49QRxV2tqMmHzsQOyAdBPMz7q9QXGuF2XZRdxDowX1RaduZO4kGvVz0jo3SN9gWhiT9k/KsZhnzX75HN2+JrZ4Bx9oHsflWK4do90j7bfE1tEwnyD8MM8Rsz/AFfhNbfBt/aL4n4GsPwf/wDZW56Mf+U1puLcWFpC6GX1CqDtOk+U0S6iov2sH43xf6EP2wzEsFTKBHbBEyNgBHnWHxWKu3WLMzMT3GPAAVXicS8kxmY7udfZ0oFrjnct76CAl7Djcx5GqXDDnVBDdDXQhpUFklc9PdV6Od8hNRFojZqvth+Tt/mpOL7DtFYfqra94HyioNdHQ+ZmjUw5Ohb2mr0wKc3UeYpqDE5IzaAo57JKXGkEfVfmD3GN6aJcy6FT36/pTPEYQZGCOEcqQj6TJ6fvnQ/Bsl7Do7EKxEMp0IZTB0J6ifOm4sFJAv8AEL9n3/pVqXwdkP78qZHCINmXTw/OrbT5T2QD51jNSSNYuLBMPZZ/qHy/WjzwZiJyEeIH51K5jrkQFPspfibl5uTew1yOGo3ykb3FLhspxPDWU/mR+dDDDRzE/vvqNy053BmqGtH9kV0QUkssxk1eEXiwf2DTHhXEXssAwzJMlZI16joaSq2u49o/OiExPIspHQsPz0rdGTPqGAxaXbNxkgAuDvrJjcH1Tyjuq+4phNpy++TWA4LxP6Jx2pRtG1/c+Nbm/jezbGWVKzoe/wAKTyXF0qMj6K+q/wB9/wARqXBFY37wXco0axr2ah6Jtpd++/4jXuE4nJiXMZpBEeMVq+kzXVghjsHiMwy3EmNZcdd9a9V3GL6tkU2bjAA6BiOe5hda9WFI6Mmz4XZUkqwERzHeBFZbDLFy6B9tvZmNM+0lkvmMuQq9QQZJ8opJwp82djqSTPjvW0UYSBuEGeIpuIV/wmlPpPxhDfdCfUgDtBRIAkAMYJknURtt1Y8AWcc5+yj/AAiiOIejeGvuXdGkntEOQDpz79OUUnyEVaMWt4P6quxOsKqsfdU/oX/9K7/9f6VvOGYO1YQpZRUE/VGp8W3bzNOraPIJJjz6UBtXk+VCw/K1dPhb/wDGoXWKKXZXAGhlQDO0RHfX1y/ce2hCtOYbyZEdKxXF/R2/iXa8rqVYjMGLSCFgRAMyBp500nVhSMzhsWDsGPhl+Ww8aIXHWx6xcddPyBrc8C4KuFTKoJZgS77FiIgRyA1gePWinuELOu4599S5U6NoaG6DlZhE4lYMy5HiDv5CicNxfDowJdyPut8lraLcU/WYeykvpnhXv4ZkRiTmVmWPWVdYHfMHyqtxi9Ou4vv+klgggBtRuojXXQl/LkazXBeNBAyAZ3LsSqNDTJHZXKwaQF9Ws83Dm2086P4Jwe695AgEqysD9nKQcx6AUOQlE0x4j1s4kf4F+a1EY2f+Ff8A8iH/AKJrfJnIJnSTzr2Ynn7zSuytjRg3u6SLeIbwsJ/2UqPEz9JkZCusHOiAr3tCaR0ivqSZyI0nxpJxn0UXEP8ASBhbfZjoQwHUSNe/9Knah5MpjPpUYhUa4o+vbMrPNZCCCPmKmmDxTAEYa/qB9Yj5Ctjwbhpwdtlz5y7TJ05AaAeFHSalJIdNvBg04PjGP93ceN0D4mibHo7jTqUVI1g3SxPQaNE1tFzEwI84q0KZIgTA0nTc861jFMiVo+T4/iD2mKOGR+hRvCRnOo7xpWq9CvSG5cK2XAIVSUMAEAaw0aR+fOtPi8MrjLctIy9DDD2EV6xgLNqPo7aKWUE5QBz2nmKTSHFOxH6LGHxC9Hb8Roe0+XEOen5irOAtGIxC/wBbfiNQw6/zbAdPyqn0kx6gri2NuSuW4yzP1iOleojiVliwAAnXp3dxr1Y0zrpPt/I7xma4lo9kQxAA03YAH99aQcEBhvE1qQLX0i2g4IOaNNmVszCZ5CfOKzPBtEfzrWMlLHg59TT2vPfKBfRi2Xxd3WOw3KecVq2wotjbNCliDsYHSkPoQF/iruYx2D+IVu71uzoWY6iNTuJ/Ss5SSdtpBFquBLwu0WQuFALE7DbXarnsXVcEKSrEAk7Dvimo+iIKry1IWVG/dz3rtvEWvWWTy0JIOnSelQ9SKWWisVwIuL4G6UGXU5oEDmaUIMWjNaRDJAnTYjWQdufwrXniaA6DQRM6QTr13ieVWreXtMo3idYLad/QGmtePEWmJxrLVCSzgLhySJYqZDGI9UEk9Zqq7w1yILDssBseZ5e2m+CxADCZiH3OvrLRdzEBiANNjrtpr8Ypfqq/dQ4ykkorgzqcMz5vqZTl56kc/OpJw9ySM47Jgab89PbTS1jpSUfP2oJYRpOqwBvGk11mK5MidlVJGsdsgjXqNTUfUwurK2Za7nxH0ythcXcUCIy6AcyikmO861t/QfhX0mGVgIOZiSBv2iAJ5xG1LOLeit7FYp3zqjOM8MDECFgETO1bT0c4ddw+HS0HzZWktAAIJkqJO/fRL1EI1kJabi6kdw3Bn7SjTtTJ7pA8auHCHIgEab7EzznTTlpTC5mJ7LMqxmgRpPf765rlys7BuvXaaj6iMVd8hJ3XxgWrwi4IGZZiY+NUjgZC7Fw0GVAkRtqeRpthbWViWYhjtz7I+HKr84AWGJ1mDz5GPfTfqVFZBpL5ES8DZVaWJGrbbEcielXrwq4pGxJ5RsOfdTRbwLAQRmJkE6HQnyrrYkgt0iN9BHP99KiPqou2uBVQqbhTAaic2gIGgnrzoa1wFlBSZzwee2p+VaEYkxppAnXmRy7qAwPEsy/SscsTmU6ZQM2/lFbR9SlgP0205V8AH+yXjsALJmBOnLbpXLnD3011A1MHLHj17qeWcWMgydoxK96nUHvFcN4MANAW1IO2nURrtU6nqEk65/0ezLPm/CreXFXx/W34jVvD8Kz44hRrB92tcwwjG3h/W3xq/hJjG89jtvsdjXTurT3PwYpXKjU3MPGY5CWB2KmNTyPOvUTjuNKjC2QxLCR2dIHfOterD6heDqj6aUldCpQ5QhLWUgkMxdAxO51ymJJnSkXBvUNbF/VP3j8DWQ4V/uz4U/TPLOfV1HPkE9G7btdv5MuYCRmzbhhzBBBp/jMVicOjuzW3EqQMr6ljyYucseFKvQf+8XvD/rFO/Swfyx+8vxpa8PerFCbpx+CS4lbttQC6FoLG3JErBI01Wc3SjcEEUrlZWUQAu5EDQnzqjBiMOsaaLt/hq64gIaQDDaSNvDpXFKPb5NpzawuCXFLbMyZObAtrEKOp3OpFUcRxD23RmcKhPaBGukbez31HhDkpqSdeZnmaL48gKpIB1XcTzqYxr8Gmjqbmk15R5Lmq6z2XH/MulQvXbhuoqpmQ6MT9WBp4a9a9gfXH+P8AGtX3dG001racVKLs5oz2S+39lWJV7dtltAZhJgjQzvtsd6swLXWtKHhWMTGo31320+NUnf8AxH4GjMF6nm3wrlklH8lR19z2tfNlOHxFuWWCCGKjloOY6iahcvhV1YQSB01OkeNUX90+4fiKljEEDQesvLvrOcd8slajyn5CfpioygCWGk/CquLI7jIhylok6mF1BI76q4nsn/uJ+NaMfd/AfE1rKFzoSm4RUl5FtrDm0UKs7l8qGTMBQe1HKTFF4LFO6ZjKkkiD9WDEeOlGYZRlXTkaVcJ9S599/iay1nhI1cnOLvnGfyH3bgAljpp60ddI9tVY13KEEBiJIVdMw+yTQ3EPqfeWr8P8/nVRitriTC6v9gHB3mutBYD6N+0CDMZW2bnyERpFNb1tWLKAIYDN3g5gfdQ+KEHTSSs9+g361E+sf8H4mrq017Beo1G50scBOEssFAJmDKwAIQaBdOlAXFJuNmbshlyqhJJESZC7eelc4ndb6VhJjLtJjbpV9rRlA0GUacvZWSTlHJMddpuXwY21P8bd5dpqlhXcYwFIzaxKlhsZ0BBOleX++3fvGreGf34eB/C1eq/+P2Mo5lY6xNrFFlMo0yQRmXLpzBkia9TnE7nw+Yr1efHUxwbS9TKLpH//2Q==" width="166" /></p><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">Somewhere
in Pennsylvania, Green Bay declared: “I want to see the Liberty
Bell.” He had maps and guidebooks and I tried to navigate us there.
At least we were talking. But we never found it. Drove round and
round Philadelphia but couldn't find the damn bell. He was dejected
but I had to tell him I really needed to reach New York before it got
dark.</span></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">Green
Bay had no business alone in Atlantic City. I could only hope—for
his sake—that he couldn't find a casino either and turned back for
home.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><i style="font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;">Next
up: My Nine Hour Trip from Philly to NYC</span></span></i></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-57596471305844192252021-04-08T10:03:00.002-07:002021-04-08T10:06:25.844-07:00Part III: Maria vs Mario, Lawnchairs, a Limo & a T-Bird<p> </p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(Part
III of my series on a hitchhiking trip from CA to VT and the Bread
Loaf Writers' Workshop back in 1982. Chronicled here before I forget
it entirely.)</span></i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black; font-size: medium;">Okay,
maybe it was only 18-inches long, but a big knife. Okay, maybe a
foot. Anyhow, the guy could slice up a cantaloupe at 60 mph, played a
steady stream of good music out of his tape deck and provided
interesting conversation clear into Utah.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Things
get hazy here—it has been 39 years. I guess I decided to kill some
time in Denver, having a couple of friends living there, so we parted
company in Salt Lake City. The ride out of Salt Lake was memorable
for its creepiness.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;">I
wanna say it was a Corvair. Went by me as I exited a gas station with
some snacks and directions. I followed those directions out onto a
highway that went easterly on by the airport and out of town. And
there was the Corvair again, the driver had to be in his 70s—picture
Edmund Gwenn in </span><i style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;">Miracle on 34</i><sup style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;"><i>th</i></sup><i style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;"> Street </i><span style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;">or
</span><i style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;">The Trouble with Harry.</i><span style="font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.01in;"> Small talk quickly led to this kindly
old gent talking about a girl he knew in his teens.</span></span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil18Ugxb1PhJO_owniHJP4ig9EuNzSIil3EWdJrtG2g0TLmLfKkE4acM6AFR-qPCpKShZoS1D4S5E5_m3lNM1wgjnQXb9VysWtu8LMxWMiMR6aNc7c5c6FojJX7KjFpwDW784bbL0SzwJY/s279/34th+St.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil18Ugxb1PhJO_owniHJP4ig9EuNzSIil3EWdJrtG2g0TLmLfKkE4acM6AFR-qPCpKShZoS1D4S5E5_m3lNM1wgjnQXb9VysWtu8LMxWMiMR6aNc7c5c6FojJX7KjFpwDW784bbL0SzwJY/s0/34th+St.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Maria was
always good for a blowjob,” he said with an old-guy giggle—all of
which caught me completely off-guard. Then he started talking about
her brother Mario. “And if you couldn't find Maria, Mario was
always available in a pinch.” Another giggle. “After all, when it
comes to blowjobs, it doesn't really matter whether its a Maria or a
Mario, now does it?”</span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;">I'm
strictly a Maria kind of guy,” I responded as politely as I could,
and he let me out near the airport.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">Spent
some time with buddies in Denver, I'm sure, but I can't distinguish
it from other times I've been there.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">Got
one long ride through Nebraska, four frat boys crammed into the front
of a pick-up. I was alone in the truck bed when the rains came. It
poured but—tucked up against the cab—I barely got wet. I think
they bought me lunch and said they'd drop me near the entrance to
I-29 heading up to Sioux Falls. Though nowhere near any freeway, they
did drop me in the middle of the stockyards and it stunk like hell.
I'm sure that they had a good laugh over that.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">Passed
on a ride from a Charles Manson-looking fellow in a rusty, white
station wagon—the only ride I turned down on the trip—and got a
ride from a blonde—the only woman to stop the whole way. Older than
I, probably in her mid-30s, she was very nice and missed the
Augustana College exit—my friends Scott and Lois lived nearby—and
I settled for downtown.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">Found
a bar, a couple beers and directions to their street. No one home.
Having no schedule myself, I may not have given them any indication
that I might be stopping by. I dragged my pack through their fence
gate to the back porch. Fully aware that the neighbors could've
called the police, I napped—prepared to be awakened by the
authorities. Didn't happen. I walked to find a six-pack and some food
and returned—the neighbors thinking nothing of some guy coming and
going from the back porch next door.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">I
left Scott and Lois a note, attached to a lawnchair, containing the
lyrics to a song called “Lawnchairs are Everywhere”. Din Din, my
old roommate, had received a $1,500 grant from DaAnza College to
shoot a film of a short story of mine—one of three I sent in to get
the Bread Loaf scholarship—starring me. Instead, he decided to
remake a music video of the Lawnchair song he'd shot in the summer of
'81—before MTV. It had featured our dodgy roommate's girlfriend,
who tried to take over the remake and was fired. Replaced by me. In
drag. I've never forgiven Din Din for not doing my story.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">First
ride the next morning was in a limousine. No kiddin'. I don't recall
who the guy was but he had a young boy along and we ate breakfast in
the back. I think they were headed for Clear Lake, Iowa, so the ride
wasn't a long one.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">I'm
guessing it was a late 50s Thunderbird, red, classic car plates—my
next ride. I admitted I didn't know much about cars but told him my
dad would go nuts over his. A very nice guy. I don't recall where he
was headed but it was not the Twin Cities. Before I knew what had
happened, he had decided on a detour and ultimately drove me right
into my parents' driveway.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white;">Sure
'nough, Dad stepped out of the garage, gave me—the son he hadn't
seen in a year or two—a wave and started checking out the T-Bird.</span></span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-31354938813691349132021-03-25T09:26:00.001-07:002021-04-08T09:46:11.473-07:00Part II: Desert Poker and Knee-deep in Porn<p><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"> <i style="text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Solely
for my own benefit, I am recounting here my 1982 hitchhiking trek from
CA to the Bread Loaf Writers' Workshop in Middlebury, VT. This is
Part II.</span></i></span></p><p><i style="text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There's
a spot in the middle of Nevada where several smaller highways
intersect the interstate, and there I found a group of hitchhikers
patiently waiting their turn for an
eastbound ride. One fellow stood thumbing a ride on the shoulder while
four more played poker in the dust. The gamblers were the next four
in line to hitchhike, as I found out from others who sat in the
desert heat waiting for their opportunity to lose money while waiting
for their opportunity to proceed eastward. Those were the rules.</span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0No50rpBoNBryeV_9_T5eWoMToPBwLHqzDftv_jesyLLrkQ_YmJgBtoz7xxz6hFof5Tl6e0Hv8QtSf3dnSicjg92X9IYmZeRdyc5YwkIYyG3excrcYjSmVzxulS9qN32s_RMICl16kPY/s606/poker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0No50rpBoNBryeV_9_T5eWoMToPBwLHqzDftv_jesyLLrkQ_YmJgBtoz7xxz6hFof5Tl6e0Hv8QtSf3dnSicjg92X9IYmZeRdyc5YwkIYyG3excrcYjSmVzxulS9qN32s_RMICl16kPY/s320/poker.jpg" /></a><i style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (The fellow on the left is cheating.)</span></i></span></span></span></div><p></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I
sat in the dirt anticipating a Reno-like eight-hour stretch here when
a car pulled over and picked up the designated hitchhiker, quickly
replaced by a card player, and the longest-tenured guy in “the
bullpen” moved into the game. Soon the whole process repeated
itself until I found myself next in line for a card game I wante</span></span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">d no
part of. My funds were limited, as were my poker skills.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">The
game seemed to be heating up as an RV pulled over—the one guy
running to jump in—followed by another car that also pulled onto
the shoulder. The pot seemed to have grown too big for any of the
participants to risk leaving, so I ran to the waiting vehicle.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Tossing
my pack in, I jumped in and found my own knees in my face—the floor
of the backseat full of nudie magazines. I thanked the two guys in
the front for stopping while shifting magazines till my feet found
their way to the floor. They asked where I was going.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; text-indent: -0.01in;">First
Minneapolis,” I said. “Ultimately Vermont.”</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; text-indent: -0.01in;">You're
in luck, we're goin' to Sioux Falls,” said the passenger. Luck
indeed! I had friends in Sioux Falls and a roof over my head for a
night or two. Having seen enough of Nevada's scenery, I picked a
magazine off the pile.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; text-indent: -0.01in;">What's
in Sioux Falls for you guys?” I asked, just to be sociable.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">They
both laughed. “See that RV up ahead?” the driver asked. “That's
my old man. He come out to take me back to go to court.” He eyed me
in the rearview mirror. “They wanna put me away for a </span><i style="text-indent: -0.01in;">real,
lo-o-ong time.</i><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">” The two had another laugh over that.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">They
didn't elaborate. I didn't ask. I did slip my handy map book inside
the girlie mag, figured I had parts of three states and twenty-some
hours—barring stops—to spend with a guy facing a stretch in
prison and a buddy who found that hilarious. I picked the next
good-sized town on the map.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; text-indent: -0.01in;">Come
to think of it,” I began, “my brother's got a friend in
Winnemucca he wanted me to look up because the guy owes him some
money.” As the Winnemucca exit and a Motel 6 sign came into view, I
said: “Just dump me here and I'll cut across this field.” The
field stretched out maybe 150 yards between the interstate and the
motel, a chain-link fence cut across at about the halfway point.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">Dusk
had set in. I trudged through thigh-high grass to the fence, climbed
it and splashed down into knee-high water. Marshland in Nevada?
Climbing back over, I sloshed back to the highway and a mile or so to
the Winnemucca exit, then the same distance down main street—passing
'</span><i style="text-indent: -0.01in;">No Vacancy' </i><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">signs along the way—and got the last room at
the Motel 6. I believe I was overcharged. Seems there was a rodeo in
town.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Back
out to the interstate the next morning, I passed a couple also
looking for a ride, so I moved on toward an entrance ramp that might
offer me more opportunity. Before I could get there a guy pulled
over. “Don't like picking up couples,” he said as I climbed in.
“Nothing but trouble.” He was 35 – 40 and heading for New York
City.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; text-indent: -0.01in;">Wow...
Tom Waits,” I said of the music coming from his tape deck. “Haven't
heard anything but lousy country music since I left California.” He
seemed like a great guy. One I could've traveled all the way to New
York with—except that I still had two months to kill before Bread
Loaf began.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: -0.01in;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; text-indent: -0.01in;">Got
some groceries in back,” he said. “Oughta be a melon on top.”</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">I
reached back into the bag and pulled out a cantaloupe.</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">He
reached under his seat and pulled out a two-foot-long machete.</span></span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><i style="text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">This
is what they call, in the biz, a cliffhanger. Next time: Lawnchairs
are everywhere.</span></span></i></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-73102703219977667992021-03-19T10:57:00.002-07:002021-03-19T12:14:55.390-07:00All Just to Get to a Writers' Workshop<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mostly
for my own benefit, I'm gonna chronicle my 1982 hitchhiking trip from
California to Vermont and back on this page. Judging from the
frequency of past posts, I may complete the task by its 40<sup>th</sup>
anniversary next summer.</span></i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">My
roommate Din Din and I stood in our San Jose, California kitchen
trying to figure out our plans for the upcoming summer—or more
precisely my plans. Din had house painting jobs lined up back in
Minneapolis while I was clinging to a longshot of getting a
scholarship to the Bread Loaf Writers' Workshop in Middlebury,
Vermont. It was my last day to decide whether to stay on with our
somewhat dodgy third roommate—which I didn't want to do—or
scramble for temporary quarters—of which there were none.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I
won't hear from Bread Loaf till July,” I said. “And it's a pipe
dream anyway.”</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Then
the phone rang. Honest. A woman asked if I'd like a working
scholarship to Bread Loaf. “Are you serious?” I said. She asked
if I'd be arriving by plane or bus. “Hitchhiking, I guess,” I
said. I had little money and two-and-a-half months to kill before the
workshop. She wished me luck.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I
climbed into a pick-up truck headed for Sacramento. It would be the
first of twelve straight pick-ups to deliver me through northern
California that day. This first one dropped me off on the highway
resulting in the police ordering me off and I walked most of the way
through the capital city before a second pick-up gave me a lift.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The
day's last pick-up dropped in Reno and—though I'd swore I wouldn't
spend money on lodging—I checked into a cheap motel for the night.
I did not take advantage of the free gambling chip they gave me.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<img alt="History of the Reno Arch in downtown Reno, Nevada" class="n3VNCb" data-atf="true" data-deferred="1" data-h="274" data-iml="7958.494999998948" data-w="432" id="imi" jsaction="load:XAeZkd;" jsname="HiaYvf" src="http://newtoreno.com/renoarchpix/renoarch6.jpg" style="height: 274px; margin: 0px; width: 432px;" /></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo: newtoreno.com</span></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The
next morning found me eagerly standing, thumb out, on an entrance
ramp heading east.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">That
afternoon found me still in that same spot, eight hours later. A car
finally pulled over. “I saw you in this same spot this morning on
my way to work,” the guy said as I crammed my backpack into the
backseat. <i>No shit, </i>I muttered. “Of course, I'm turning to go
to Carson City.” The Carson City exit was maybe 100 yards up the
road.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Now
forced to cross rush-hour Carson City traffic, I finally settled
under an overpass on the interstate—where the police frown on
hitchhikers. Another pick-up stopped. A cowboy. “Only going as far
as Sparks,” he said. I could see the exit just ahead. I took the
ride just to get off the highway.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I
can offer you a beer and a bunk,” the cowboy said. “Course I'm a
gay guy.”</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">It
was late afternoon. “No, thanks,” I said and ended up on the
Sparks ramp till the sun went down. I trudged over to a nearby park.
Though tempted to walk back to Reno and that motel, I climbed atop a
picnic table to sleep.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: -0.01in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Next
installment: Desert poker, knee-deep in porn, and a machete.</span></i></span></span></p>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-9217153146872118582020-05-30T08:26:00.000-07:002020-05-30T08:41:30.820-07:00A short, random history of “race riots”<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"> I write historical fiction, letting past events dictate the course of
my characters' lives. Several books ago, I had a character heading
west from Iowa and googled, 'denver 1880'</span><span style="font-size: large;">—</span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">the dropdown choices
included 'denver riot'. Turns out a Chinese fellow wasn't welcome in
a pool hall, so they hung him from a lamppost. The subsequent “riot”
involved the Chinese running for their lives while white folks left
Denver's Chinatown in ruins.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlJ1MPTUi1awZ2YEIQ5uB6_W7mOZa4tQ9HwHaZ3mTFg9zw_-olYQMUHiOEaUHc_dxdmXLpSjUgzPEX0gJc9sxYJrG1_VWbmaitTO6sJWGIGj3bGJkwX7PF8QJBVuN9odNJdG-tz1UggyZ/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlJ1MPTUi1awZ2YEIQ5uB6_W7mOZa4tQ9HwHaZ3mTFg9zw_-olYQMUHiOEaUHc_dxdmXLpSjUgzPEX0gJc9sxYJrG1_VWbmaitTO6sJWGIGj3bGJkwX7PF8QJBVuN9odNJdG-tz1UggyZ/s320/220px-Nab_Negro_for_Attacking_Girl_in_an_Elevator.png" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Later in the same book, I innocently picked Oklahoma as a stopping
point for the same character and googled 'tulsa 1921'. The first page
of results revealed story after story about another race riot—this
one dubbed a massacre. Here a black teenage fellow rode down a few
floors with the white girl operating the elevator. Reaching the
lobby the girl screamed. The black kid was arrested and, by the next
day, a prosperous black neighborhood—Black Wall Street, they called
it—had been burned to the ground. All this before the girl was ever
questioned about what might have caused her to cry out. No charges
were filed.</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
In another book, I wanted a character to travel from St. Paul to
watch a friend in a circus and googled 'duluth 1920' and was greeted
by a photo of three black men lynched for the rape of a white
girl—despite the girl's own doctor proclaiming earlier in the day
that his examination showed no sign that a rape had ever occurred.
This didn't stop the lynching or the authorities across the bay in
Superior, WI to seize the opportunity to run all idle blacks out of
town and fired all black workers at a separate circus. No one was
ever brought to trial for the lynchings despite a group photograph of
the perpetrators that went on sale as a postcard.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7M0XxE5dLCCZO8HXDDobcebSnc3G4oNuqz7kaC3fCvsdMZnjstfTcYgcUQeiDlxSNDOYAuA-7ogczIgFEYN3VxOIT-nnmxDi4rhjmunYgGcyJU77PWi4DNf3XY9u4exG2GICXFKnL86gU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7M0XxE5dLCCZO8HXDDobcebSnc3G4oNuqz7kaC3fCvsdMZnjstfTcYgcUQeiDlxSNDOYAuA-7ogczIgFEYN3VxOIT-nnmxDi4rhjmunYgGcyJU77PWi4DNf3XY9u4exG2GICXFKnL86gU/s320/00002553.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
These are random products of limited research but every town has its
dirty secrets they've tried to whitewash from history.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">
If I have a point here it is that you don't have to look too hard to
find racial injustice in towns big and small in this country. Nor do
you have to look hard to find us white folks taking advantage of the
opportunity—any opportunity—to capitalize. Take a negative and make it positive: git rid of Chinatown, burn Black Wall Street, chase the undesirables out of town. What's happening here
in Minneapolis is no surprise. That cop took George Floyd's life
because he could. Black man in handcuffs, white man with power.
History—both ancient and recent—said he'd get away with it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nQiF94aTggm1S_ub3dlaECRbEh2nr42tea7gTiHseXul97CelDFEWlOOXmDDKcRHPpzg_9LWXbGUW7BwpIQVTEO0cA9LG62ir9_9oYijqvvkD8i6aVp9bnSlOTQK8AGxf4klx_1sLj-f/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="444" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nQiF94aTggm1S_ub3dlaECRbEh2nr42tea7gTiHseXul97CelDFEWlOOXmDDKcRHPpzg_9LWXbGUW7BwpIQVTEO0cA9LG62ir9_9oYijqvvkD8i6aVp9bnSlOTQK8AGxf4klx_1sLj-f/s320/hammer.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">In the murder's aftermath, this gas-masked man in black, armed with umbrella and hammer and casually shattering windows, seems a perfect example of the white opportunist. Start the looting, stoke the fires, after all, the worse the riot looks, the better the police look—even with the murder of an unarmed and handcuffed man caught on video. </span><br />
<div>
<div style="line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</blockquote>
will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-56559770503965084232020-05-05T08:29:00.002-07:002021-03-14T10:37:39.357-07:00On freebies<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">From
time to time I give away Kindle copies of my novels in an attempt to
attract readers. My last three giveaways before this year netted 2, 2
and 3 people jumping on my offers. Free books. I could barely give
them away. My most successful freebie days had been 21, 73 and a
confounding 305 copies of </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The
Adventures of Hank Fenn </span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">back
in 2016.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: white; font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="234" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-azo-5aGzUxpYUiZpwdIlTTZbSVvsmS6BhBUsLDCCR4s3Rc6p06hkR23xvmnFavA7uEd3r2fKKccvNDx9_2N9TRwteI3UDmyqGxQ60iStyxp11YKMXkl0AKoQ01X4CYHY5H_EFxm7qa8/s320/HANKFENN.jpg" /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<br />
</span></span><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I
tried </span></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Hank
</span></i></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">this
past Sunday for a two-day freebie event. Gave away 8 copies on
Sunday, and was surprised when a freelance editor tweeted about it. I
recalled her because she'd had good things to say about the same
book back in '16. I retweeted the tweet.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8znno1ZYLq9yacOwKDjqoY-vHEGOgmydK8LKl6W9aWtvXtw_LuzAU770SOwBgvQWr6nfKvE9HnH2kyTUpx1-PzL5tp6cFw_TNv7Jvt2-Tn548HysguA33UfE8yXeZnxpcnTm3j4S1RAU6/" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="517" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8znno1ZYLq9yacOwKDjqoY-vHEGOgmydK8LKl6W9aWtvXtw_LuzAU770SOwBgvQWr6nfKvE9HnH2kyTUpx1-PzL5tp6cFw_TNv7Jvt2-Tn548HysguA33UfE8yXeZnxpcnTm3j4S1RAU6/s320/freeHank.PNG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Gave away 268 copies on Monday. Perhaps I should rethink Twitter as a marketing tool.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">This morning I discovered I'd actually </span></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">sold</span></i></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> three books during/since the giveaway. Plus, someone started reading (36 pages, so far, per the Amazon chart) </span></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Hank Fenn </span></i></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">on Kindle Unlimited.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">For the record, those three purchases </span></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">quadrupled </span></i></span></span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">my sales total for the year. Yes, perhaps I should rethink Twitter.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-11583147019967218552020-04-08T08:25:00.004-07:002022-04-03T12:52:42.657-07:00On John Prine<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="John Prine Dies: Rockers React" border="0" class="rg_i Q4LuWd tx8vtf" data-atf="true" data-deferred="1" data-iml="734.0449998155236" jsname="Q4LuWd" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
My introduction to John Prine's music came in junior high listening
to a friend's brother's records. In retrospect, I was </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">drawn to
storytellers: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Robert Hunter's Grateful Dead
tunes—but mostly John Prine.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
Come high school, any excuse for a John Prine sing-along was a good
one. I'd sing “Dear Abby” or “Your Flag Decal...” on my
s</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">olitary walks home to learn all the words. In college, I was that
obnoxious drunk singing along with Prine at that Grand Forks show.
And maybe others. My apologies.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
A move to the California desert started me writing short stories and
lyrics. I bought a guitar for the sole purpose of learning those
three magical chords that John Prine used to write all those wonderful
tunes. I learned the chords but Essential Tremors thwarted any
attempt to get through an entire song.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
I have a short story called <i>Christmas in Prison, </i>published
years ago in some now-defunct on-line journal and written years
before that. With my nightly walk home from Liquor Lyle's interrupted
by a train blowing through Uptown, I stood singing the Prine song:
“It was Christmas in prison and the food was real good / We had
turkey and pistols carved out of wood.” As the train passed, I
spotted a little girl in a pink snowsuit laying in the snow. As I
grew closer I watched her make a snow angel. How's that for having a
story handed to ya?</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
John Prine made his way into my novel <i>The Great American Scrapbook
</i>in the form of grief therapy for the book's main character, Brock
McCoy. He took to wandering around the house with his guitar, singing
John Prine songs that came to mind. The family let this play out,
even calling out requests till Brock snapped out of it.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
For those of you unfamiliar with my work—and you are many—I enjoy
using real-life characters in my novels. My work-in-progress (<i>If I Lie in a Combat Zone</i>) has its main character stumble into John Prine while returning from Vietnam via Germany. Naturally, they become friends.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="John Prine: Secrets Behind His Classic Songs - Rolling Stone" border="0" class="rg_i Q4LuWd tx8vtf" data-atf="true" data-deferred="1" data-iml="733.8700001128018" jsname="Q4LuWd" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /></a></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
Last night, we all got the news that John Prine had died from
complications from the friggin' hoax virus. <i>Wait a while eternity?
</i>I guess not.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">UPDATE Sept '21: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">If I Lie in a Combat Zone</i><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal;"> </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">is finished and available: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B09FH2MC4V<br /><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGAvw1Nx9vsRoDvoN_6SPWQo_TEcikzosAcQ_UiqXWy_78YZAn5hK5HQ6pfVunxGeBGmGOWYk7fK6hKSl2X1oiNU1NUyiapIPPeJcuoFPjsY3JNLjnJ0rcc0Bzx43vwVse2Lj-VSqgNYJwEvdXYtabZwsMt-NLIARPG6JFyDYpps8a2G9uHjf4oFFiA/s1000/If%20I%20Lie%20final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="666" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGAvw1Nx9vsRoDvoN_6SPWQo_TEcikzosAcQ_UiqXWy_78YZAn5hK5HQ6pfVunxGeBGmGOWYk7fK6hKSl2X1oiNU1NUyiapIPPeJcuoFPjsY3JNLjnJ0rcc0Bzx43vwVse2Lj-VSqgNYJwEvdXYtabZwsMt-NLIARPG6JFyDYpps8a2G9uHjf4oFFiA/s320/If%20I%20Lie%20final.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I hope I treated John well.</span></div>
will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-28108072401005814892020-03-31T10:13:00.000-07:002020-03-31T10:21:19.032-07:00This is Worse: COVID-19 vs C-Diff<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">Last night I got
to thinking about a bout with C-Diff (C<span style="color: #3c4043;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">lostridioides
</span></span></span><em><span style="color: #52565a;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">difficile)</span></span></span></em>
I endured after contracting the bacterium during back surgery shortly
after Thanksgiving of 2012. I tried to compare my singular month-long
isolation in the hospital—followed by thirty more days in a rehab
center—to our current stay-at-home, social-distancing dilemma.
Despite sleepless nights on some sort of ventilator when the C-Diff
attacked my lungs or the trip to ICU when it went after my heart,
I've concluded that this is worse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">I was alone with
my malady back then, happy to have a hospital staff frantically
trying to keep me alive. At times, when it got to be too much, I
would've been happy to die. (9% fatality rate, I read somewhere when
I finally got the strength to read.) I was alone but everyone was
fighting with me. Now we're all alone—armed only with soap and
sanitizer, and our uneasiness and our fears.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">I'm healthy and
my job, somehow, deemed essential. I still take my walk to and from
it, but I see no one. At work I wear lime-green gloves while checking
in people's packages. Later I'll try to direct them to their latest
Amazon order on the table outside the round window of my office.
(“No, your </span><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">other</i><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"> left!” I'll yell.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">People pause in
the lobby twenty feet from my office door where they'd normally walk
right in. They half-smile or shrug, maybe both. I yell something they
don't quite hear and there's nervous laughter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">The grocery
store is even scarier. People seem afraid to look at one
another, as if a smile could either give off or attract the virus.
The check-out people are saints and I hope they don't notice
frivolities like my KitKats and carmel-corn as they risk their lives
ringing up my necessities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">No, this is
worse. We're all alone, wandering aimlessly yet dependent on one
another not to wander too close. I got it or they do. </span><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I'm sure
you're a nice person, but back off! </i><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">And
it's not ending any time soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">I remember my first day back at work in late January of 2013. Too weak
yet to walk to work, I stood at the bus stop. I recall the temp was 4
degrees and I felt so damn good to have walked that block—the first
thing I'd done on my own in two months. Now, whether it be hugging a
friend or simply picking up a package with my bare hands, I hope to
feel a similar exhilaration when this is finally over.</span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-49194208143098320382020-01-21T09:33:00.001-08:002021-03-14T10:32:42.401-07:00On Nancy Cary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAyVKRoLS1yjLrxfTsgjFhnjkMG0Kzhho786qlgZjeyXk2Y7q4vuljpKGV_nTjdm5jmXRSbuInBEW2cu3pFIxXtnRA9NlmZQYtN2P11vl1jDyOmeNVyQnNAI_gw-WH_CxPB9zV03ggsdf/s1600/Nancy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAyVKRoLS1yjLrxfTsgjFhnjkMG0Kzhho786qlgZjeyXk2Y7q4vuljpKGV_nTjdm5jmXRSbuInBEW2cu3pFIxXtnRA9NlmZQYtN2P11vl1jDyOmeNVyQnNAI_gw-WH_CxPB9zV03ggsdf/s1600/Nancy.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo lifted from her FB page. Sorry)</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sunday
evening I got word that my old friend Nancy Cary had passed away from
complications during a surgical procedure. I met Nancy in San Jose, I
guess in 1983. She was dating my roommate and high school buddy Don
Cary. You guessed it, they eventually married.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We
all attended DeAnza College. Don studied film, Nancy a poet. We
had a great time, then Don went and got accepted to the San Diego State
film program, and they left town.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I
sent Don a text today offering my condolences and all that. He wrote
back about the San Jose Bees minor league baseball games we used to
go to. <i>[See Jan. 27, 2011 post concerning Kirby Puckett.]</i> Don
and I and Bodie from Tennessee and Tex from Mississippi. Beers you
could barely lift for a buck and much heckling of players on both
sides. Nancy fit right in. I had forgotten how much so.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I
stayed more in touch with Nancy, through facebook, over the years.
Her posts showed a deep joy and involvement in the area's writing
scene and an organization called So Say We All in San Diego. And now,
surely, there is a whole community as stunned and shocked as I am at
her passing.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You
are already missed, Nancy.</span></span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-47801205856755609352019-11-04T09:39:00.000-08:002019-11-04T09:39:12.361-08:00On STORYMOBILE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2elXxh9qN0XS1Cv0YELiSiBf81jlQCNz4oaVR_FZALU4ObG6NT0XwhzNxH3DdL0L4X7dxxF6E4ZAU79-Jtf5JNM9M2S9SLlPpH6N6YLFar7PTypeo08Tl8tBvPjPxdIglu2RrVOOXaUK/s1600/EMW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2elXxh9qN0XS1Cv0YELiSiBf81jlQCNz4oaVR_FZALU4ObG6NT0XwhzNxH3DdL0L4X7dxxF6E4ZAU79-Jtf5JNM9M2S9SLlPpH6N6YLFar7PTypeo08Tl8tBvPjPxdIglu2RrVOOXaUK/s320/EMW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">2019 Saint Paul Almanac <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-967545200/sets/eat-my-words-bookstore-resistance-and-resilience-reading-series">reading</a> at Eat My Words Bookstore.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Click above link to see my whole head and listen to the entire reading. Enjoy!</span>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-75095055613654526562019-09-19T11:33:00.000-07:002019-09-19T13:00:51.236-07:00On page 6<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLEzmo_lwFuqX4yJujk1J5kOkzTlXGZx9otyf5CvSu2r0o9MiX6JT_jZ1_q4c5ZCF4CickHQ6T2Kz-18hjeQ-IUQpdeeArYpNzlC28Os0MV_jFpnmAFLfE1J-ar7BWerZ5QE6K7id7JnG/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLEzmo_lwFuqX4yJujk1J5kOkzTlXGZx9otyf5CvSu2r0o9MiX6JT_jZ1_q4c5ZCF4CickHQ6T2Kz-18hjeQ-IUQpdeeArYpNzlC28Os0MV_jFpnmAFLfE1J-ar7BWerZ5QE6K7id7JnG/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Last night I
attended a gala for the release of the <i>2019 Saint Paul Almanac.
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">(You'll find me on page 6, “More
Champagne?”, an excerpt from </span><i>The Miracles.</i><span style="font-style: normal;">)
I checked in, received my free copy and a check. Book in hand (and a
cool $50 in pocket), I checked out the view of CHS Field as the party
was held in a fancy room above the first-base line. Nice ballpark.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Finding
no one I knew (and thus, a little uncomfortable), I noticed a group
of couches in a U-shape—a three-seater with two two-seaters facing
each other. A couple occupied one of the two-seaters and I sat on the
one across from them. Soon two women sat on the three-seater and the
one closest to me—a poet—asked me if I was in the book. “Page
6,” I said. She gave me the page number of her poem. It was
wonderful, all about the river, atrocities committed on its banks and
Native people's disbelief over how intruders could treat it so
poorly.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTHTflj1H46KIKRG4Anxx2_YIxLYNVkWE-X8ig0ETHE0Vtd3onfU9Fg7d9U" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTHTflj1H46KIKRG4Anxx2_YIxLYNVkWE-X8ig0ETHE0Vtd3onfU9Fg7d9U" /></span></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I
mentioned how much I liked it and noticed how much trouble she was
having reading my piece. “It's too long to read here,” I said,
and she went on to explain some contraption she had at home that
helped her read. I pictured an “overhead projector” like they
used back in high school. She mentioned wanting to write a novel, but
they were too long and it would be difficult. I mentioned wishing I
could write poetry but it was too short, which made it difficult. I
paraphrased Mark Twain apologizing in a letter to a friend about its
length: “I would've kept it shorter but I didn't have the time.”
She laughed. It was noisy and difficult to have a conversation.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">About
then a woman asked if the seat next to me was open. It was, and she
and her grown daughter—I assume—squeezed in. Three, now, in my
two-seater. A third woman joined mother and daughter, sat on the
large coffee table that filled all the space in front of the couches
and precluded any possible escape on my part.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I
was uncomfortable. And once the program began I found those speaking
were behind me and I couldn't even turn around to watch. During a
lull, the woman crammed next to me asked if I was in the book. “Page
6,” I said. “You?”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Her
excitement made me comfortable. She searched for one of four
pieces of art she had in the book, finally finding a brightly colored
painting of a woman with a green crown. Before she could find the
others, her woman with the crown showed up on the big screen. I
tapped her shoulder and she went wild.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yet
another woman found her way onto the big couch. I caught her name but
she wasn't in the book. She made a hasty exit as the publisher came
up to speak. The new speaker mentioned all involved in the publication, then
singled out one person who had made a particularly large donation.
It was the woman who had run away.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Maybe
this is what the <i>Almanac </i>is
all about—a poet who listens to her river being abused, an artist who fills her work with color, emotion and love, and a generous benefactor who wanted none of the spotlight. Not quite sure where I
fit in, but it's getting more comfortable all the time.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then the
readings began and three women cried as they read their poems—one
speaking of her son, Philando, being killed by a cop.</span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-65688669659589322432019-08-15T09:38:00.000-07:002019-08-15T09:38:35.594-07:00On Botany and DNA<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Several years
ago, a plant sat dying in the lobby of the posh condo building I work
at. Myrna, the resident who volunteers to provide and keep alive the
lobby plants and flowers, gave me the plant to set atop a cabinet in
the office where such things go to die. I placed it in its plant
purgatory with little fanfare. None, as a matter of fact.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I took to
dumping the remains of my water bottle into the vase—the backwash I
was too lazy to take all the way back to the sink to pour out. Day
after day, I deposited the tepid water from the previous night into
the pot. Several times during each shift, I'd pour the KitKat-laced
spittle from the bottom of my bottle over the pathetic plant.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG2AZfsKCmuRJk4UrvhgpNs0riZTbjXVJpa8mA9KCl04wjaess7mdHHP90wAQA1-dToeWQf3LpeyFOXfECkZggXElPCnrtCIABznahS8YLMU5IuPHBHUx-w_TktrYfjE4l_d-5DxpmQxU/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG2AZfsKCmuRJk4UrvhgpNs0riZTbjXVJpa8mA9KCl04wjaess7mdHHP90wAQA1-dToeWQf3LpeyFOXfECkZggXElPCnrtCIABznahS8YLMU5IuPHBHUx-w_TktrYfjE4l_d-5DxpmQxU/s320/0.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One day Myrna
noticed the plant atop the cabinet. “That thing still alive?”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“It's my DNA,”
I offered.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Myrna decided it
deserved a better pot. As she made the transfer, it was hard to
imagine the water that poured out of that thing. She commented that
no plant could survive such over-watering.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It became the
emergency plant—when Myrna couldn't get to the florist after
something else had really died—and periodically enjoyed its former
place the lobby. I continued to dump my waste water on the thing
until one day a pink bud appeared. It had never flowered before.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">With Myrna
temporarily slowed by a walker, the plant has again become the
centerpiece of the lobby. And I've continued to generally abuse it.
It sprouted a second bud.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Was it my DNA in
the backwash? Had my ancestors hung the Hanging Gardens? Was I a
Venus flytrap in a former life? Or perhaps eaten by one?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Questions such
as these have mystified botanists since the dawn of time (or perhaps
not), but one thing is for sure: This was an obvious fluke, <i>never ever </i><span style="font-style: normal;">let me near your plants!</span></span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-86728403223110848472019-04-28T11:01:00.000-07:002019-04-28T11:01:06.771-07:00On Re-meeting Carolyn Forché <br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I began this
blog eight years ago because I was told a writer needed a blog. I had
no idea what I was supposed to do with a blog and still don't. I
thought I'd begin by recording some stories of famous writers I'd
met. I started with John Gardner and Raymond Carver, and—to show my
versatility—filtered in Kirby Puckett (okay, it was just a tip of
the helmet) and a First Avenue encounter with Michael Stipe.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With these four
luminaries headlining the blog, my followers still stalled out at
six. (It may say seven on the blog but two are really just one
person.) Then a few friends died and my blog turn into an obituary
column. My number of followers remained at six. I scrapped the
name-dropping idea, even with the likes of <span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Carolyn
Forché</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
and Tim O'Brien still left to capitalize on. After all, if getting
hit on by Michael Stipe doesn't get peoples' attention, what will?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(And,
yes, eight years later I still have the same six followers. I'm
hoping the “follow” button in broken.)</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Image result for carolyn forche" border="0" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anyhow,
word recently came out that Carolyn Forché was coming to town to
read at the Plymouth Congregational Church. Couldn't miss that. The
last time I was aware of her being in town was maybe thirty years ago
at the Walker, shortly after I had had the pleasure of working with
her on something called the Iron Range Documentation Project up in
Duluth. The project teamed up writers and photographers to stay with
families on the Range and included a reading on Duluth Public Radio.
Very few writers signed on, which was fine with me for it left me
with plenty of Carolyn's time and plenty of radio airtime. After the
Walker reading we had talked at length, and she even invited me to
drop by where she and her husband were staying the next night so she
could look at some of my stories. This never happened as she got into
a car accident the next day.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">After
thirty years I didn't expect much if I got a chance to speak with her
again. Though certainly she'd remember the car wreck.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
arrived early and purchased her new book, </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">What
You Have Heard Is True. </span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Her
reading was terrific, her commentary on El Salvador riveting, as
expected. While in line to have her sign my book, I rehearsed what
I'd say to her in those precious few seconds to try to rekindle a
memory.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
I reached the signing table, I spotted a tiny woman squeezing between
it and the buying table. She had a large man in tow and proceeded to
introduce Carolyn to him.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">You're
muscling in on my time, lady, </span></span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
thought as I pushed the book toward Carolyn.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
served you food at <a href="http://www.middlebury.edu/bread-loaf-conferences">Bread Loaf </a>back in '82,” I said to Carolyn,
referring to our first encounter while she was on the Bread Loaf
staff, and I was there on a “working scholarship”. “And later I
was in on that Iron Range Project where—”</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Carolyn
interrupted by saying the tiny woman was the organizer of the Iron
Range deal.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">What's
your name?” the tiny woman asked.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Will
Tinkham,” I told Carolyn.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
don't recall that that name,” the tiny woman said as my time ticked
away. “No, I'm sorry, but I don't remember that name at all...”</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Carolyn
handed the now-signed book back to me. “I waited tables at Bread
Loaf myself back in '71,” she said, then referred to my sling:
“Hope your arm heals okay.”</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I guess I
should've mentioned the car wreck. I hope she got out of town okay.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is an example of how I network.</span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-28824625671275761592019-02-22T09:32:00.001-08:002019-02-22T09:32:42.222-08:00On April 10, 7pm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDycNj_gxAC9JUJQQPqBTrMsEi86OAHhP7-k4CjIjTtK5IEMdgCEGk1EElOkM8p6LGCTSYQ97C_UTt_9V53h_qTcM8435yIlk1NcqVG8IbeZLw-8GHmi6HtTKtwdNeSUFrJIx6-IhDLeq/s1600/TM_cover1-Recovered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="569" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDycNj_gxAC9JUJQQPqBTrMsEi86OAHhP7-k4CjIjTtK5IEMdgCEGk1EElOkM8p6LGCTSYQ97C_UTt_9V53h_qTcM8435yIlk1NcqVG8IbeZLw-8GHmi6HtTKtwdNeSUFrJIx6-IhDLeq/s320/TM_cover1-Recovered.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Will Tinkham reads</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">from his new novel,</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Miracles</i>.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Wednesday</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">April 10, 7pm</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">@Magers & Quinn</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Booksellers, </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">3038 Hennepin</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Ave S., Uptown</span></b>will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-6419121443693258662019-01-12T12:05:00.000-08:002019-01-12T12:09:52.911-08:00A wonderful 2/3s review<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A woman who
lives where I work stopped into the office last night and said she
was two-thirds of the way through “the Cary Grant book” and that
I had “outdone myself.” (She was referring to <i><a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/1977524494">The Cary Grant Sanatorium and Playhouse</a> </i><span style="font-style: normal;">and is
one of a handful of people to have read all my books.) She said I was
at my “wittiest and craziest.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7uM2ghhEnCWck0rcY56_UIYdCI7ukAzdwAl6vReqXo3LfQewWCXh2QuMZixzO42iddD2R802E0oqLAT2hF-gECh3F6QW6o4EgZM_QAizjYo4-jX-eDg5oBJuL9pzUGNsQdhVNz1ge4Cp/s1600/CGS%2526P2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7uM2ghhEnCWck0rcY56_UIYdCI7ukAzdwAl6vReqXo3LfQewWCXh2QuMZixzO42iddD2R802E0oqLAT2hF-gECh3F6QW6o4EgZM_QAizjYo4-jX-eDg5oBJuL9pzUGNsQdhVNz1ge4Cp/s1600/CGS%2526P2.jpg" /></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">She
went on to say she especially enjoyed the beginning of the book and I
figured I had won her over because she is of the age that may have
grown up idolizing Cary Grant and other movie stars referenced early
on. Instead, she said it was because she </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">grew up in central
Europe”—referring to the chapters dealing with a young man's
escapes from the Nazis.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One
can overlook dismal sales with a review like that. Thanks, Sonia and
I hope you enjoy the rest of the book.</span></span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-44030614963038034672018-12-11T12:45:00.001-08:002021-03-14T10:45:59.592-07:00On $9<br />
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KrBlNhyphenhyphenG9oeYtTf9P7kYK92iZW63y5HHWQMCduJ6qAPGo1wytaKZ2tHwZTOEvTshP9OinJxEGpoYYODAgfDdbnrbpHZ82kh2dp4-qRMNvm2uYXl_Q9OPPUgPjMd2QIXlTrWcs47FhKzI/s1600/Bman_front+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="233" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KrBlNhyphenhyphenG9oeYtTf9P7kYK92iZW63y5HHWQMCduJ6qAPGo1wytaKZ2tHwZTOEvTshP9OinJxEGpoYYODAgfDdbnrbpHZ82kh2dp4-qRMNvm2uYXl_Q9OPPUgPjMd2QIXlTrWcs47FhKzI/s320/Bman_front+%25281%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white;">Delivered a copy of BONUS MAN to Subtext Books to sell on consignment. Received
$9 payment for the last book sold, less the $4 I originally paid Amazon
for the book and $3.50 bus fare to and from St. Paul, leaving me with
$1.50 profit.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Of
course, while in St. Paul I had to have lunch with my sister, so I
then spent $20 out of my profit at the Eagle Street Grille.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: white;">Will
have to check with my accountant on just how this will lead to
millions. He tells me to be patient.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-61184495398018023722018-10-24T12:29:00.001-07:002021-03-14T10:47:55.950-07:00On $20<br />
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
following post was doing better than normal on its own, so I decided
to pay $20 to "boost" it on Facebook. It went like this:
“</span></span></span></span></strong><strong><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">John
Prine and Bill Murray both figure heavily in my novel THE GREAT
AMERICAN SCRAPBOOK. My main character snaps out of a breakdown by
wandering around playing Prine songs on his girlfriend's guitar.
Later Murray, as part-owner of the St. Paul Saints, invites him to
sing on Opening Day 2004</span></span></span></span></strong><strong><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.”
I paired that with a video of an <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.grammy.com%2Fgrammys%2Fnews%2Fjohn-prine-and-bill-murray-discuss-their-early-days-music-comedy-more%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1WP2sGX3Rdrxfau4aGWHvP1uIzUxKGKzTusRuta2opA4CinMyRHaDIbXQ&h=AT1MWXzzoF69mmIPMtMEe34wZvsLlxySmUt569gdiTJuU7ZH8fJsQTRiC9Hb0jsvV1cpgspI_1y-5jtDgYfx0__B2L8ss814uWuWF413v8KDCq2t6lRwIwLaCb3gZErzIFd2AzyegRlFT4fptZ5Ukk8BiEU2PozfuEnlvtN-AH_Iv9WuocdusccRSvDF7K1KNPSdr376h0zjFt9Gxsyujzpn0XDlv3Yn-lfZ1s1vaBfkKF0F7GWbFlGDzsJcNkpyJx7o2CpY_EmApLFe4zpfWjH0GfEQ9N4twVJQ_fnuvSA6EHzTSV711TW-BVS6IKT3lY_sKyE_GgrH1eg9h8nxrYAfTKesqFjtKExzaFSvmUnQBIF7vujE-iifKHT74_1cFJHCLn1ND54bvTMBPrM9ZXVBt50FIApY3h4RzA3AP5CxiVE13D92b2GU_6ei9nG8KFUzvLla-q4CPSuNadkI-NxeX5ArGX8hkQ">interview</a> and a picture (below) of
the two—not sure who the third guy is.</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<span><strong><span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img src="https://scontent.ffcm1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t45.1600-4/cp0/q90/c13.0.573.300/s480x480/43590554_6103355014377_1092878050787328000_n.png.jpg?_nc_cat=108&efg=eyJxZV9ncm91cHMiOlsibm9fc2FmZV9pbWFnZV9mb3JfYWRzX2ltYWdlIl19&_nc_ht=scontent.ffcm1-1.fna&oh=814351e38a8a0837d4b736f0d86218b1&oe=5C82C8F8" /></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<span><strong><span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span><strong><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Final
return on my investment: 'Reached' 1,928 people, got 98 'clicks', 8
'engagements', 6 'likes' from strangers, 2 new 'friends' on FB, 1
Goodreads 'follower' and sold zero 'books'. </span></span></span></span></strong></span>
</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<span><strong><span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">That's
what we call m</span></span></span></span></strong><span><span style="font-style: normal;">arketing.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724477472041635030.post-75421260417247617132018-06-26T12:36:00.001-07:002021-03-14T10:49:36.364-07:00On better failure<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Over
the last half-year, I've been conducting a failed experiment that
will now come to an end. I ventured away from an exclusive Amazon
Kindle agreement </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">(see
<a href="http://willtinkham.blogspot.com/2017/12/on-ebooks.html">December 2, 2017</a> post) </span></span></i></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">to
sell my novels through other outlets such as B&N and iBooks. I
sold exactly ZERO BOOKS through this expanded distribution, while the
books I did sell through Kindle garnered a smaller royalty than if I
had stayed strictly with Amazon.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWieR2W_8KwnYLgaKZSAOXqgLwT-wodOJF7rGXNm0UnMy7rEbXGOypVlf_LvPnHJxXkeZF9byB1mwGyy_6unM6u90JTB01EhVA3JldJE7671vsl7q1ErfYscTEWa-u36uGquVx1Cn1KXRR/s1600/images.png" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWieR2W_8KwnYLgaKZSAOXqgLwT-wodOJF7rGXNm0UnMy7rEbXGOypVlf_LvPnHJxXkeZF9byB1mwGyy_6unM6u90JTB01EhVA3JldJE7671vsl7q1ErfYscTEWa-u36uGquVx1Cn1KXRR/s1600/images.png" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">According
to Samuel Beckett I'm right on course: </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Ever
tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.</span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Hmmm...</span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
</span></b></span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Shouldn't
it be: "Ever Tried</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">?</span></b></span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
</span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Ever
failed</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">?</i>"</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rRV-gKXRvlFoXjR_dyC_Rxj3en5VFudaCeUcPlf0Qab4Y-MwRqbIhCbebFlL3jBbFxwiayd6B1swxX9S2D7b7IKXuHkmZNxuBIGNto_0it4piz63VSlK0xiC58hS-JjMiN5JLrmL0yXc/s1600/IMG_0142.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rRV-gKXRvlFoXjR_dyC_Rxj3en5VFudaCeUcPlf0Qab4Y-MwRqbIhCbebFlL3jBbFxwiayd6B1swxX9S2D7b7IKXuHkmZNxuBIGNto_0it4piz63VSlK0xiC58hS-JjMiN5JLrmL0yXc/s320/IMG_0142.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="en"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Be
that as it may, all six titles are still on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Will-Tinkham/e/B00UHXMIEG/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1">Amazon</a>, as well as at <a href="https://www.magersandquinn.com/">Magers & Quinn</a> in Uptown. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcBE0G0Q1Kto6KUsAnZN7axMSqfQjR0RHcrpVCLtyDiTr6rG2FH1gDYy29k9_3vcgo9uVdZmHVSsf-idOO6J9gDwInPFcCCE0meCU7nPTKY4g3YaEWm3dQ_rvK5L6KQdxXy3FXa88Y2KW/s1600/Bman_front+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="233" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcBE0G0Q1Kto6KUsAnZN7axMSqfQjR0RHcrpVCLtyDiTr6rG2FH1gDYy29k9_3vcgo9uVdZmHVSsf-idOO6J9gDwInPFcCCE0meCU7nPTKY4g3YaEWm3dQ_rvK5L6KQdxXy3FXa88Y2KW/s320/Bman_front+%25281%2529.jpg" width="213" /></span></span></a><span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Ask about all six at <a href="https://subtextbooks.com/">Subtext Books</a> in St.
Paul, even though they currently only carry this one particular title:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Thanks!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span><span lang="zxx"><span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />will tinkhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786644161583999164noreply@blogger.com0