And it begins

Great start to the trip today. It was pouring rain in Massachusetts when I left at 8:00, but I still made near-record time to New York, which enabled me to drop in on Lily King.

Ate lunch in the car on the way from Astoria to midtown to see Elevator Repair Service's work-in-progress showing of The Sun Also Rises. Amazing. Take any opportunity to see anything they do. I'm not a theater critic, but I can state pretty confidently that everything they do is perfect, and is my favorite thing. Sarah Hughes assistant directs!

Now we're having pictures:

The crappy little man who manages this crappy little gas station in Blue Ball (not a typo), Pennsylvania came out to give me crap after I took this picture. I tried being nice and explaining that I just enjoyed the light. He said he didn't care about light. He asked me what company I was with. I explained that I am a free man and that this is America. He took a picture of me with his telephone. I smiled like a jackass and waited while he took too long, and then I just drove away. He told me not to come back.


But then, a scant 2 miles later, faith in America restored, as the town of New Holland (definitely in Amish country) was throwing a carnival literally in the middle of downtown, right smack in the street.

This deer was talking and nodding, doing the whole "Step Right Up, Folks" routine for the airgun game.




I ate these. They're five Oreo cookies, batter-dipped and deep-fried, dusting of powdered sugar. A little soggy, but still.



Gas stations and I were really hitting it off tonight. Probably because I just saw this on Wednesday, here.

New method of posting pictures. Too big? Not working? Let me know!

Tomorrow: I bear gifts to Athens.