Journal, Day 18

Pittsburgh, PA, Lewisburg, PA / Anthony McCann

Last night in Pittsburgh we were at the Gist Street reading series, which is my favorite place in the world to read, along with Machine Project in LA. Thanks to Sherrie, Rick, Nancy, and James for everything.

Stories from Pittsburgh for your entertainment:

One day James is working in his studio and through some magic trick of the light the hooker and the john to whom she is giving a blow job are suddenly shadowcast 30 feet tall onto the wall. This goes on for 10 minutes. Other times James, exasperated, has called the cops to complain about people screwing in his yard. The operator asks: could you describe the perpetrators, sir?
.

Another story. Rick’s father, a master of aikido, used to have his five sons charge him in the living room, while he dispatched them flying left and right with a flick of the finger. That’s a magic power I’d like to have. This happened, of course, in Omaha.

Another shout out:
The cookies, Sherrie, are excellent cookies

We are arrived here in Lewisburg. Through some other kind of magic trick we all allegedly have hotel rooms tonight. I’m positively giddy with gratitude. I tell Ellen, my wife, on the phone, how I’m so looking forward to watching the Mets on the TV in my room. She misunderstands me. “Watching the bed?” she asks. “Watching the Mets!”
I repeat. “Wetting the mits?” she asks.

Over and out