The Banzai Chronicles

9 August 2002, 00:50
I write from a rocking chair on expressedinword's front porch, just outside Winston-Salem. The night air is cool, and the sky, though clouded, offers hints of stars not seen in my urban life. It is quiet, but in a natural way, with many sounds from insects and nocturnal life.

Our time has been blessed thus far. taci and I have enjoyed hospitality even beyond the southern call of duty. romanaurora joined us for dinner, as did Rob (if you're on LJ, I need to be getting a clue) and Paul, one of my ex-RAs from Maryland days. Paul is in anesthesiology residency here, and I feel particularly thankful that he was able to take time out to see me. Next stop was a movie at romanaurora's and good time just relaxing. The cookies are even better in person.

My body clock is completely non-functional, but I don't mind. It's vacation, after all.

10 August 2002, 15:34
A moment in a Barnes & Noble coffee bar in Wilmington, looking forward to meeting onesamtwo in person. Normally I'd never stoop to a Starbucks, but the blessed aroma of coffee captured me at the door, and I fairly ran back to the vehicle to grab my iBook for a simulated Victrola break. It'll do.

We got to stay with melissa52677 and dawn11476 in Durham last night, which was great fun. Did you know Carolina barbecue is vinegar based? Well, it is. And Mexican vanilla ice cream is better than can be described here. And their cats really do have personalities. And Fiestaware comes in enough colors to boggle the mind.

romanaurora's cookies lasted us until this morning, and they seemed to get even better each day. Tara, did you know they did that?

Knee is getting bad (again). Shouldn't be surprised that it, too, would try revert to its old, forgotten state. The high cost of living.

God amazes me, mystifies me, more with every step on this journey.

11 August 2002, 11:20
More coffee, this time at a Borders Café. These are novice baristas, which is still preferable to punchbutton drink preparation. Yesterday afternoon and evening with onesamtwo was great fun: we got to see the arboretum (where a yucca plant attacked me), the beach (where my toes sunk deep into the sand under the surf), the historic district (where the houses would take weeks to clean), and had a delicious dinner topped off with frozen custard (which squirts out of a machine like Play-Doh, but tastes very, very yummy).

I wish we'd had more time in NC; it seems like we have to leave just as we're arriving at every stop. We drove into the wee hours in hopes of making one last visit before departing today, and that attempt looks like it will pay off. I'm disappointed that we won't have time to meet up with valleyjezreel; another casualty of too little time. Limitations suck.

Too little time, perhaps, but time that was rich, good, and well-invested. I'm thankful for it and for all the hospitality and friendship along the road.