Seattle 2

February 28, 2014

Thursday full up to the rim. Coffee in the Terrace Lounge, extended by my essaying a short story which–as they almost always do--presented itself full-blown. Visited the myriad tables of exhibitors, magazine and publishers, in the Convention Center. The names became a litany of places that had rejected me, depressing, but after a while quite hilarious, a farce where one must give oneself over to the absurdity of it all. Ran into former student Brian Sneedan, who was lonely and happy to see me. Downhill to the Seattle Aquarium then. Both the Art Museum and the Aquarium profited by my not having been vacationing for a while, and both experiences felt fresh and happy. My new camera takes better pictures than what appears in the viewfinder. When I got down to the water, by the seal tanks, I could see Mount Rainier gleaming in the distance in singular majesty. Petted sea creatures and had a mini lecture from one of the attendants. The sea cucumber can shoot its intestines out to distract a predator, and feels to the touch like cold wet nothing. Happy otters. Happy kids having their lunches under walls of moving fish. You can walk through an arch made of rising and descending jellyfish. Against the determination steeled by moving, I bought a T-shirt. To get back to the city you have to climb more steps than I ever want to climb again in my life.

Drinks at Loulay to fortify myself for my reading. The reading in the maze of the Sheraton was well attended, and there were excellent hors d’oeuvres.  Brian came, as did handsome Jim from Esalen, and his still more handsome brother John, who lives in town. The one drink I’d had turned out to be too much, and I didn’t feel my performance was peak, but the story sounded well to me as I heard it for the first time.. People began laughing right off. I hadn’t realized the story is funny, but it is. Thank God. More drinks with Brian at Loulay, where our discussion ranged the vastness of art and thought, and I wondered why I hadn’t appreciated him more when I saw him every day. I think his seriousness irritated me a little. I’d had the same waitress twice in a few hours, and all was very friendly.

When I woke there was a drop of blood on my sheet. Not able to find where it came from. Hope the chambermaid doesn’t see it.