Vermont

Green Mountain Dope Fest: Round One was a success. With the exception that we had a few no-shows. You know who you are.

The meeting started with the usual confusion of trying to gather together a group of an unknown number of people in a crowded restaurant who don’t know what each other look like or what anyone else’s actual name is. Wonko helped here by convincing the waitress at the door that he was actually, despite appearances, a crowd of several people and making a reservation. I found Wonko by the expedient of looking for anyone who looked as confused as I did. We had both had the same plan on meeting people; we figured we’d wait for andygirl and Swiddles to show up and recognize them. When this didn’t work out, we entered Papa Frank’s and were met by Eonwe. The three of us were given a table for eight but we moved around alot to make it look like there was more of us. When andygirl arrived, she just had to ask where the strangest group in the restaurant was and was sent to us.

The usual topics were discussed; kite flying, location filmmaking, feline financial planning, carnivorous plants, food grade urea, and chocolate chip cookies. Over coffee, we invented a method for building cheap fusion generators and solved the Social Security crisis, but unfortunately no one had a pen to write anything down. Maybe next time.

Anyway, plans are on for tomorrow. Some people will be meeting in Battery Park between noon and one (look for a man attached to a string); if you miss this, we’ll also be meeting in front of the Culinary Institute on Church Street around 5:00 PM before heading for Halvorson’s. Wear a rubber clown nose so we’ll recognize you. Then take the silly thing off so we’ll talk to you.

I am very very very sorry that I did not end up comming to get you at the border last night. I’d like to say that it’s because when I tried to cross over to Canada, I had to get out of my car, and I passed out while I was being… um… probed for contraband, but alas, the reason is much more mundane.

I had another friend depending on me for a ride to the show, and I realised after a while that I was not going to be able to both get him and you all to the show on time. I tried to call the border, but it didn’t seem to work. I called border patrol, and they gave me a phone # for the border on 89, but it never got picked up.

Anyways, I hope you accept my apology; I had dreams last night of you sitting at the border, stranded. I woke up screaming (you’re not still there I hope!). Anyways, now it’s my turn to offer you a drink, I don’t know how long you waited there but hopefully it wasn’t too long. Name the time and place, and I’ll come up your way and buy you a few rounds.

-Nate

I posted a report on Saturday evening’s events here:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=90306
Anybody want to fill in Friday evening or Saturday daytime?

My post above pretty much covers Friday evening. As for Saturday daytime, it was quiet and uneventful, except for andygirl’s attempt at killing Wonko.

No need to apologize, it was a pretty extreme favour I was asking. I wouldn’t have done it! I’d tell the whole story but I guarantee that nobody would believe the chain of coincidences and outright freak occurences that occurred to me this weekend.