1. Debbie used the Camry to drive to Laura's to visit and play music together and I opened up my Uber app, punched in a request, and before I knew it, an affable driver named Kent rolled up in front of Anne's house and drove me to Moke's Coffee and Kitchen at the corner of 13th and High, occupying the same building as 16 Tons. I ordered a very tasty tofu taco and washed it down with a pint of Breakside's Pilsner, a perfect pairing. I lingered for a while, relished my taco, slowly finished my beer, and then I headed out on an aimless walk in downtown Eugene.
Walking around Eugene was sobering and nostalgic. I couldn't keep track of all the places that have closed and seeing them brought back memories, odd and random memories, like getting a flat tire fixed at the building that once housed a Firestone center after talking with Father Ted Berktold about getting married, remembering about 35 years ago running into a couple of former Whitworth students at the long since closed Rose and Thistle, peeking in the now vacant building that once housed the Bier Stein and remembering some early Belgian Blow Outs and recalling that time I ordered an Old Speckled Hen and I guy from Britain remarked to me, "Now there's a man who knows what a good beer is!"
I saw places I didn't know existed like Civic Winery and Wines and noted that the entrance to the Metro Cinema is not longer on Broadway, but is on Willamette.
As I expected, not having lived in Eugene for nearly seven years, businesses have come and gone, new buildings, many of them apartment complexes, have been built, and Eugene has aged.
I enjoyed taking in as much as I could -- even though I didn't like everything I saw -- and I'll go back later this week for more.
2. I don't remember when Jeff, Margaret, Michael, and I first started meeting up fairly regularly to drink coffee and talk about almost everything on our minds: movies, books, music, teaching, our families, politics, and so much more.
Well, as they say, today we got the band together again at Perugino Coffee House and we fell immediately into easy and substantial conversation about books, movies, music, what we've up to lately, and any number of other things.
It was awesome. I hope we can figure out a way to do it again before I return to Kellogg.
3. Debbie and met around 5:30 at 16 Tons. I enjoyed a couple of short pours of a Hazy DIPA from HenHouse Brewing and then Debbie and I shared a one pint can of IPA from Drowned Lands Brewing in Warwick, NY, a brewery Debbie visited when she lived in New York State.
We also had the pleasure of seeing a former 16 Tons employee, Chuck, and he and Debbie reminisced about old times at 16 Tons and we caught each other up on what's happening in our lives.
We ended our evening most enjoyably.
Debbie called Trade Winds Cafe and ordered us each a Medi Bowl, a combination of rice pilaf, tahini sauce, Greek salad, and falafel. We picked up our order and once back at Anne's we devoured our superb food. It wasn't very late, but we'd each had full days and went to bed early. I retired very happy with all I'd experienced today.
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