august 18

yesterday, on the bus to boston, i happened to sit next to a middle-aged lady. the only reason we started talking, most likely, is because she had to move her pie so i could sit down. (see, pie always does good). but somehow the conversation went from pie, to food, to farming, to what the hell i’m doing on a bus from new york to boston, to philosophy, and then it was two hours later. in addition to being a friendly person, this lady (whose name i never got) also had stories about eating with mobsters in a fancy italian restaurant near coney island, about helping someone build an organic farm in crete where she used to live, about helping build an artists’ compound north of manhattan, about how she knows the director of the company that runs shakespeare in the park, and about how she knows the director of anthropology at harvard.

through all this conversation, and, after, the realization that this bus had it’s own wireless internet, i was more or less distracted for the entire four hours to boston. so it wasn’t until this lady leaned over and told me that we were in boston that i realized that i was in boston. and immediately after that, i realized i had never been to boston, nor had any idea what was in boston, nor any idea where the hell i was going. and though my cousin kristen, who i am staying with, shortly thereafter came and found me, that trend has continued through my stay in the city. i spent six or so hours today simply wandering. some of this was planned, but not all of it. after awhile, i was trying to find my way back, but i couldn’t tell north from south, even when i could find a map, which was not often. and the maps i did find were those “you are here” maps, minus the “you are here” so i still couldn’t find where i was, nor take it with me.

but, i have to say, being lost in boston isn’t so bad. this city has a different feel to than anywhere else i’ve been. there are few places big enough to spend six hours wandering around in that aren’t stressful to spend six hours wandering around in. plus, i discovered two fantastic things. first, boston has the world’s nicest subway. or at least the nicest subway i’ve ever been in. clean and bright and with those fancy gate things instead of turnstiles or those spinning-cage-of-death exits like in new york. second, and by far the best of all, there is a store down the street from kristen’s apartment called "whaddya need?". it’s store that, as i’m sure you could guess, does whatever you need. carrying groceries home, installing an air conditioner, changing a tire--sure. or, as they apparently do, waking you up at eight am everyday. i’ve never imagined such a place. i mean, an amazing business model, sure. but can you imagine how chill of a person you’d have to be to open this store? and just think of how many prank calls they must get. fascinating.