As it is pretty much for everybody, BizarroCon was ending too soon, only this end had a very specific meaning for me that nobody else was likely to share.
Once again, I was up and ready a few hours before anything scheduled. So I took myself outside and wandered and paced for a bit in the parking lots out back. I ended up revisiting and circling the property's golf course. This time it wasn't raining and it wasn't closed off. I contemplated on how lucky I was just to be there, yet again.
When I finally came back to civilization, so to speak, I found Lee Widener and Garrett Cook in the hallways. I proclaimed it a moment of déjà vu.
This time Cook and Widener spoke of a woman who goes to The Bins. I inquired what that was. Widener explained that The Bins is a place where they have all these donations in bins available for the public to sort through before the stuff goes to various stores. Great values can be found and resold on Ebay and other online merchants.
I uttered that I may wish to check that out.
Widener said that it's a cutthroat affair. I remarked upon the Black Friday similarity. He added: "And it happens every week!"
Other people and topics came and went. Lee Widener said that he was going to check out, something I figured I should also do so I wouldn't have to worry about it later. So I did, and suppose he did. In the process, Widener noticed someone's epic book acquisition, a true enthusiast of the community if there ever was won.
At breakfast I found myself sitting across from Lee Widener. Laura Lee Bahr came in and asked what my song would be, not sure how it got to this. I relented after some hesitation and did some runs like a jazz solo reminiscent of what I used to do on my clarinet, which led to some words about my clarinet days, which led to me mentioning double tonguing and circular breathing (skills I didn't achieve), and finally mentioning smearing, like in the beginning of Rhapsody in Blue (a skill I did achieve).
Then the topic switched to marimbas because I mentioned having witnessed The Andé Marimba Band somewhere along the Embarcadero (although I didn't remember the name at the time). Widener expressed some enthusiasm with this topic.
Other things of interest were heard and chewed upon, and then there was the David Barbee hug line, which I abstained from as he wasn't the one I wanted to hug. Don't get me wrong, he is a warm and compassionate man who gave a great vocal performance, I just had no appetite for lesser hugs.
I then took care of some acquisitions at the Wine Cellar, which I planned to use for some home cooking.
There was still more time to idle away and so I decided to encircle the fountain in front of Edgefield like a mental patient, which is sort of appropriate for Edgefield. I circled it forward, backward, side-to side, changing levels, staying on one level, faster and slower. Among the witnesses to my idiosyncratic moment, brought on by various factors, were Danger Slater and Lisa LeStrange (they were going back and forth to the parking lot with several loads). Danger inquired about my behaviors, and it was clear that it was just that time of day. I eventually offered help to Danger but it was too late.
I figured with some more time to spare that I had been an overt weirdo for too long. I jumped off then managed to drift the rest of the time before the panels away.
All the panels were pretty solid affairs, the most notable one being the last one: The Art of the Con hosted by Ross Lockhart. Social awkwardness was one of the leading topics addressed by the panel. I found this topic to be the most important one, so much so that I wanted to gauge how the best impressions were made on different people. I came up with a question for the line, which was for them to relate who had the greatest impact on them in the history of all their conventions; I gave them an example from my own such experience as to eliminate any ambiguity or confusion. Regrettably, when asking the question I had a some vocal slip-ups, just saying. However, Brian Keene told me that he was impressed by my anecdote, and probably the question itself.
And I almost didn't get to ask it as time wound down and still Ross wasn't opening it up. Finally, after Garrett Cook sat down a few seats over from me he somehow catalyzed Ross into question procurement. I sat right next to Cook, shot my hand up, and firmly announced that I had a question ( as I felt this was a question that needed to be asked). If my voice wasn't enough, another voice from the panel seconded, which I appreciated.
My question brought out strong, positive emotion, moving observations and invaluable advice. My BizarroCon ended with a fine emotional climax. I also said a few select goodbyes, one of them which was particularly important to do, and equally sad.
Anyhow, I done requested an Uber to take me down way to the airport, and right quick. There was difficulty for the Uber driver resulting in some initial challenges finding the car. Even though I was at the main loop in front, he found himself at the Ad House. As I hurried to locate the car, Nathan Carson gave me a warm acknowledgment.
My Uber driver, currently residing in Vancouver, Washington, was a nice middle-aged man who discussed the income taxes of Oregon vs. Washington with me, hysterical passengers, non-social passengers, passengers with dogs, and one touching account of a blind passenger.
At the airport I got through the baggage area and security with relative ease, and I made it at the perfect time to board. Incidentally, my neighbor arrived at the same time I did. How's that for happenstance?
There were streaks of rain on the windows, which fit my mood perfectly given the symbolism of rain and my love of it. Then I learned it was raining back home. Oh, the serendipity and symbolism were almost too much. I went home with newfound purpose, but not of writing, more on the order of life itself.
Upon reaching John Wayne Airport, I overheard a young man and a woman talking about the importance of keeping a journal, so you don't forget, and I nodded in agreement as I had already been working on my own recollections from my last night and morning in New York City (and it is obviously something I do regularly).
***
This past Wednesday morning, first thing, a significantly older co-worker asked me how it was going, and I told him I was a bit blue. Then I told him that it was one of those "I left my heart at BizarroCon sorts of things." And he gave me that look of reassurance that only a man of his years could give, and said that I was young and had plenty of time to figure these things out.
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