11:58 Allen orders a pitcher of Elite British Colonial White-as-Porcelain Pale Ale (not its real name) and three glasses. He pours himself two inches of beer and gulps it. 12:02 Allen stares remorsefully at his sudsy glass, blatant evidence that he has begun drinking alone. Should he get a fresh glass? Wipe this one with a napkin? 12:05 'wordsman appears and Allen leaps up to hug him. They dance. They are happy Beverly is OK. Waltz, Charleston, Macarena. Applause from other diners. |
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12:11 Rob arrives with two bouquets of organic asparaguses. Rob is taught the Macarena. Everybody is out of breath. What are the plural of asparagus? 12:17 Was 'wordsman there at his cabin when Rob and Allen visited last week? 'wordsman is not telling. How is 'wordsman doing since Beverly turned up? 'wordsman performs a two-finger dance on the table. This means "great." 12:22 Did 'wordsman get the whole story from Beverly? He wants to let her tell it. Teaser preview: Pirates. Real Pirates. She's in Tokyo for at least a week. 12:28 'wordsman has his own way of dealing with stress; he makes friends with it. Allen's plan for dealing with stress is to freak out and fall apart. Or have lots of sex. 12:34 Incidents like Beverly's disappearance, says 'wordsman, remind you of what's really important in life. 12:40 What is really important in life? 'Having a hot car,' says Rob. 'Paying Allen lots of money,' says Allen. 'No,' says 'wordsman, 'penguins. In the pace of modern life, everyone forgets penguins.' 12:43 Toast: To rich penguins in hot cars. 12:44 Toast: To a rich Allen, and penguins in hot cars. 12:50 Rob orders a pitcher of Insert-Vanished-Local-Rust-Belt-Industry-Here Porter (not its real name). Rob asks if Allen started drinking before the others got there. Allen wants to know how Rob knew. No, seriously, how did he know? 12:53 Where did 'wordsman and Beverly meet? They were on the staff of an underground magazine in Berkeley in the '70s. She wore Nepalese pants and long black hair. They cracked each other up in meetings. 12:57 Beverly's always had that wicked sense of humor. "Cynical" is an interesting word, says Rob. It's the word people in High School and early College use to indicate a certain level of maturity as they evolve into it. 1:01 "Cynical" means an attitude of "not buying the program." Differentiating from your parents. It's not really cynical, says Allen, just skeptical. Worldly, says 'wordsman. 1:02 Toast: To being "world-silly" rather than "world-weary." Who's getting tipsy? Rob, 'wordsman, Allen raise their hands. 1:05 Beverly was the editor of her High School newspaper. Every issue was censored. It's a badge of honor. 1:08 Toast: To Beverly. Toast: To those who climb mountains to visit friends. Toast: To penguins. 1;10 Allen says the Macarena spells out "I am an idiot" in semaphore code. Toast: To Beverly. 1:14 The bill arrives. All rise to leave. Big hugs. The people at the next table call for more dancing. |