wheel of fortune

er, well, the "mobile wheel" anyway, blew into our area on Saturday looking for contestants and causing quite a crowd. Now, I admit, I did think it sounded like a good time - which is why I went, but I was wholly unprepared for the full force of adoration some folks have for that show.

I mean, it wasn't even Pat & Vanna hosting, it was scary lounge-act Pat & Vanna wanna-be's . At least if it was Pat & Vanna I could justify some of the exuberance I witnessed- although I am not a big fan of either specifically, I can appreciate a celebrity as much as the next gal, and I used to get a kick out of Chuck Woolery. I ran into him in Hawaii once, it was totally surreal to see Chuck Woolery at breakfast.

The poor sucker I talked into going with me, really was a good sport about it all. Especially considering we began the adventure with a sincere explaination of how there was zero intention of going anywhere near the wheel freakfest, but then accompanied me anyway, at the last minute, for reasons I may never know. I probably am now forever indebted, because between the utter lameness of the event generally, the wheel-fevered retired folks, and the odd swarms of flying bugs that just would not go away - it sadly, did suck, beyond all measure.

I am pretty sure that people shouting "WHEEL" "OF" "FORTUNE" with reckless abandon has scarred me for life... :O) I'd like a Z please...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I would like to say the days bizarre events ended there, but...ummmmm...no... I offered to buy said friend a beer for putting up with the wheel of fortune nonsense, which was immediately met with much gratitude. (Most likely because it was a clear indication that we were actually leaving wheel of boring.) So, we decided to go to a downtown bar a few bocks from the wheel deal. It turned out that we knew the bartenders mother, so then enjoyed the opportunity to get to know her as we sat and chatted and did a little people watching.

At one point, as she was telling us a story, I glanced up at a couple that was sitting further down the bar. The woman was sort of rolling her head forward as if falling asleep in class, but on a barstool. I made eye contact witht the bartender and motioned in their direction. She glanced over and looked at me like, "Oh crap, what do I do?" She is a brand new bartender at a bar that only serves beer and this was her first encounter with someone completely trashed.

Suddenly, the woman stood up, but couldn't find a fixed point she was so out of focus. She lunged forward and stumbled up against the bar. The man she was with (who did not seem really drunk) got up to help her and they bumbled outside. She fell in the street between two parked cars about 5 steps outside the door, at which point I told the bartender she should call 911. We helped the woman back into the bar, got her some water and waited for someone to show up. They did, police, fire department, and ambulance with paramedics - who discovered that the woman has a heart condition and was drinking while on medication and they would be taking her to the hospital, and she would likely be fine after treatment. At which point, we looked at each other and said at the same time, "Let's get back home."

It may only be 25 miles away, but it is its own little world, our home sweet home. Nothing much really happens in our little town, if you blink, you could miss it, but it is unbelievably beautiful, simple and safe. It has become a part of me, I feel a deep unexplainable connection that no other place on earth has ever inspired before. I feel like I am OF here, and at times even leaving just to go 25 miles north to work is actually a bit painful, as though I am tearing myself away, as silly as that may seem.