Follow the Lighted Promenade

(I actually wrote this Monday, but my computer was being a jerk.) My heart has begun to long for Madagascar again. Yesterday, on a long walk through the new-blazing trees, I caught the leeward edge of a fantastic image…I was wearing my Blu Blockers (which make everything look somehow both old and profound) and gazing up through sunshafts to huge towering thunderclouds, marveling at how such a hot-weather sky could roof such a cool and breezy afternoon. I sat and looked out over a line of distant oaks and maples and hickories to the bulging domes and turrets…and began to think of vast, dry expanses (the road through the Horombe) and the thrill of sunsplashed villas on the sea, and of gazing upward to unimpeded sprays of stars, and candlelit cafes in the City of Beauty, and excited nights in hot, clanking airports. I began to think of my gestating novel, The Lamplighter , and I knew how I would finish it. I listened to the music of Gamana on the way home, feeling as though I could burst

On the cusp of morning, I dreamt of the lowforests. Friday. Tired. Tonight I shall sleep for a long, long time. Last night, I rode my bike to the train station in East Chicago, took the train to the city, walked around downtown, ate at Elephant and Castle, saw the Art Institute and the changing trees of Millenium Park, took the train back to my bike, rode home, talked to Patricia until one, slept, woke up tired. I've been riding everywhere, at all hours - it's become a compulsion. I saw Jeff and Erich and Adam this weekend - 'twas cool to hang out with the Purdue nerds again - and they got to at least talk with Patricia. Then on Sunday, I accompanied Jeremy and Meredith and Zack to their awesome hotel room by O'Hare and then to the Chicago Diner. Chicago has assumed an odd importance to me lately - I love it in the fall. The wind keeps blowing me back there. This week, I've been riding and writing and reading and all of that crap. I've been somewhat exha

Light rises high over darkened hills/ Ghosts of summer flit and flicker still. Just a quick update. I have to ride home, eat, and then ride back to school to judge the homecoming parade. I had a fantastic weekend with Patricia. We stayed in a four star hotel (the Allegro) in the heart of the Loop Friday night, and walked around Michigan Ave. in the wee hour hush of Saturday morning. The next day we slept very late and lingered about the city, for she hadn't been there since she was four. We ate brunch in a British bar and grille and then made our way into the mysterious north, listening to radiohead and the fantastic new Neil Young album (amongst other things). Patricia loves Neil Young, laughed a lot at the Sol Rosenberg Jerky Boys skits, wants to go backpacking, is gorgeous, loves cats, and is a nerd. She is definately the girl for me. We spent the next two days at Governor Dodge State Park in western Wisconsin, where the panoramas were autumnal even if the weather was not. It wa