03-15-10 NYC NY: 2105 hrs. It’s a night off in NYC. Earlier today, I went to Sirius and did a couple of interviews and then walked back here. Since then, I have done some writing, got some food and that’s about it. Last night was the first full night of sleep I have had for a few days.
An interesting thing happened the other day. I was with Ian in Washington DC and he said that he had contacted a man he had met at the National Archive who gave Ian his card and told him to call if he was interested in taking a tour of the place. Ian called him on the morning of my second night of the two shows in Alexandria VA and asked if the offer was still good. The man said it was. Ian arranged a visit for us to go and check the place out. We went, met the man, got our visitors passes and went in. After a brief tour of some of the building, we were taken to a room that has some of the oldest documents in American history. Ian and I were seated at a table and the man brought over paper for us to look at. We looked at letters and writing from Washington, Adams, Lincoln, Jefferson and of all people, Davey Crockett. It was one of the best hours of my life. To look at Abraham Lincoln’s handwriting that close up was something else. I think the biggest thrill was looking at the Jefferson document. What a day. We only had an hour but what an hour it was. I walked out of the place fairly speechless.
The shows have been going well but there have been challenges. Something I ate after the second Alexandria show did not serve me well. We were camped out at a truck stop that night and I didn’t get much sleep that night but puked like a champ. I was feeling like I had beaten the next day but was good to go by show time in Philadelphia. On the first of the two NYC nights, I was flossing and the cap of a molar popped out and dropped onto the table in front of me. I had to go onstage a few minutes later. It made the first several minutes of the show difficult to concentrate. Inhaling was painful as air passed over the exposed tooth. I felt bad about that show. I got a dentist to glue the cap back on the next morning and was good to go again. Tarrytown was last night. I don’t think I have ever been there before. Cool place and the audience was good.
There have been some things in the news that are frustrating. Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton MS is canceling their prom because one of the students dares to be lesbian and has the nerve to want to go to the event with her girlfriend. The school canceled the entire prom rather than just say no gay gal allowed. You can look this up, what a bunch of cowards. Also, the historical revision planned for Texas school books is tragic. Interesting times? We’re in ‘em! Thanks for reading this. Henry