My facebook has been crowded of late with notes from educator and author, Steve Eggleston (“Short Drop”), trying to arrange an interview with me. We’ve had to schedule around not only our spouses, children, and vehicles but also a photographer.
Today we made it happen. We arranged to meet at the Blue Heron Bakery.
I immediately started scheming up confusion. I called Blue Heron.
“Do you have whipped cream?” I asked.
“No. We have half & half,” the man replied.
“MMM. This is Jusby the Clown. I’m planning on coming down and giving someone a pie in the face as part of an interview, and I thought it would be funnier if I got it from you than bringing it in with me. Oh, well.”
“Ummm. You’re going to put a pie in someone’s face? In our bakery?”
“Well, yeah. Or outside.”
“Outside would be better. I don’t want to be involved in an assault.”
“Of course not,” I replied. “I never pie anyone who hasn’t agreed. For that very reason. Okay. See you soon.”
Then I twittered and phoned friends, trying to coordinate an emergency meeting of “the Jusby Fan Club”. The only person who I could reach was “Honey the Clown”. I couldn’t quite describe what I had in mind. I only knew I wanted to stack the deck with more jokers in my favor.
She thought it might make a nice prank somehow and give her an excuse to get out of the house.
I decided on a fair weather ensemble: blue swim trunks, polka dotted shirt, red cummerbund, and the new blue fedora. I brought the nose along for the pieing.
I arrived, and Honey followed me in. Steve was getting his drink. I ordered an iced Chai. A stack of Steve’s book was sitting on the counter. He said, “I was just explaining to them that I can’t sell these anymore, since they’re getting picked up by Random House. I have to give them away.”
I took my cue there. “Hey, want a free book?” I asked, handing one to Honey. She accepted and asked, “Should I get a Honey Almond Twist?” Well, by all means. Then I offered one to the next old guy who had just walked in the door. He declined. “Hey, this guy wrote it, and it’s about Olympia!”
Then the photographer arrived and followed us around for a while. We walked down to the overpass and behind the old dive store until we’d eventually covered the majority of my life story. The interview will appear on Steve’s website http://folkshine.com complete with sound bites.
Then it was time for the pie.
Curious and expectant, we anticipate the arrival of The Present Moment.
Now Mr. E fully experiences the simple mystery of the pie.
These nice folks helped out with the “Right Now!” part and applauded enthusiastically afterward.
I let them keep the pie to eat for dessert. The fellow asked, “Weren’t you in ‘Love is Stupid’?“
Yup! And to prove it I said to the ladies, “I love you both… equally.”
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Posted by Jusby the Clown 
