________________

I once saw Charles Bernstein time his cell phone to go off during a reading. Even better Chris had a line about planes flying overhead and seconds later a plane from SFO cruised low over Potrero Hill in the distance. Also observed: a cat on the rooftops, a cat in the window, and neighbors giving a friendly hello to the 50+ folks suddenly standing around in the backyard for the reading. I saw Robert Duncan's house and stained-glass windows. I talked about deals at SPD. I saw an impressive assortment of Deutsche Demokratische Republik kitsch. I heard about many forthcoming books that I want to read. I came home with books and papers that weigh more than the gifts I brought for my kind hosts. I got the evil eye from the person sitting next to me on the plane when she saw the back cover of Geraldine Kim's Povel, so I took out Dodie Bellamy's Cunt-Ups and started reading it instead.