Oxforde Towne
So...I finally (after nearly 2 and a half years of trying) got to visit Garry at his abode away from Chattanooga. And what a visit it was.
I started out at about 6:30 ET after working a double the day before and eating a late night dinner at Chili's with Seth the night before...needless to say I was a little tired. But I did not oversleep (although I attempted to fool Garry into thinking that I did...it didn't work as you might have imagined) as my raging anticipation and excitement kept me awake for much of the drive down there. I need to comment right now on just how pleasant that drive was...it was in fact, oh so pleasant. The worst part was the 25 miles on I24, the rest was a piece of cake.
So I arrived at approximately 12 o'clock ET in good ole Oxforde Towne USA. Called my dad and let him know I had made it safe and sound and then Garry and I were off to meet Dana (one of Garry's Oxforde Friends who I met and became friends with in NYC over Spring Break) at Moe's. We semi-tricked her into thinking that I hadn't made it, but only because of faulty reception. After a nice initial meal at Moe's, it was off to Babe, the Sheep Pig (translation for dickeys: Dick, the Nut Bastard...that sounds horrible...but most dickey translations do). I thoroughly enjoyed Babe, as it was easily a better show than the one we did in 8th grade, as expected...it wasn't perfect, but it was certainly fun.
We left and retired to Garry's apt. for a chat and a coke...a nice slow paced hour or so, and then Dana showed up and we were off to Venice Pizza Co. in the Oxforde Square before the 8 o'clock showing of The Taming of the Shrew. Speaking of the 8 o'clock showing of "Shrew", guess who was in attendance? And no I am not shitting you...Dave fucking Chappelle...his step brother played Petruchio. Pretty crazy, I know. Garry convinced me to wait to see Shrew until the Sunday matinee, so we played Casino until intermission, the same game that screwed us over in Huntsville on our trip to NYC. We retired back to Garry's apt. and I took a nap...he began packing for Northshore.
I was awakened an hour and half later by the entrance of Dana and one of her friends...I can't remember which, who had arrived to escort Garry and myself to Rene's house (I think she was the choreographer for the three shows) for a Saturday night party. Garry had some cheap Chardonnay that quickly inebriated him. He's funny, and I mean really funny, when he's drunk. I got to meet many of the cast members and others involved in the production of the Oxforde Shakespeare festival. Some were a little more annoying than others...just a few really...most were a lot of fun and very enjoyable to hang out with.
Garry, Dana, Jon, and Caroline and I all ended up back at Garry's apt at around 1:30. Jon was the props guy for the festival (from Montgomery originally) and drove up to Massachussetts with Garry Monday and Tuesday. Caroline, who has, to say the least, an infectious personality and is a lot of fun to hang with played Fly in Babe and Kate in Shrew. We made Bacon and Eggs, a lot of them, and had in general a very light hearted enjoyable night...all parties except Dana were at least slightly intoxificated. Yes, that means me too...it was fun.
We awoke the next morning or maybe it was afternoon and it was off to the matinee show of Shrew almost immediately. I had never seen Shrew so I wasn't familiar with it at all, but it was of good quality (directed by Chattanooga's very own Sherry Landrum) and I didn't have any problems watching it. Good show...perhaps a little long...but good show nonetheless. Then strike...which Garry avoided by stealing away with me to return to the ole apartment...I think that's what happened...oh yeah, well first we toured Ole Miss and all that jazz...toured Oxforde and saw William Faulkner's grave. Then back to the apt. Garry packed and I chilled and learned about Broadway and such.
Then Dana arrived with her two friends Elyse and I wanna say Maggie, but I'm terrible with names. We hung around until 7, and then we were off to Taylor Gro. and Restaurant in Taylor, MS for fried catfish and good eatin. That was a hell of a lot of fun...there was writing all over the walls...like sharpee and all kinds of stuff...a band (banjo, guitar, drums, harmonica, vocalist) playing some good folk music...and big ass Southern porch...good atmosphere...and great company. That was a damn good night...especially the drive to and from which saw Garry and I goofing off in the back seat a lot...Elyse was in between us which made it all the funnier...I touched the tire of the car while it was in motion. My experience in Taylor was one in which I felt proud to be a Southerner...something I can't say that I am always proud to be.
We got back to Garry's fairly late and went to go see Faulkner's grave yet again...not very scary...with a somewhat larger crowd, maybe 8 or 9 total. Then we returned to chat until the wee hours of the morning...I conched out in the middle of this chatting...and awoke in the morning. Oh yeah, I thought I was going to have to leave Sunday night because I got a call from work saying that I needed to be there by 7:30 the next morning for Breakfast...but I got it fixed...thanks to Emi Piez. The next morning was the sad day of my departure...and perhaps more sadly Garrys. We went to Joe's end of festival/4th or July party, Garry and Jon said goodbye to everyone and then we were off. Long drive back...most of it through rain, which sucked, and then a stop at O'Charley's that night...the last meal I will have with Garry in a long time...dickey.
So I went home and went to bed because I had to be at work early the next day...or at least I thought I did. Turns out that it was 6:30 PM, not AM, which is really confusing because somebody messed up the schedule and put in 6:30 PM when it should have been 4:30 PM...I got dicked. Went down to work early in the morning...found no one there...walked the bridge...came back...saw the schedule...came home...went to sleep. Worked that night...and then afterwards went to a little get together at Ben Solovey's...fun was had.
Wednesday I met with Wes, Jake, Emily D, and John Ward about shooting his movie. That night I had a long "solve the problems of the world" kinda discussion with MH at Aretha Frankenstein's...a very stimulating and satisfying night out.
Tonight...movie shooting, poker playing, and bowling with Emily, Wes, Dusty, Jake, and John.
Tomorrow...GSFTA finale in Nashville.
Saturday...work.
I'm out.
I started out at about 6:30 ET after working a double the day before and eating a late night dinner at Chili's with Seth the night before...needless to say I was a little tired. But I did not oversleep (although I attempted to fool Garry into thinking that I did...it didn't work as you might have imagined) as my raging anticipation and excitement kept me awake for much of the drive down there. I need to comment right now on just how pleasant that drive was...it was in fact, oh so pleasant. The worst part was the 25 miles on I24, the rest was a piece of cake.
So I arrived at approximately 12 o'clock ET in good ole Oxforde Towne USA. Called my dad and let him know I had made it safe and sound and then Garry and I were off to meet Dana (one of Garry's Oxforde Friends who I met and became friends with in NYC over Spring Break) at Moe's. We semi-tricked her into thinking that I hadn't made it, but only because of faulty reception. After a nice initial meal at Moe's, it was off to Babe, the Sheep Pig (translation for dickeys: Dick, the Nut Bastard...that sounds horrible...but most dickey translations do). I thoroughly enjoyed Babe, as it was easily a better show than the one we did in 8th grade, as expected...it wasn't perfect, but it was certainly fun.
We left and retired to Garry's apt. for a chat and a coke...a nice slow paced hour or so, and then Dana showed up and we were off to Venice Pizza Co. in the Oxforde Square before the 8 o'clock showing of The Taming of the Shrew. Speaking of the 8 o'clock showing of "Shrew", guess who was in attendance? And no I am not shitting you...Dave fucking Chappelle...his step brother played Petruchio. Pretty crazy, I know. Garry convinced me to wait to see Shrew until the Sunday matinee, so we played Casino until intermission, the same game that screwed us over in Huntsville on our trip to NYC. We retired back to Garry's apt. and I took a nap...he began packing for Northshore.
I was awakened an hour and half later by the entrance of Dana and one of her friends...I can't remember which, who had arrived to escort Garry and myself to Rene's house (I think she was the choreographer for the three shows) for a Saturday night party. Garry had some cheap Chardonnay that quickly inebriated him. He's funny, and I mean really funny, when he's drunk. I got to meet many of the cast members and others involved in the production of the Oxforde Shakespeare festival. Some were a little more annoying than others...just a few really...most were a lot of fun and very enjoyable to hang out with.
Garry, Dana, Jon, and Caroline and I all ended up back at Garry's apt at around 1:30. Jon was the props guy for the festival (from Montgomery originally) and drove up to Massachussetts with Garry Monday and Tuesday. Caroline, who has, to say the least, an infectious personality and is a lot of fun to hang with played Fly in Babe and Kate in Shrew. We made Bacon and Eggs, a lot of them, and had in general a very light hearted enjoyable night...all parties except Dana were at least slightly intoxificated. Yes, that means me too...it was fun.
We awoke the next morning or maybe it was afternoon and it was off to the matinee show of Shrew almost immediately. I had never seen Shrew so I wasn't familiar with it at all, but it was of good quality (directed by Chattanooga's very own Sherry Landrum) and I didn't have any problems watching it. Good show...perhaps a little long...but good show nonetheless. Then strike...which Garry avoided by stealing away with me to return to the ole apartment...I think that's what happened...oh yeah, well first we toured Ole Miss and all that jazz...toured Oxforde and saw William Faulkner's grave. Then back to the apt. Garry packed and I chilled and learned about Broadway and such.
Then Dana arrived with her two friends Elyse and I wanna say Maggie, but I'm terrible with names. We hung around until 7, and then we were off to Taylor Gro. and Restaurant in Taylor, MS for fried catfish and good eatin. That was a hell of a lot of fun...there was writing all over the walls...like sharpee and all kinds of stuff...a band (banjo, guitar, drums, harmonica, vocalist) playing some good folk music...and big ass Southern porch...good atmosphere...and great company. That was a damn good night...especially the drive to and from which saw Garry and I goofing off in the back seat a lot...Elyse was in between us which made it all the funnier...I touched the tire of the car while it was in motion. My experience in Taylor was one in which I felt proud to be a Southerner...something I can't say that I am always proud to be.
We got back to Garry's fairly late and went to go see Faulkner's grave yet again...not very scary...with a somewhat larger crowd, maybe 8 or 9 total. Then we returned to chat until the wee hours of the morning...I conched out in the middle of this chatting...and awoke in the morning. Oh yeah, I thought I was going to have to leave Sunday night because I got a call from work saying that I needed to be there by 7:30 the next morning for Breakfast...but I got it fixed...thanks to Emi Piez. The next morning was the sad day of my departure...and perhaps more sadly Garrys. We went to Joe's end of festival/4th or July party, Garry and Jon said goodbye to everyone and then we were off. Long drive back...most of it through rain, which sucked, and then a stop at O'Charley's that night...the last meal I will have with Garry in a long time...dickey.
So I went home and went to bed because I had to be at work early the next day...or at least I thought I did. Turns out that it was 6:30 PM, not AM, which is really confusing because somebody messed up the schedule and put in 6:30 PM when it should have been 4:30 PM...I got dicked. Went down to work early in the morning...found no one there...walked the bridge...came back...saw the schedule...came home...went to sleep. Worked that night...and then afterwards went to a little get together at Ben Solovey's...fun was had.
Wednesday I met with Wes, Jake, Emily D, and John Ward about shooting his movie. That night I had a long "solve the problems of the world" kinda discussion with MH at Aretha Frankenstein's...a very stimulating and satisfying night out.
Tonight...movie shooting, poker playing, and bowling with Emily, Wes, Dusty, Jake, and John.
Tomorrow...GSFTA finale in Nashville.
Saturday...work.
I'm out.