There were a handful of hearty Asheville citizens who were holding onto the screens while friends were reading them. Even
when all the screens were blown down, people continued reading them on the ground. Thank you Asheville for
staying true... we will need to visit again under better weather conditions next time! :-)
Sally's reflection:
Once at the plaza we set up just in time for a drenching thundershower - but safely under
the fold out tent we brought. There's only good spirits and equanimity. The sun emerges
and we dry out, but some of the screens are a mess.
Though a bit chilly in the shade, the great people I talk to warm me. Like Dierdre, a young,
slender strawberry blond who was a delight to talk to. She lived in front of the
Piazza Garibaldi on Via Garibaldi in Turin for three months while studying
art. We enjoyed a profound connection over Mike, who is a descendant
of that famous General Garibaldi, and Mike's unique artistic montage designed
to bring people together.
After a quick revelation of lunch at Salsa's, a little hole in the wall
serving Mexican-Caribbean fusion, I return and settle in at the table. Right after Mike and Blake
leave for Salsa's after my rave reviews, the fiercest
wind storm struck! Bret pushes down what screens aren't blown down, then disappears. The film
crew heads across the street to film me unsuccessfully holding down the fort.
I will never forget talking to three customers when the darn canopy takes
off, straight up and sideways! With all my might, I'm hanging onto one of the corner support
poles and still talking with them like nothing else is happening. How
exhilarating it is, trying to keep it all together and do my job too!
Just as
the canopy is about to levitate to 300 feet with me dangling by one pole,
Bret returns and my customers vaporize to let us deal with nature. He and I
grapple with the canopy, and the film crew comes to the rescue; together, we
take it down, then chase down business cards and other flying objects.
Thank God Mike and Blake show
up. Mike orders us to tear down, but neither Bret nor I want to. But Mike is done.
We strip the
site clean, head to the hotel to regroup, then find a lush spot to film our
apres-installation commentary as the wind drops, the sky's turns blue, and
everything is hush puppy perfect. It was a long day
and tomorrow we're heading for DC - another long, 500 mile endurance drive.
