Down through the years many men have found themselves unemployed and riding the rails, but few have embraced the experience with as much bonhommie as my good friend, Steve Maxon. Steve, who is a lawyer in New York State recently came to the end of a two year job commitment with a courthouse in Rochester, NY, and decided to box the compass by riding the train around the U.S.A for 15 days. Sarah and I were honored that he chose L.A. for one of his two-day stops so that he could come visit us.
Steve got in late on Friday night, and we spent a lazy Saturday walking around Idyllwild, swimming, hanging out and playing Bobberball. The local library was holding a book sale and Steve was in need of some reading material for his marathon train ride between L.A. and New Orleans. Steve purchased the following at the Idyllwild Library's book sale:The Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith
Democracy in America by Alexis de Toqueville
1984 by George Orwell
The House of the Dead by Dostoyevsky
Selected Short Stories of Franz Kafka
Dianetics: The Modern Science of mental Health by L.Ron Hubbard (a gift for Tom)
American Moments by Charles Kuralts
When Character was King a Story of Ronald Reagan by Peggy Noonan
The Book of Guys by Garrison Keillor
The Complete sketches and Tales of Mark Twain
After hitting the book sale we sauntered over to the Greek Place restaurant where we enjoyed coca colas and fresh pita bread under the pines before returning back to the house.
Steve is an excellent Bobberball player. He successfully defeated me 4-3 in a best of 7 tournament.
I won the game of Settlers of catan that evening though.
This morning the Hobo gathered his things and returned to his wandering life.
3 comments:
Ike in '56, my button says. I'm checking in from Pomona on my ubiquitous iPhone, for I had to go west to head east. Thanks greatly for the hospitality and yet another wonderful visit. Come quickly, new Tate!
Oh, and sorry, Tom, but "Dianetics" is really for Djere. Maybe you can share it?
I'm glad Steve had a better time in California than the Yankees did.
I love the pictures. Steve doesn't take any of himself (only the surroundings), so it's nice to see he's still doing well. We miss him back here on the East Coast.
Oops! I got the brothers mixed up. I thought it might be poor form to leak the news of the gift book, but I know that Steve, who lives his life "on the record," wouldn't mind too much.
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