Create Our World

The Gambler Nun & Radio plays the Oneonta Theatre.

“Strangers are just friends waiting to happen.” – Anonymous

 The Gambler, the Nun, and the Radio.

Ernest Hemingway wrote a short story about a Mexican gambler, a nun, and a writer who constantly listens to the radio.  The moral is that “all people need opium to keep them from suffering too much.”

I think this is Rusty. The Gambler's cat.

Back to Oneonta.

Well, I am not back there, but I never said much about the place, although I spent a week there.  After Bruce had dropped me off here, I had planned to move on the next day.  That was until I met Trevor.

Trevor introduced himself at the local pizza joint.

The Gambler Nun & Radio.

Trevor is the lead singer of the local Oneonta band named The Gambler Nun & Radio.  Trevor is also a pizza dude at the local pizza restaurant, Cosmos.  This is where we met.  I was grabbing a couple slices of pizza before I was going to camp nearby.  Trevor introduced me to his roommate and the bass player in the Gambler, Dan, whom after some conversation offered their pad as a place to crash.  We struck up a bond!  

Playing some pool with Eric, Dan, Jamey, and Dylan

A Packed House.

Trevor, Dan, Eric, Dylan, Jamey, and another Dan are all the members of the Gambler and all live in the same house with a rehearsal space on the main floor.  They also live with Nick, a friend, Kevin, their energetic dog, Rusty, their cat, and another cat whose name escapes me.  Although, the house was no mansion and my living space was a couch that was a bit grimy, it was more than enough for me.  After a couple days, I decided to prolong my stay till Saturday when they were playing at a local theatre.  

Dan & Eric took me to the get some of the best ice cream "east of the Mississippi."

It felt great to have a Home for a week and a fun, hospitable, and enlightening group of friends.  Good music too, if you like rock and roll that is a bit psychedelic, check out their website or their myspace page.

That is Dan, the keyboard player with origami on his head.

Thank you to the men of the Gambler Nun & Radio and all their friends!!!

I kinda snuck out after a week, because I was embarrassed at how melancholy I was feeling about leaving.  Plus, I felt like, this is not goodbye… but till we meet again.

Create Our World.

Ben

“Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” – Aristotle

I am waiting for Justin to load the Tamper.

“Every day is a fresh beginning, every morn the world is made new.” – Sarah Chauncey Woolsey

Leaving Oneonta, New York.

After 7 days in the City of the Hills, I finally decide it is time to thrust out my thumb and lace up my boots again.  It is getting colder and if I want to see more of New England, I have to get a move on.  Laced up and packed, Trevor gives me a jug of coffee in an Honest Tea glass and off I go.

“Wanna Convert?”

Crisp light, but I am feeling melancholy as I begin.  I have made some good friends here, that have been very gracious to me.  Seemingly in response to my mood, I pass a cluster of folks wearing black clothes and yamakas.  Ted motions to me as I walk past, he is laughing and acting like a hitchhiker.  

“Where ya headed?”  He seems surprisingly happy to be attending a funeral.  Sid Levine, an important man in the synagogue just passed away.  He is waiting for a police escort.  He is interested in my trip and is intrigued I am not really sure where I am going.  ”Following God?” That is exactly what I am doing.

As I leave, Ted asks me if I would like to convert with a large grin.  “Maybe,” and I am off.

Illegal to Hitchhike in New York.

Interestingly, I see a policeman I had made friends with a few days back.  He had told me that it was illegal to hitchhike in the state of New York, but “we don’t care.  We have better things to do.”  As I walked to the expressway, I was hoping any John Laws would have the same attitude as my friend.

Within thirty minutes of putting my thumb in the air, an Oneonta Police SUV pulls up and tells me that it is illegal to hitchhike here.  I asked him if he was sure, and he said he was.  But, then he just drove off.  Well, I kept sticking my thumb out anyways, hoping he wasn’t to return, when Justin pulls up in a big pick up truck.  He is only going a few miles up the road, but maybe that will get me out of this policeman’s territory.  We ride.

“Let’s Rock this Lunch!”

Justin is from around here.  He grew up here with his 3 brothers and 3 sisters.  He is working on a concrete job for the local State University of New York in Oneonta.  He is picking up some protective sunglasses and a tamper.  

“I wanna rock and roll all night!”  

Justin is jammin’ to the classic rock station and their lunch time rock hour.  “Rock this Lunch,” is their motto.  He says we are riding in style, as he pats the dashboard and tells me this is a Hemi.  A 5.7 Hemi.  I know little about automobiles so I take his word for it.  Justin likes snowmobiling too.  “I got a 600 V-Max Yamaha!”  That is a type of snowmobile and it sounds pretty fast, according to Justin.  We discuss the different snow conditions between New York and Michigan.  New York comes out the winner.  

Back to Oneonta.

Justin is only going about 5 miles out of town and I decide it is in my best interest to go back and have Justin drop me off at the local truck stop.  I can hope for a long term ride Northeast, as opposed to what will probably be a number of locals only going a few miles.  

I get his number and he says, if I am ever around, give him a call.

***

I am at the Wilton Travel Plaza, outside of Sarasota Springs, New York, right now writing this.  ”We Never Close” is their motto.

 Tommorrow, I will tell you about Tom, a positive-attitude Air Forcer, whom is about to turn 25 years old and then, Pete, whom smokes 5 Marlboro Reds and sets off my Strange Vibes Intuition-O-Meter.

Create Our World.

Ben

“The indispensable first step to getting what you want out of Life is this: Decide what you want.” – Ben Stein

Bruce...

 ”You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” – John Wooden

*** 

Meet Bruce.

On an off ramp in the north end of Scranton, I am waiting.  I am continuing my journey to New England today.  It is a decent hitchin’ spot.  There is plenty of shoulder, but the flow of cars is spotty.  After a half and hour, I am thinking of a back up plan… when Bruce pulls up.  

Off to the Job.

Three guys that have a few wrinkles on their faces, paint splatter on their t-shirts, and tosseled hair.  They aren’t headed to the office.  Reluctantly I ask them where they are headed.  I am figuring this is the car to turn down.  3 men… hmm….

But, despite appearances, I am getting a passable vibe from these guys.

“We are headed to Clark Summit.” This is only about 10 minutes away.  “But I can drop these guys off and take you out of town to get you a better spot.”

I plop my sack in the trunk and hop in the backseat next to Robert.  Off we go…

Trust my Gut.

Bruce buys houses, remodels them, and then either rents them or sells them.  Bruce drives fast and stops fast.  We drop off the other two guys at their house and go to Lowe’s to grab a trowel for their job.  They are laying tile today.  

I Love Drinking.

Bruce picked me up because he once was a hitchhiker.  Bruce and his dog, Blue Christmas, hitched around the USA for about 5 years.  

“I was wino,” hearty laugh; Bruce smiles a lot, “I sniffed glue, I used crank, meth…”  A Joyce Meyer cd plays on the radio.

Bruce ate out of dumpsters, drank a lot, slept where he could.  He tells me a lot of stories as we drive.

Leaving Scranton, PA...

Cleaning it up.

“Have a nice day,” he laughs as we tromp through Lowe’s in search of a trowel, “unless you have made other plans.” Hah!  Bruce has a good sense of humor.  He is a devout Christian now.  He believes in Alcoholics Anonymous.  He is married to a woman he loves.  He doesn’t pass a hitchhiker without picking them up.  He seems to feel very grateful for the good he has in Life.  He has worked for the Ronald McDonald House and he employs other AA members whom need help.  

Where to see.

I ask Bruce’s thoughts on where to see in the USA.  “The Northeast is beautiful.”  Bruce recommends I hit Oregon, Montana, Wyoming.  ”Big Sur is one of the most beautiful places.”  He would spend the winters in San Diego.

Oneonta, NY.

We pass Binghamton, which is about 50 miles north of Scranton and continue north.  The mountains are beautiful as we drive and Bruce tells me about a small town called Oneonta, NY.  He grew up around here and would spend a lot of time in Oneonta, which is a college town.  He drank there.  This is where he decides to drop me off.

Gyros and Gifts.

Before he drops me off, Bruce insists on lunch and we grab a bite at the local Greek restaurant.  Gyro and fries!

I am feeling very grateful for our talks, the ride, and lunch, when Bruce surprises me by saying he has to get back on the road and drops a 100$ bill on the table for our lunch and tells me to keep the change.

WHAT!

Before it really sets in, he is out the door and off…

***

Grateful & blessed, I feel that Bruce has laid down a challenge.  

How I can reciprocate this gift to others, with limited financial resources?

Create Our World.

Ben

“The best portion of a good man’s life – his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.”  ~William Wordsworth