A Tourist in my Own Town
This room is an artistic blend of old and new. An antique desk recalls images of writers from days gone by. The uncluttered classic furnishings in the study inspire introspection and calm, while the light infused olive colored walls throughout the suite offer an openness and brightness that stirs a calling to creativity and quietude … from the Hotel Floyd’s Writer’s Room webpage.
The whirlwind weekend ended up being a romantic one. It involved a complimentary night’s stay in the Hotel Floyd for the work I did on decorating the themed Writer’s Room, and a free dinner at Oddfellas Cantina, given to Joe from the soccer team as a thank you for his coaching last year. These bonus events were preceded by a writer’s circle, ceremoniously held in the Writer’s Suite.
Earlier in the day I suffered a meltdown.
It was the cumulative effect of it being Museletter weekend, writing a major piece about health care, packing for the overnight stay, and eating some blue fish for lunch that caused my face and hands to go beet red and sting, otherwise known as an allergic reaction. By the time I reached the hotel, several writers were waiting for me to let them in. I was only half coherent, dropping things all the way up the stairs, and gasping for air in between breaths as I talked to Mara and her daughter Kyla, who both offered their help.
We work-shopped one writer’s essay on grief that was set on a ferry boat in Canada, Mara brought a poem about painting homemade thank you cards and a rock with her daughter, and I brought the unfinished rap lyrics I’ve been writing for a friend’s band. After the two hour meeting, Mara hung out with me. She wrote an entry in the guest journal that sits on the antique desk while I went around straightening the pictures on the wall, most of which had become crooked since the last time I was in the room. 
“Maybe the place is haunted,” I said. It was three days before Halloween after all. Mara nodded and suggested that it was Elliot, a poet and writer’s circle member who died two years ago and whose dictionary sits on the ledge next to the old typewriter in the Writer’s Suite.
After Mara and Kyla left, I zipped up my vest and headed out to walk around town with my camera, just in time for sunset. By 7:00 I was in Odfellas waiting to meet Joe who was coming from a soccer game. Scribbling furiously in my notebook, I felt like a Natalie Goldberg imposter. Natalie, author and poet, loves to write in cafés, something I’ve always been too distractible to be good at.
I write: A man in a red jacket with a guitar slung across his back approaches the stage, followed by another man who has hair like Adam Duritz from Counting Crows.
The second man is wearing a reggae scarf and cradling a cell phone to his ear. A woman who seems to know them throws her leopard skin coat across the back of the chair. Julie, my waitress who also teaches yoga, owns the restaurant now. She knows I like New Castle beer. I didn’t know it was Mother-in-law day until Julie told me after I asked her why the Bell Gallery family sitting by the front window had two vases of fresh roses on their table.
Joe arrived just as Nora Jones on the stereo was being turned down and the first musician was tuning up. His guitar strings are not used to the cold, he tells us, because he’s from Florida, on his way to Boston. 
Joe orderd stuffed scallops and I got the tuna steak. I asked Julie for butter because I don’t like to dip my bread in olive oil. I write a note to Natalie before putting my notebook away so Joe and I can hold hands as we listen to the live music while our dinners are being prepared:
Hey Natalie, I’m starting to get the hang of this writing in cafés thing. If I had known it could include Nora Jones playing on the stereo and a frosty glass of New Castle beer I probably would have been here sooner.
P.S. Write back.
October 30th, 2007 10:04 am
Great entry………I feel for you about the allergy to blue fish.
I wish I could have aided in your care. xo
PS What are you going to be for Halloween? I’m going to be a Red Sox.
October 30th, 2007 10:12 am
I don’t think there are any parties this year! I probably don’t have the energy to do anything anyways. Maybe I’ll just put on my orange cat hat and write about the BLOB. Joe and I watched it at the Hotel Floyd over the weekend.
I’ve never been allergic to blue fish before. I think it happened because I was stressing about getting to the writer’s circle in time and closing the house down. It wasn’t so bad because it’s happened before with other things (like the time I got bit by a ton of ants in Texas) and I know what to do. I take panothenic acid and then lie down and rest because histmine spreads through excitement and stress. Panothenic acid is part of the B vitamin complex and an anti-histamine.
October 30th, 2007 11:30 am
Thanks for the panothenic acid tip; I wasn’t aware that would help.
I find writing in places outside of my little office at home to be difficult. I suppose I don’t do it enough and it takes practice. However, since I live miles away from anything at all, even a little convenience store, it’s not like I can walk next door to the cafe. I suppose that has something to do with it. I admire you for making the attempt and finding it productive.
October 30th, 2007 11:42 am
I think beer works better than tea for loosening up writing in cafes. The night lighting and ambiance helped too.
October 30th, 2007 12:05 pm
1. Sounds like a lovely evening – even with the reaction and the bustling. Very nice of the hotel and the team to show their gratitude that way.
2. I second your opinion about the beer. Wine’s no good, cause it puts me to sleep. I’ll have to try New Castle. There are so darn many!
3. And my thanks too for the tip on panothenic acid. I’ve made note of it.
October 30th, 2007 12:25 pm
Bless your heart Colleen, a fish reaction couldn’t be fun! I hate you got sick on a weekend of so many fun activities! A freebie at Oddfella’s sounds wonderful. It is about time for Martin and I to head back up there. Especially since we want to check out the new hotel. When you wrote “Just as Norah Jones…” I said in my mind “Norah Jones was there in concert and she didn’t tell me ahead of time!” Then I read it was on the radio. I was about to have a tizzy!
Yes Toonces is back in high cotton with the groceries and the pets too. Don’t worry, my own mother doesn’t know half the names or which dog is which! She knows Spirit the horse and Calista and that is about it.
October 30th, 2007 12:28 pm
On a haunted subject and Hallow’s Eve or however you say it…for some reason your post just started printing. I didn’t hit the button, even if I had accidentally it always asks me again before I print something if I am sure I want to and it didn’t…..AND it won’t let me stop or cancel the print. So bizarre. Now I have to go back and re-read your writings to see what the spirits are wanting me to see!
October 30th, 2007 12:47 pm
OMIGOD! OOOOOOH. That’s weird. Could it be Elliot?
October 30th, 2007 12:47 pm
I hate that you had that terrible allergic reaxtion…! No fun in that! In fact, very scary…! The room at the Hotel looked so very alive with people in it….!
Sounds like it was a wonderful time, except for that Blue Fish incident!
October 30th, 2007 1:24 pm
Those gifts that become evenings are the best !!except for reactions. Gret fun to read. sk
October 30th, 2007 5:42 pm
I can relate to those ants! I stepped in some today while bringing the trash can back into the garage. It’s a late fall and the pesky things are still making mounds. Pray they don’t move north like the bees!
Texas Sue
October 31st, 2007 9:39 pm
Oh, I totally get it now!
Nice of them to give this to you!
But don’t eat bluefish again.
November 1st, 2007 10:36 am
What a lovely treat to go there for a break, which sounds like it was needed. I also love writing in cafés, but it is hard not to be distracted! The writing usually ends up being interesting though. lol
November 2nd, 2007 11:34 am
As much as the idea of cafe writing appeals to me, I’m too easily distracted. But it sounds like you had a perfectly good evening in addition to writing.