6:15 I leave, on foot, wearing jeans, a long-sleeve t-shirt, wool socks, leather shoes, a wool hat and rain jacket. The sky is completely overcast, but it's no longer raining.
6:40 I arrive at Jett, ShRiek, and Will's place. Jett and Will have nearly finished an entire bottle of tequila. ShRiek, Paulie, and I finish it (about a shot each). There is much preparing, and forgetting, and deciding of what to wear going on.
7:15 We leave (Jett, ShRiek, Paulie, Will, and I), on foot, for Fort Marcy Park. It begins to rain. There are snails everywhere on the houses.
7:23 We reach the intersection of San Francisco and Guadalupe, and see our first other pedestrians. Loud shouts of "¡Que Viva Fiesta!" are traded. Discussion of if it's actually Fiestas yet, or do they not begin until after Zozobra's burned? It's still raining. The thighs and bottoms of my jeans are damp.
7:30 Corner of Grant and Paseo de Peralta. The beginning of blocked off streets; many, many pedestrians. Still raining. The water sheeting off my jacket has now completely soaked patches on the thighs of my jeans. ShRiek's eyeliner is running in earnest.
7:40 Standing in line (ticket-collecting + checking for contraband), waiting to get into the park. Still raining.
8:00 In the park now, working our way through the crowd. Jett is on his cell phone, yelling over the din: "Where are you? What? Where?" The baseball field is packed. Someone has the bright idea to sell those trash-bag ponchos, cleverly printed with: "Rain won't save him!" My jacket is completely wet now.
8:15 We actually manage to find Jett's friend in the crowd, and stake out a spot to, well, stand. Normally people go early in the day, bring picnic food, set up blankets and lawn chairs. Not much of that going on tonight, because, you see, it's still raining.
8:30 - 8:45 Several cell phone calls berating Ryk, who — having decided for some reason that he didn't want to stand in the rain with us (go figure!) — was on his way back to Española. The band is still playing. Shouts from the crowd of "Burn him!" are becoming more desperate. My jeans are soaked and my shoes and jacket have reached saturation and are starting to leak. Yes, still it's raining.
8:54 The band stops! And! The baseball field floodlights lights go out! Big roar from the crowd. Spotlight on Zozobra! The rain has stopped! YAY!
9:00 - 9:15 Liturgical dance. Please, please make it stop. BURN HIM, ALREADY!!!
9:16 - 9:24 YES! Fireworks and Zozobra is BURNING!! WOOOOOOOOO!!
9:30 We make our way out of the park, after Will tries (unsuccessfully) to find an open food vendor still selling BBQ. Somewhere near first base, I step in a mud puddle which turns out to be 4 inches deep. Jeans are now muddy, as are my shoes.
9:42 Arrive at big, open-house, post-Zozobra party. Hostess is CeCe (or maybe Cissy?), friend of Jett and ShRiek, and, it seems, nearly everyone in Santa Fe. She is maybe 5 feet tall, probably in her 60s, wearing a blue plastic cyalume necklace, and near as I can tell, kinda drunk. I introduce myself. There are 15 pies in the kitchen (it's a contest); a DJ in the driveway; a bar, food, and a piñon fire in the backyard. The place is bumpin'. We stand around the piñon fire in an attempt to dry off.
10:53 I decide it's time for me to go — I still have to walk home. Discussion ensues about whether or not I will be allowed to walk home alone, and who will come with me. Explaining to Jett that: a) although he is large and male, he is also quite drunk; and b) I am not drunk has no effect on his insistence to see me home safely. We say goodbye to CeCe/Cissy. It begins to rain again.
11:00 In front of the Albertsons, it is decided: Will and ShRiek will walk home together; Jett and Paulie will walk me home; I will drive them back to Jett's, where Paulie will spend the night. Raining harder now.
11:01 - 11:20 Walk back to our place. It's mostly uphill. Two cell phone calls from ShRiek to make sure we're ok. Still raining.
11:25 Drop Jett and Paulie off. Rain.
11:34 Call ShRiek, as promised, to let her know I am home safely, and not dead in
11:49 Hot shower. Bed. Goodnight gloom.
3 comments:
The continued Seattle-ification of Santa Fe - first Starbuck's and now rain...
Bram and Mon:
Excellent use of the so/then construction!
Raining here, too. Seems appropriate.
I thought you'd approve of my Minnesotan! :)
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