Recent Adventures in Lafayette, Indiana...
November 11, 2000
On the way up to Lafayette, my dad and I saw a car fire, a black, stretch limo, and a woman wearing a full bridal veil with her green sweater, jeans, and sneakers. When we stopped for lunch we spotted an old lady with glittery, black hair and fluorescent, red lips. (Maybe long ago she was a glamorous stage siren?...) Also, a pregnant woman rubbed her tummy and purred, "I just love the name Theodosa," so I may have witnessed the beginning of a long and difficult life for a little girl destined to be saddled with the name "Theodosa."
I met some very cool people at Barnes & Noble including an actress and her son who was working toward being a screenwriter. One guy asked me if I knew where the computer games were, but I didn't. (It's funny how people always think that I am a Barnes & Noble employee.)
Finally, I learned that it is hard to compete with snakes and prosimians. The Lafayette Zoo (I didn't know there was a Lafayette Zoo!) had a hedgehog, tarantula, lorus, rabbit, tortoise, python, umbrella cockatoo, and all kinds of other creatures to pet. The zoo is in Columbia Park, and they were there to raise money for the protection of endangered animals. I wanted to pet them all--especially the cockatoo--but I really wasn't supposed to leave the booksigning table.
Just when I thought I had seen it all, Dad and I drove by the "Rainforest Carwash" on the way home. It was beautiful and monstrous at the same time.