night one ...
Ack, things are much better in October. Best price I can find on a room with a phone is $51 a night, and it's not exactly cozy, is it?
This is not often seen, though: hot cocoa in addition to the in-room coffee!
Cute note in my bathroom, with cute comments in multiple languages.
The place I choose to watch the game (as per suggestion of the woman working my motel) is Bullwinkle's, which is the place where I tried to eat last year, and couldn't get in. I get in just fine (as in September there are still competitors open), and immediately make a new friend. Here he is with me ... Mark, bartender, miscellaneous task-doer, and friend of the owners. Mark is a fascinating man: Viet Nam vet. Father. He quit his career as a successful engineer in Wisconsin, gave all his stuff, including his car, to his sons, hopped on a train (or was it a bus?), and moved to Montana. Now he lives in a trailer and works as a bartender, doesn't own a car, walks to work. He's my hero! Ever since I came out West last year, I've had the same inclination, although I don't want to give up my comedy career.
I make lots of friends tonight. Here are a couple more: Derek and Don. They're from England, in the states working as fishing guides. Sweet gig, from the sound of it. They sit by me and I insist they root for my boys from the University of Tennessee, and meanwhile, I teach them the rules of American football.
After watching an exciting win by Tennessee, I head across the street to accept an invitation from some of my other new friends to join an open mic there. I do some comedy - my first time performing at a non-comedy open mic, which is a hit, as they don't get comedians in West Yellowstone, and later I get back up to recite a sonnet I wrote and sing a little Billie Holiday ... these things I've never before done in front of a crowd, and I love it!
Then I meet back up with Don and Derek, who came across the street as well. Here's Don repeatedly kicking my butt in what they call "table football."