I'm going to just go ahead and report this, but I don't want to take any credibility flak about it. My credibility tissoos are sensitive. Naked. Furless.
Pleeeze.
I had breakfast with Norton, in the back booth of the cafe, this morning. We have some work to do, on a roof, we have been...putting off. (It's a HIGH one.)
I don't think I can do this. Report this, I mean. After chatting with the waitress ("Ask me about blackberries!" he says, with a wink), I say, trying to think, and all I can get is "What comes to mind if I say ....'Possum'?" ~ or ~ "Do you happen to know any possum stories?" ~ After realizing I will NEVER make it undercover, I spit out the second.
Norton: "Nothing."
"Hawh? Don't you know ANY possum stories?" I'm incredulous, because Norton always has stories about everything, like the Steven Spielberg of the Columbia Gorge. I guess I've never "asked" before, he's always just volunteered. I'm clearly not an interviewer.
"Why ~ Do they turn you on?" This is clearly NORTON; so I know we're getting SOMEWHERE.
"No. Just wondering."
Pause.
Big Pause while food comes.
Norton: "Well, you know, when I was at [substituting proper name] Kramer Sheet Metal, they used to call me Possum."
"REALLY?"
I try to fake dis-interest, but all I can think about is: incredible, and how you guys won't believe me. (I'm getting very anxious about this "kozmic event" and credibility stuff; reporting "back here", what is standard Green Acres Stuff) The whole "espionage" experience turns anxious; very anxious for me. Still is.
"Yeah. There was this guy there, and he didn't like me."
"And..."
"And he came up and called me possum."
"Why?"
" 'You look like a possum.' "
I look at Norton. Hoooo. I would love to send you guys a picture.
The guy might have been right. I think Norton can see this appraisal as I look at him. But he doesn't care; he and we think, "so what".
Norton: "And it stuck. He didn't like me, and he wanted to see if he could rattle my chain. I said, 'I can live with that.'"
My affadavit has been filed.
Cross my heart;
lift and separate. |
