It should be the same with a smartphone, right? You pretend to read a newspaper on your phone as you eavesdrop on the café. But somehow with the new technology it never plays out that way...
This story reminds me of the series you used to write for MQ where you'd visit little towns and diners and stuff around Montana, John. I think that work was my introduction to your writing. You've still got it!
I have a Unabomber story myself. When OSJ came out, I did an event in Great Falls that the paper covered and the writer (Kristen Inbody, who you may know?) talked about the Unabomber piece in the book. Literally the next day after the article came out I was emailed by a woman in California who was pen pals with Kaczynski. She must have had a google alert or something for his name. Anyway, the short version of the story was that she felt the book was something Ted might like so we commenced to jump through all the hoops necessary to send books to prisoners and made it happen. So, presumably, when they were cleaning out his cell upon his death, they recovered a copy of my first book.
Thank you for this. Now there’s so much coming at us that it’s harder to feel that same kind of belonging, even when the places are still there.
Enjoyed this John.
Made me smile too!
Nice, John.
This made me smile.
Thx John. 🙂
Nice piece, John--and a reminder of bygone days: <<Holding a newspaper provided a great way to eavesdrop on the room.>>
The pleasure of holding a physical newspaper in a public place and reading it--or pretending to.
It should be the same with a smartphone, right? You pretend to read a newspaper on your phone as you eavesdrop on the café. But somehow with the new technology it never plays out that way...
It just feels different too.. Something about in reading a paper in a coffee shop or restaurant...
This story reminds me of the series you used to write for MQ where you'd visit little towns and diners and stuff around Montana, John. I think that work was my introduction to your writing. You've still got it!
I have a Unabomber story myself. When OSJ came out, I did an event in Great Falls that the paper covered and the writer (Kristen Inbody, who you may know?) talked about the Unabomber piece in the book. Literally the next day after the article came out I was emailed by a woman in California who was pen pals with Kaczynski. She must have had a google alert or something for his name. Anyway, the short version of the story was that she felt the book was something Ted might like so we commenced to jump through all the hoops necessary to send books to prisoners and made it happen. So, presumably, when they were cleaning out his cell upon his death, they recovered a copy of my first book.
Thanks! I loved doing those "Rural Route" pieces. But I found the travel a lot of work. Clearly I could learn from you! :)
Nice John.