Islandfest

It's summer, season of downtown festivals. This weekend was Islandfest, a celebration of all things pertaining to land surrounded on all sides by water, I guess. The fest was set up in a park downtown and consisted of live reggae music and booths where local artists sold their crafts or where local restaurants offered a sampling of their menus.

There are several festivals like this downtown during the summer, and it seems that regardless of the theme of a given festival, the exact same businesses are there, though sometimes with some minor adjustments to the menu. While Islandfest was supposed to be a Jamaican festival, there were booths set up for a burrito restaurant, an Indonesian/Malaysian restaurant, a regular old burger joint and others that we see at all of these festivals. We wandered around for a bit-the live music ended about 2 minutes after we arrived and the next set did not begin until after we were gone-deciding what to eat from the various restaurants. We ended up trying a rum-passionfruit glazed brisket (a little tough, but good), a Cuban sandwich (very good) and finishing off with a coconut sorbet that was served in a half coconut shell (So good!!!).

I would have liked to have stayed a little longer, but unfortunately there it was hot. Don't get me wrong, I'm not simply whining about how it was too hot for me and so I had to go hide in an air-conditioned building. The problem was not just that it was hot, but that there were a large number of hippie wannabes whose hygiene left a great deal to be desired. Smelly people are never pleasant. Smelly people in 95 degree weather are even worse. It isn't even as having to smell them was the only problem; it plays on one of my fears/obsessions, so about every five minutes MK and I carried out the following conversation:

Me (getting a whiff of yet another persons B.O.): Is that me? Do I stink?

MK: No, it's not you. It's that guy.

Me: Are you sure?

MK: Yes, for crying out loud. I'm sure.

Everything is fine for thirty seconds until Hippie #2 walks by.

Me: There it is again. Are you sure it isn't me? I'm afraid I smell bad.

MK: No, it isn't you. You smell fine. Just let it go.

Me: I put on deodorant this morning, but maybe it isn't working. Everyone probably thinks I'm disgusting.

MK: Sigh. (Storms off)

After revisiting this conversation a few times, we decided that really our appetite wasn't quite what we thought it was and that maybe we should just go.

To try and help the situation for the future, I'd like to take a moment to talk to all of the people wandering around smelling like month-old gym socks. There are three products that I would really like for all of you to try: soap, water and deodorant. Together they will have a remarkable effect and will greatly improve your chances that another human being can be within ten feet of you without the benefit of a debilitating head cold. If you use them, I promise I will not think that you are pro-establishment or that you are bowing down to the man. I'll make sure to tell everyone how eccentric, offbeat and counter-culture you are, if you just don't befoul the air we all have to share.

Until later...