PORTLAND–A funny thing happened today on way to the AAC Booze Crooze…
I ran into Helen Hill!
Wednesday morning I headed out bright and early on the TriMet into Portland to meet up with the AAC folks at the hotel to take the lunch cruise down the Williamette River. I don’t know Portland well, but had very exact instructions courtesy of BB Church, on how to get to the Mariott in plenty of time. These instructions, of course, didn’t take into consideration that along the way the train would be evacuated due to what TriMet charmingly called “a biohazard.” Anthrax? A dirty bomb? Lasa fever? Hmmm, no! A passenger puked in her seat. So somewhere in the vicinity of Pioneer Square the conductor ordered us all off the train. (MOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Back in Columbus such an activity would have met with a few “euuusssss” and everybody would have just moved over. )
Bastardette dutifully got on the “next train” without noticing that it was the Yellow Line NOT the Blue Line that would take her to the hotel. (She only noticed that later.) As I pulled out Ellery Queens’s Siamese Twins Mystery and made myelf comfortable I looked up with a double-take. Sitting across me was the Supreme Bastard Goddess. Ballot Measure 58 petitioner, organizer, and hero! The woman who took history by the horns and threw it on our side.
Helen?
Marley?
Helen
Marley
Needless to say, I missed the cruise, but spent some short but quality time with Helen. Unfortunately, no one had bothered to tell her that the AAC was meeting in Portland or that Measure 58 was being celebrated that weekend. I told her she should just show up. Helen isn’t as pushy as I. She didn’t. And what a class act she remains!