Heatsick
I've been at the Pitchfork Music Festival all weekend in the middle of -- if, for some reason, you missed it -- a crushing heat wave. On Friday morning I woke up full of can-do resolve, but by the time I got to Union Park, unloaded the car, reparked it, and walked 7 blocks back to the Book Fort, the heat index was over 100. I felt woozy and several people told me I looked pale. I set up the tent, then drifted back out into the streets to buy provisions, and threw up in the bathroom of a West Loop coffeeshop.
So, that was fun.
I'm telling you this not to impress upon you my badass book-selling skills -- because it was so freaking hot Friday that no one wanted to come into our stuffy stuffy tent, let alone carry around a book that would be drenched with hand sweat. But I did eventually rally, thanks in no small part to Cale, who was working on the crew. He wandered by to say hi, took one look at me, and said "I'll be right back." Three minutes later he returned with a box fan and a bottle of ice cold water, and ferried me Gatorade and popsicles for the rest of the day.
So I'm telling you this as a reminder, to myself and to you: It's good to have friends. It's good to remember that people have your back when the ground is wobbling beneath you.
The heatwave broke yesterday with a crashing thunderstorm that forced the evacuation of the park. But after we dried off in the sanctuary of a nearby McDonald's the thunder and lighting and pounding rain did stop, and we walked back to the park in a cool breeze. I sat on a concrete block by the Book Fort with my friend Andrea and we talked about our troubles as the evening sun set the wet wet field aglow with golden light and thousands of bedraggled people, undeterred, with hope in their hearts, returned to stand in the sopping mud and listen to Stereolab, Belle and Sebastian, and the Isley Brothers. For the first time in two weeks I didn't feel like I was going to puke.
A few newsy updates: A story I wrote about gentrification in Vieques went live on the Public Rad International website on Tuesday. Cowritten with Isabel Dieppa and Kari Lydersen, this is one small fruit from our Pulitzer Center-funded reporting trips to Puerto Rico the past six months. There will be more soon. And, if you're not up on goings on in Puerto Rico this week, you should be. As hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets across the island to demand the resignation of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, the problems of Vieques seem far from the breaking news cycle -- but the issues in play are utterly relevant to the larger issues of colonialism, neglect, corruption, and accountability. There is a revolution happening and it is inspiring. I wish I was there.
But, instead, I am here. And I am performing on Sunday, July 28, in a short aerial piece based on the board game Clue. I play Colonel Mustard. There is a mustache involved. More info can be found here.
Last: My book has landed at the warehouse! I haven't held it in my hand yet, but I've seen pictures. It's for real. You can preorder a copy here, or come out on September 11 to the Hideout and pick one up in person at our book release party. More info to come on that soon.
Thanks friends. Take care of each other.