CULTURE exit  ....... or back to the highway

This exit led to a beautiful grassy field..not an asphalt sea of parking places  like the other exits.
There were busy happy people wandering about amongst rows of white tents. 

He said hello to the first few people he saw .  they laughed at everything he said which was nice.and replied "namaste"  to him.. he started to relax.and started saying namaste too. ..he looked around..it was an outdoors crafts fair. with lots of tents, each one featuring  a different artist.. each tent holding some of their handmade treasures.. there were walking sticks with men with long beards carved in them..there were iron smiths pounding hot steel, a woman artist  with her hand made purses, a glass blower or two , some were  knitters,  .there were original paintings being exhibited by the artists..and there were songs being sung by singer/songwriter artists with their instrument cases open in front of them . ... a wonderful creative space . .each and every one of the artists was happily creating something ..and each and every person walking around was also an artist, a creator of something.

.. ..and there was alot of junk food.  and all the food was free !!  . He grabbed a corndog,  put on some mustard and chowed down.
There was a small stage with no mic , just a music stand ,,a guitar stand,, , and a chair.  An older man with white hair and beard was playing guitar and singing..he wasnt very good, but Gnat gave him an "A" for just trying....after his segment there was a light applause, and then the white haired man put the guitar back on the stand and left the stage.. the stage was quiet.  then a chubby man got on the stage, introduced himself and began reciting his poetry..

. a pretty young woman sat down  next to gnat  and said her name was Charlie .. .they talked for awhile . .very nice .. .

CH>>:   "So, you play guitar and write songs.do you .. you will  play for us wont   you??.. we'd really love it ever so much  if you would  play ..."

gnat could never turn down such a pretty woman so, after the poet was done  and there was a good deal of applause,   gnat went up on stage grabbed the guitar tuned it up,sat down and played two of his own  songs that he knew by heart..


I'm a Searcher




Bucket of Rust !




gnat sat back down next to Charlie...

CH>>   in Bucket of rust ..was it a bug or a van .. .

gnat>>:   it was a bug .

CH>>:    I am so excited. congratulations that has to be my favorite segmant  of the day.. I wish the whole regular crew were here to hear it.  do you have alot of other original material?

gant>>:   thanks . . yes I do have alot of stuff... you write a little each day and pretty soon.. you've got a mess of songs  . ...how about you do you play too.?

Ch>>:    I play banjo and mandolin...here I'll show you .. but first..I'll say "if I dont see you again here ..then I hope to see you again there ..wherever there is ...and she kissed his cheek ..

gnat wondered where this place was ..but before he could ask her .. she took the stage.. an older man with a grey hair in a  ponytail..joined her ... she played a simple banjo and he a jazz bass guitar,, .. listening to them was pleasant .she closed her eyes and smiled as she sang .. .

he listened for awhile  then he got up and wandered around among the white tents,  fascinated by the skills and  ingenuity he saw at every turn . . and the spirit of the people . .so calm and happy and friendly .. and free and creative

at the far end of the field he came to a huge red and white striped tent. which wasn't free.. . it cost money to get in, so he looked in from outside.. and what he saw was incredible . the whole far wall was a giant tv screen, showing many shows at the same time , .and on the floor there were many people watching as they walked/ran on their own personal  treadmills...

he saw that where they took the money, there was the grey tube  sucking up all the money and moving it down the hose and away..

..he got a little restless and moved around.  he looked for Charlie  but couldnt find her.. but he did find himself back on the

HIGHWAY