I went to The Rumpus event last night at Death By Audio because (A) Sara Marcus and Nick Flynn were reading and they are both pretty great writers as well as human beings in general and (B) it’s nine blocks away from my house so there were obviously no excuses along the lines of, “It’s in the city and the city is far away.” (And actually the city is not really that far away, but I still like to use that excuse when I feel like it.)
I’ve never been to a New York City Rumpus event before, though I have read at a couple of San Francisco events. The reason why I don’t go to NYC events is because they are very popular and there are a lot of lit scene people there and I find that really intimidating. In San Francisco, it is the same, but since I don’t live there and don’t know anyone it doesn’t freak me out at all. It’s just a big group of attractive, smart people and I end up having a great time.
In NYC it’s a big group of attractive, smart people, a lot of whom I recognize, and then I begin to wonder if they are actually more attractive (definitely) and smarter (quite possibly) or at least better read (very easily) than I am and, while we’re at it, they are probably more successful than I am (also not hard), and they have better taste in things in general (duh) and for sure they can all kick my ass in Scrabble, which is OBVIOUSLY THE WORST THING OF ALL.
You guys, I can’t help it. I was a big loser in high school. And big crowds sometimes make me spin.
Anyway Sara and Nick were awesome. What energy! So political and interesting and funny!
Death By Audio could probably use a little bit of a scrub though.
Afterward Neal Pollack took me to dinner and we had some really serious conversations about the yoga practice and how it impacts how we contend with our careers. Obviously this conversation could never have happened when we first met a very long time ago. (On both of our parts.) Neal has become such a solid, loving person. A real grown-up. It’s pretty heartwarming.
But don’t worry! We still talked shit too. We’ll always be jerks in our own special ways.
Neal and I are both reading tomorrow, but at different locations. I’m reading at Le Poisson Rouge as part of The Greatest 3-Minute Guilt Stories Ever, with a bunch of other Jews, on behalf of Jewcy. Neal is on tour in support of his book Stretch and will be reading at Powerhouse Books in DUMBO.
I don’t know what to tell you to do. You can see me read anytime, although I will never read this piece ever again probably as it was written specifically for this event. But it’s only three minutes and then it’s done! Although the other people who are reading will probably be pretty good too.
On the other hand, Neal doesn’t live here and he needs your support and he is funny and interesting and I think he does yoga in the middle of his reading which will probably be super engaging. Seriously, that dude lives to entertain.
It’s up to you. Feel free to use the “(Insert Brooklyn or The City here) is too far” excuse to your benefit. I won’t hold it against you if you don’t hold it against me.
