Truckey and King on Meehan breakdown, river sunset

Last night I saw Sarah Truckey at the Hoffman LaChance Christmas show, which included a painting by Tim Meehan (titled after cold rain). I was reminded that I have one final batch of my bad sketches from our group trip to Calhoun County that could be paired with Truckey's far superior photographs of that day, which belongs in my imaginary and ever-burgeoning Book of Big Days.

Meehan's car broke down on the Calhoun side of the ferry. I sketched this disheartening moment. Two young lads from Meehan's car - one of them, I learned later, his son - broke out acoustic guitars and busted out some songs, including a spirited cover of "London Calling" by The Clash. The line "I live by the river!" never sounded better than performed veritably on the banks of the Mississippi. (These kids play out in the punk band Armatron.)

I had Anthony Brescia, that beautiful and grouchy man, in my vehicle. He and I both lack mechanical skills, and a small male army seemed prepared to tackle the problem of the Meehan breakdown after our repast at Wittmond's Hotel, so we crossed the ferry alone and headed back to civilization.

Truckey, a passenger in Sam Coffey's magic green bus, was left behind on the banks of the Mississippi. While the menfolk tinkered, she sized up the world and took pictures of it, mostly of a gargantuan orange sunset that looked like an immense orange eye as Anthony and I drove into it.

To you, Truckey:

* Sunset, river, bird
* Sunset, river
* Bird, river, sunset
* River, tavern signage
* River, ferry.

Meanwhile, sample dialogue from that fascinating drive we took into that selfsame sunset ...

Me: "Jesus! Christ! Shit! Hell! That sunset! God! Look at it! It looks like a giant orange eye in the sky!"

Anthony (Grumbles. Growls. Turns over in seat, restlessly. Grumbles. Groans. He is ignoring me and trying to sleep. He can't sleep. He sits up.): "Jesus! Look at that sky! Did you see that sky! It looks like a giant orange eye!"

Last night at the art show, Truckey reported that she was being tempted to try to stay in St. Louis, after meeting more and more people, like Brett Lars Underwood (birthday boy on the Brussels journey) and me, who love St. Louis.

"We love you too, Truckey," I said, and we do.