Run 198 May 29, 2000

Hare: Fluffy

Start: DeKalb Ave. on the D

On-In: Right Bank, Williamsburg

Scribe: Janet

So, I was wondering . . . should I go have a baby or should I go to the hash? While the former seems the thing to do lately, I decided (after minimal deliberation) on the latter. It was Memorial Day, after all, not Labor Day. Plus it would have taken some advance planning (or maybe just too much hashing) to time it right for the occasion. Our hare hadn't planned too well for the hash either, as it turns out. Then again, some things don't need planning. It was just another holiday and Jerry could set his typical run and end at his usual bar.

For a surprise twist, Fluffy started us at DeKalb, but positioned us on the corner opposite Junior's so we wouldn't be tempted by the cheesecake and ruin our appetite for running. He also left us written messages along the trail to point out the highlights. For instance, in Ft. Greene, there was a message written on the sidewalk beside a brick

building stating that Spike Lee filmed there and there was another message marking "the oldest jazz bar". That one was under dispute, since we weren't sure that it meant it was anything more than the oldest jazz bar on that block. Slow to Blow also pointed out the spot where he'd almost been mugged in high school, and the direction he'd run (somewhat foolishly but fortunately quickly) to get away.

Did you ever have a dream in which you're naked, running through a crowd of staring people, and you can't figure out where you are and which way to go? That was us trying to run through Hasidic Williamsburg just as school was letting out. Only the experienced hare could have timed it perfectly to run us through seas of little kids and speeding school buses. We were getting fairly hot and tired in our running attire by then, and could only be awed by everyone out in their usual heavy black clothes and wigs. Slow to Blow's reaction was to use his old technique

again, this time running into a little schoolgirl and knocking her over. We got stuck for a little while at a circle jerk around some school. Later the hare very excitedly pointed out that it was The John Wayne School. What does that mean, we were supposed to shoot our way out of the check? Otherwise, the checks were easy. We passed more than a couple of convents and a huge, boarded-up home for old women from 1851. I was beginning to wonder what was going on, but then I found myself headed for The Right Bank, in typical Fluffy-hash fashion. It was all as expected in the end, but somehow it was much more interesting.

We were hanging out for a while, drinking beer, and I asked the hare if he needed help bringing in the planned feast. Then I noticed he was turning red and was suddenly quiet. Apparently his agreement with the bar owner (read: some nebulous discussion of a hash he had while drinking with "his buddy"), was completely unknown to the cook. That explained her frazzled exclamations about not knowing what she was supposed to do and how long it was going to take. I had to prod a while to convince Fluffy that there were a couple dozen people who were going to catch on soon and wouldn't want to wait until the owner came back. Somehow, things did work out fine, though. We were treated to generous trays of spare fruit (yes, fruit), wings, and bread.

We gave the usual down-downs to hare, virgins and visitors, including Lisa, with her tales of living abroad in LA. Evan and I had to drink for being first couple in (another ridiculous Jerry excuse for drinking), and Slow to Blow received the Barry Cohn award for taking out a kid on trail. Then Slow to Blow got another one for wearing a hat during his down-down, and I insisted that Geoff do one for self-satisfied squealing about the hat. This led to Evan getting one for wearing his hat, and I narrowly escaped another one myself for failing to warn him. Of course,

if I'd said something, they would've undoubtedly snagged me for tipping him off. Why doesn't everyone just sing, while a bunch of us drinks all the beer as fast as we can?

Paul won't be able to take part soon because he's planning to give up alcohol for "marathon training". "It's the only thing to do to take care of this," he said, patting his belly. Paul, is it true? I didn't think it was possible for you to join in the trend too!