Many workplaces have, over the years, posted the sign "You don’t have to be crazy to work here, but it helps!"

A similar notice would have been appropriate at the start of the run on this windy, wet and cold spring day in New York. About 16 or so of us having been duly certified insane, or lacking anything better to do with our lives, were huddled under a very narrow store awning, trying to stay dry, and waiting for the run to start.

"Are you the hash?" asked a respectable looking couple, who said that they were hashers from Chile, just returned to New York. Always eager to enlist new blood into our happy crazy throng, we (that is Vince) tried to cajole them to come to the On In even if they didn’t want to run this time. "We might," they said, "or we might see you on Friday." Neither happened. Oh well, we will just have to be content with our own company.

Byron Brown arrived at 3:14, so it was time for the hares to give directions, and a description of the trail marks to some visitors from Cleveland and an import from Miami. "This is a check," said Chris, pointing down at the sidewalk. "Where?" was the unanimous question. "You see this faint blue smudge," said Chris. "It was not raining when we started, but don’t worry. 80 percent of the trail is marked in flour." Petra produced a new piece of chalk and proceeded to draw on the sidewalk a picture of a pair of mammalia. (Breasts to you.) "This is a Boobie check," she said. "Only women can look for trail at this check." Several of us expressed our approval of this idea.

So off we went, heading west over Broadway, and then back again when trail could not be found, which was fortunate for some latecomers. The generally well-marked trail, which actually was holding up pretty well in the rain, led us into the park, where at about the 3^rd check we found the aforementioned Boobie sign. Off went Lucy in one direction and a few reluctant female checkers in the other direction. Lucy found trail and off we went again. From here on the trail was marked in flour, led us back into the park, and gradually over to the East Side. Vince was telling everybody that he really enjoys running in the rain, and that the rain makes the trail more interesting. The majority of the reminder of us were speculating on the On In location.

Within sight of the FRB’s standing outside the On In at the Mug Shot Bar, at 75^th and 1^st, a cab driver decided that Vince was not wet enough, and drove at high speed through a puddle, catching not only Vince but Lucy and your scribe.

Once inside and gradually thawing out, everybody was enjoying the deal negotiated by the hares:- an open bar (except Guinness) till 7.30pm. Down-Downs were bestowed by Crofty who showed up as a non-runner in the nick of time. The hares of course got theirs, as did the visitors from Cleveland. What of the girl from Miami you may ask? She was of course called upon to drink. It transpired that she moved here from Miami, just as our beloved Steve Kurtzer moved there from here. She insisted that her name was Darla, but Joint Master Croft, in recognizing that we got the better part of this trade, accepted a nomination from the crowd to give here the hash name of "Kurtzer". Will she turn up next week to meet her namesake, who, it is rumored, is coming back on a visit to see if he was missed?

The usual civilians were there: Aleks and Mary the Greek, who was adding a new angle to the pool table. Food was plentiful. Petra and Chris were very solicitous of the pack. Despite the weather, it was a good run.