Karma and I Soap Box Derby together.

Happy drivers..

Location: Athens, TN

Good things happened today. Which makes yesterday just a little rest stop on the Exodus highway. Bad things happened in that rest room...

But today, today, I woke up with it behind me and lounged at Market Square in Knoxville, sipping on espresso and downing some Peanut Butter Chocolate Melt morsel thingies from a local chocolate shop.

big guy car..

As I was leaving, I considered that I didn’t give Knoxville the proper attention that it deserved. I broke a lot of my own rules by (1) eating in the hotel restaurant twice, which had incredible steak and some of my favorite wines by the glass and (2) I went to the same bars a couple of nights in a row.

If it were not clear to you in previous posts how sensitive I am to the world turning on me, then this method of repeating will seem harmless enough, but to those who know me, it will seem exactly as it is: me seeking comfort from the hours of frustration yesterday.

But today, I knew I could leave that behind and set out on finding a world that is on my side. And it took about an hour. (view all the pics here).

I remember a “No Reservations” episode in which Bourdain tells his brother that he has a special sense for finding the action. And I felt that way today. I have a playful belief in Karma, and I believed today that Karma would be playful back.

And it happened because I was hungry. I stopped off at Athens, Tennessee to look for a bite to eat.

Today in Athens was a Soap Box Derby. Apparently this is a very popular sport in this town and/or area, as is cooking methamphetamine, according to a newly relocated resident from California.  Oh, and football. So, probably meth, football, Soap Box.

So, if you come across a Soap Box Derby, you race. And race I did. I was up against a little girl who said nothing at all to me when I asked her if she "was ready for this jelly."

It was a blast, and the smile on my face is not for the camera, which incidentally, was being held by a very nice young woman who waited patiently to snap some pics of me as I waited impatiently at the top for my turn. I can not break away from the habit of analyzing how things in general are executed. It is the entrepreneur in me.

fo real smile. 

From my vantage point, I kicked the kids ass. But I think that the announcer was local. But, as you know, that was hardly the point.

Vini, vici, derbied.

The few people that I spoke with thanked me for coming to their town and taking part. And I got some recommendations on where to go next, which was mostly in the direction from where I had just some, sadly.

everyone wins..

So now I am in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the Terminal Brew House, and more importantly, I am fucking up to date on this shit. So you know what I know, and what I don't. Staying here, a great hotel with tons of history and maybe a few ghosts around this time of year.

And lastly, next to me is a young couple having their first marriage anniversary. I just sent them a round of drinks. I do this a lot. I like it. But is never from me, its always "on the house." Which allows me to watch them smile, keeps me out of the limelight, and also means the waitress will get a nice tip.

If you follow this blog and ever get a round of drinks on the house for no reason and I am in that bar, then your smile was my thanks.

And good karma, I missed you, and thanks for grabbing my hand again.