but I don't wannnnna leave

Once again, it’s time to say goodbye. And as always, I was just getting settled and resisted a little. But it’s time and I'm ready to move on and I know I'll be back. Staying in one place for too long is dangerous anyway.

My last day was Saturday, farmer’s market day. I didn’t really do much work-wise, just weighed a few cabbages, watched people pick up kohlrabi with a frightening expression, explained how to cook kohlrabi at least 31 times, traded some salad mix for almond butter, and walked around admiring art and jewelry and maple syrup and the general hippie splendor.

The carrots are beets were looking exceptionally ravishing

This is Doug Knapp, a famous figure around Burlington. I've seen this comical, colorful, Vermont-inspired artwork around the city, in my couchsurfing homes, and on tshirts. I'm quite fond of the prevalence of dogs and cows in his artwork, often satirical messages, and simple, almost childlike illustrations.

I actually ran into Doug the night before, as I sipped on my Grey Goose martini and he his lemonade kale juice concoction (could I make this up?). I remember thinking he looked very intelligent, sporting the white beard and thick crewneck sweater, his light green juice in one hand, a book in the other, and perhaps preparing his syllabus for fall semesters Literature class. Well, I was browsing through the art section of the market and stopped at the stand of prints I had seen all over the city. I looked up at the artist, and low and behold, it was the Lit professor. He must have ditched the book and crewneck for a ghetto hat and paintbrush. He remembers me from the night before, we spark up conversation, and he begins to enquire about my travels. I look through his work, consider paying $20 for a print just because he seems so interested in my summer endeavors, then realize I don’t even have $5. We talk some more about his art and as we’re saying our goodbyes, he asks me which print I like best. I say, Oh, I don’t know, this one reminds me of my roommates next year and I like cows. He grabs the print, signs it, and hands it to me. So I’ll be heading south with a Dug Nap print and Emma and Vivian, we’ll have to find a deserving place for this:

some more prints:

http://www.dugnap.com/prints.html

Anyway, story time is over. I must admit, Burlington provided me with some quality memories, some new hobbies, and a fondness for sleeping on short couches. And the realization that being nice gets you a long way, lots of new friends and free things. The necessities, like food and booze and art. Or maybe that’s just unique to Burlington’s little utopian hippie world, where everyone is up for a cheerful conversation at any given time.

Either way, I thank you Burlington, for taking me on daily dumpster diving excursions and giving me more synthetic powdered cheese puffed corn than I will ever know what to do with.……….but it was free.

And bravo, Burlington, for having the most generous people I’ve ever met. People who are willing to take in a homeless soul and take me on bike excursions and teach me dumpster diving strategies and accept carrots as currency and turn me into a beer snob and show me the best places to watch the sun set.

Trekking north, back to the woods!