No, not the mysterious strip of ocean off the coast of Florida. I’m talking about the even weirder strip of asphalt in downtown Eugene Oregon. This last Friday night, since all my local friends where occupied with mid-terms, being homebodies or otherwise being lame, I hit up the town solo. Luckily I have never been the type that minded being on my own, and I find a night of solo wandering just as much enjoyable as being surrounded by friends.
After arriving at the parking garage at 7th and Willamette I set out with no solid plan or destination in mind. I didn’t get too far when, at the base of the parking garage stairs, I saw an old friend of mine through the window of Doc’s Pad. Since she was bartending we didn’t get to talk much, but we chit chatted a bit while I had a couple IPA’s and watched the nail biter end to the Blazer’s game, they lost in overtime wah, wah, wah… On the upside I had a very entertaining conversation with this older dude that kept trying to hit on me. He was pretty intoxicated judging by how he kept forgetting he had already introduced himself and complimenting me by way of saying I had a pretty face and that he like my head, lol.
When the game was over and I finished off my beet, I departed for more wanderings down Willamette St. I inhaled deeply when I passed the Sizzle Pie pizza place, a fog of delicious aroma always seemed to fill the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. It was more than a little tempting to enter since it is the best pizza in town in my opinion, but resisted since Sizzle Pie is also unseemly expensive. Delighting in the mouthwatering aroma, I continued on to the edge of what you might consider the “Eugene Bermuda Triangle”.
At 13th and Oak I came to a solitary, dark grey, shoe box looking building. Smiling I walked through the doors of Level-Up Arcade and took a seat at the bar for my usual glass of wine. For some reason I can never remember the name of the red wine they have there that I like, I just tell them ‘the one with the rooster on the label’. Once properly supplied with libation and quarters, I scanned the several flashing colors and beeping arcade games. So many choices and sadly far too few quarters. In the end I spent way too much money on Buck Hunt, Guitar Hero and the racecar games.
After using my last fifty cents on my favorite pinball game, I downed the last few drops of wine and set of once again. This time I headed back north towards the Triangle. In the distance I could see the colorful neon lights attached to the lampposts that in my mind marked the border of the Triangle. By this late hour the sidewalk was full of groups of party goers coming to and from their night of fun.
Back in the heart of the Triangle, I got some face time with my boy Ken Kesey, whose bronze form permanently keeps a lookout on the square as The Storyteller. You still see the replica of his Acid Test bus, still owned by his family, drive through downtown from time to time. After a few minutes of people watching and enjoying the night air, I hit up Voodoo Doughnuts just down W. Broadway. Deciding on a white glazed doughnut covered in crushed Oreos, I headed back into the night.
For the duration of my doughnut snacking I wandered up and down Broadway people watching and checking out all the many bars and clubs that lined the street. After finishing my treat, I chatted with this young homeless dude named Who. He asked if I wanted to continue my wanderings with him and his friends, but I declined thinking it was about time to call it a night. Back to the parking garage, I waved at my friend through the window who was still bartending a Doc’s Pad and headed up the steps to my truck.
A Woman of Varied Interests 