from the left coast _

Matt Pascarella checks in from Seattle

Aside from the colorful change of season, these are interesting times to be alive. I picked up a copy of the Wall Street Journal the other day when I was in Seattle and on the front page we had: Miers' Appointment and her "scanty record," "Oil Producers Gain Global Clout From Big Windfall," A highway bill including $231 million to build a bridge to nowhere, SUV sales dropping, Delay being re-indicted, a stampede at a concert in South Korea, Republicans in congress urging a ban on "political hectoring" in college classes, the FBI cutting back their criminal investigations by 50%, Indonesia's bombings, and the costs of Katrina thus far...

I took one look at the headlines, folded the paper, and walked over to a guy making balloon hats at Seattle's Pike Place Market. I'm not sure why, but I wanted to get his thoughts on the $231 million bridge to nowhere plan. As we talked he furiously filled balloons with a hand pump and added them to a massive hat he was constructing. I was slightly concerned about this because the hat was already approaching the size of a small tree and I wasn't sure if anyone would be able to balance it on
their head if they bought it.

It turned out the man decided to get in on the balloon hat making trade after being on the streets for years, homeless. It wasn't until he was stuck in the hospital that his life took a 90 degree turn - a visiting clown showed him the tricks of the industry and became his mentor.

He seemed to be doing ok and told me he had gotten over the fact that his veteran benefits had been slashed after returning home from Vietnam, forcing him onto the streets. That was all behind him, the balloon man was happy now selling elaborate hats and the occasional animal to tourists.

Call me a coward, but for some reason, I just couldn't bring myself to inform him of the $231 million bridge to nowhere - besides, it probably would have thrown off his concentration, jeopardizing the delicate construction of the huge hat. That was the last thing I wanted to do - especially since an eager crowd of Japanese school kids were headed his way after leaving an important historical site: the first ever Starbucks.

So, as Fall approaches, I’m reminded once again that these are weird times we are living in and they tend to get even more interesting when you decide you’d like to try and talk about it with a random hat maker about to be swarmed by a hundred Japanese school kids sucking down frappuccinos...