Saturday Night

I got to Jack of the Wood at around 7:30, a full two hours before Enter the Haggis was to take the stage. I wanted to grab a small table and have one of Jack's excellent bacon cheeseburgers and hold on to the table for at least the band's first set.

I will pause here to let those of you who are familiar with how things are at Jack of the Wood on a weekend night when a good act is appearing to laugh yourselves sick.

Of course when I got there every flat surface which could receive a human ass was already occupied and groups of people circling like vultures around any table who's occupants looked like they might be finishing their dinner sometime in the next 20 minutes or so. Back in the reading room, you know the little alcove with the couches and newspapers from Ireland and England, a family was having dinner with the teenage kids sitting on the floor. People were even eating on the bench by the dart boards. Some people were even walking around with plates in their hands. So dinner at Jack's was out. Not a problem; beer is very nourishing.

I made my way to the bar and got a chocolate stout as they were out of the cask porter and went outside to drink it. On the benches out front there was a guy talking on his cell phone. His conversation went on the whole time I was out there drinking. I went back inside and used the men's room then watched some people throw darts. At about this time cell phone guy brushes past me and goes into the men's room, still talking on the phone. A few minutes later he comes out, still talking. It has now been about 35 minutes since I first saw him, already talking on that thing. He goes and sits down and talks for another 20 minutes or so. I guess he got his phone from the same place as Jack Bauer. I hope that the atomic battery wasn't leaking gamma radiation.

Since I wanted to put some food on my stomach so that I wouldn't get drunk I walked down the street to a restaurant and had some food. There are restaurants every few feet in downtown Asheville.

Back at Jack's it was finally time for the band to start. Enter the Haggis is very good. High energy Celtic/Rock fusion built around bagpipes (as all good music is). Two sets and I was ready for home and bed.