I met a bunch of people on the 20-Something Hangout board on iVillage. Most of them were really terrific people, many of which are now good friends of mine. One of them was a guy named Dwayne. Dwayne likes silk shirts, silk boxers, ballroom dancing, dragons, and computers. As if that weren't enough, his favorite alcoholic beverage is the melonball. In honor of Dwayne, I've made every iVillager I've met have their photo taken with a melonball (whenever possible).
Picture it. Northern California. September 5, 2002. I'm taking the scenic route from San Jose down to Santa Cruz on CA-9. It's a twisty treacherous mountainy foresty road. As I'm driving I'm seeing signs for Boulder Creek. It strikes me that Dwayne lives in Boulder Creek. I remember that Dwayne has mentioned a car accident on a twisty treacherous mountainy foresty road. I remember the name of Dwayne's street, as he provided it at some point. I see the street, have a moment of panic, turn around, and come back to it, turn down it, pull over to look up the address, drive to the end of the road, and happen across...
After spying the house for the first time, I walked around it, then hopped in the car and drove a quarter mile back up the road to make a phone call from the gas station. I called Carla and Kimberley for advice on what to do. Carla agreed with me that I should leave a note. Didn't get a hold of Kimberley at the time, but she later supplied retroactive approval. I went back, hoped the neighbors wouldn't accost me or call the cops, took the pictures, and left the note. I talked to Dwayne later that weekend, but I never got a chance to meet him.
The sign at the end of Dwayne's driveway. Or what it would look like if you were tripping (and I don't mean stumbling). Or maybe it's from Get High and Look at This Sign.
The view of the house from the driveway. There's a creek in the backyard. It's straight up in the middle of a forest.
Peeking in the living room window. It's a tad messy. I actually retook this a couple of times.
Quaint little downtown Boulder Creek.
Me and Kimberley (visit Kimberley)
Sherri (visit Sherri)
Mel (no melonball actually, but since I have the pic...) (visit Mel)
Tiffany and Cheryl
Varinia (and Cy)
Me and Frank (no melonballs here, either)
Carla
Natalie
Jona (this one's my favorite)
Allison (no melonball either)
Tea
Amy
Wendy and Me
Me and Stacey
Casey (visit Casey)
Malia (visit Malia)