What a Lady, What a Night.

The evening ended in a warehouse in Oakland with a gnomic man in a g-string (a plastic skull covered his kibble and bits) rubbing pumpkin pie all over his bare butt.

The story should stop there.

But it's even better when I tell you that the evening began with Toni Morrison in the Masonic Auditorium.

When I saw her in Davis in 2004 (thanks to my good friend Renee!), she was regal, standing behind a podium, giving sage advice about writing and race. Last night, the forum was more casual: in conversation with NPR radio personality Michael Krasny. They sat in orange armchairs. Maybe they gave her some wine beforehand, because she was laughing, joking, exclaiming. She sat on her hands and fidgeted, and also threw her arms in the air to proclaim that she loved the Beloved movie ("Oprah Winfrey's attention to the book sold 2 million copies, so, yes, I LOVED the movie!") I also love when writers dismiss intense over-analysis. One girl, who talked like a lit grad student, asked about Beloved being in conversation with Absalom, Absalom! and Quentin Compson being a something metaphor something, etc etc, and TM first said, "That's very interesting." and then she totally dismissed it, saying that if she'd been conscious of some response to Faulkner, she would have changed it. Then she said something about the stuff that happens in the "intestines of the imagination." And then she laughed heartily. She also talked about finding a dress for the Nobel ceremony (Toni Morrison spends time thinking about trivial things like clothing?? My companion also pointed out she was wearing Christian Louboutin heels).

Another woman asked if it was true that Obama had invited her to write something for the inaugural. TM said it wasn't, then added, joking, "What's wrong with him?"

Aaaahhh. Love.

The night was capped off at a Sacramento punk band's show in downtown Oakland. I suppose it was a sort of performance art too, since there was
1) a man in jogging shorts, knee high socks and converse, wearing a Bill Clinton mask and playing the sax
2) the aforementioned big-bellied, skinny-legged guy with the full beard, wearing nothing but a G-string and a pink knit ski cap with bunny ears. He was the lead singer, who offered a free record to the first girl to get up on stage and simulate fellatio on the rubber penis that was mounted on a canvas painted with the band name (knifeinthehead). There was no hesitation--a girl tore off her sweatshirt and jumped up enthusiastically. It was a bit disturbing.
3) another man in a g-string with a Mexican wrestling mask.
4) another man in a g-string with fangs.
5) another man wearing a costume of his own devising involving a skull-alien mask, a motorcycle helmet with a long flashing green tube hanging off the back, striped nylons and arm warmers, and a giant black plastic penis.

By the way, I was wearing tweed.