[conspire] Guy Fawkes Day

[Rick Moen]

[Written for a different audience.  Y'all here probably already
know the hilarious car and my ethnicity.]


Guy Fawkes Day beckons!  Since there'll be nothing else happening on
Tuesday, Nov. 5th, I wanted to invite neighbours to join me in Muir
Beach, Marin County to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, part of our British
heritage.  I'll be driving up from West Menlo Park about 2pm, stopping
only in West Portal to get some Irn Bru.

You might have questions.

Q:  What's Guy Fawkes Day, and why should I as an American care?
A:  It's the annual celebration of the Gunpowder Plot being defeated, in
1605 London.  We're an escaped British colony, so it's part of our
heritage.

Q:  What, are you British?
A:  No, laddie, I'm Norwegian-American.  But I learned to love Guy
Fawkes Day in British Hong Kong, in the '60s.

Q:  What's Irn Bru?
A:   The quintessentially Scottish soft drink.  Try it; you'll like it.
Eezy Freezy on West Portal stocks it.
https://www.facebook.com/eezyfreezysf/

Q:  What's going to happen in Muir Beach?
A:   Well, first I'll be hanging out inside or outside of the charmingly
British Pelican Inn.  https://www.pelicaninn.com/   On Guy Fawkes Day,
the trick is to get there EARLY, as it fills up.  But, if you get there
early, you can enjoy a pint of good ale and bangers'n'mash in peace.

Q: Earlier than what?
A:  After dark, there's a cheery pedestrian parade from the Inn down a
trail to adjacent Muir Beach, where there will be a couple of bonfires
for the ceremonial Burning of the Guy (the effigy of key conspirator Guy
Fawkes).  Remember the rather confused metaphor about him in "V for
Vendetta"?  That Guy.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot

Q:  So, you're going to be sitting around from about 3 pm until, what,
8pm?
A:  Probably.  I'm bringing my e-book reader.  And a Norwegian sweater,
and a windbreaker.  And a brolly (because the weather is often
authentically British, too).

Q:  Are you saying I can hitch a ride?
A:  Three of you can, sure.  I'm reachable at (650) 283-7902
.

Q: In what?
A: Hilariously small Honda Fit econobox.  Nope, not British.

Q:  Why?
A:  I dunno, maybe because it's different.  Maybe you like the coast,
bonfires, rustic pubs, and sitting with a pleasant crowd waiting for a
pedestrian parade.  Don't knock it until you try it.