Bike Odyssey 2014 – Day 26 (June 11) contd. – Berkeley

The Caning Shop. This one too is for Steve. And for anyone who like me had the ill fortune to be caned (twice in my case) at British boarding school. So if you miss it desperately enough, it seems like maybe you can buy some, here, in California where you can buy just about anything. I spotted this place in Berkeley while looking for our book distributors, on 7th street.

After my visit there with Laura Moriarty, distribution manager and eminent poet, I met up with Dave, a very dear former student, from all the way back into my University of California teaching days, and a terrific writer. Raised, like me, in showbiz. By chance he even bears the name ‘Cary,’ which he has used from time to time. And he’d ordered my new book. Gotta love a guy who does that. On this trip I’ve met up with a gallery of students of ever-increasing maturity. One of 40, one of 50 and one of 60: another decade heard from. That’s pretty much as far back as it goes.