so there I am in small town Oregon, heading west along highway 30 and I’m crazy-thirsty.  I stop at the next gas station to buy something, anything, to cease the parch.  the cashier is ringing up my purchase when Ellen Bass and Marvin Bell step inside from the rain. truth be told, this was easily explained by the fact that we were all on our way, by various means of transport, to Seaside, OR for Pacific University’s MFA residency…  but still, there was a moment of magic, as if they dragged their muse along and she had entered the store.