6/5 HASKELL UNIVERSITY [Lawrence, Kansas]

This was not what we needed, today. We were put up in an auditorium, which really only empahsized the fact that virtually no one showed up. The few who did show up were staff members, and they refused to say anything other than glowing praise for their employers.

I don't really have anything to say about this stop. Don seems positive enough -- we got our message to a few people -- but it felt like a waste of time, to me.

Also, the auditorium was full of bugs and the spotlight window was nailed shut.

In a memorable final touch, they brought in someone to make us lunchmeat sandwiches; she charged us $3.50 a sandwich. I felt unwelcome. There were only some ten people who ate -- it was only yesterday (Sequoyah) were there some 50+ people and everyone got a chicken-fried steak.

Concho, Revisited

Concho, a few stops back, was apparently a site of greater interest than I realized at the time. Of all the places, it's particularly known for being haunted. Don stopped there once before, and he talked about how the traditional two 'camps' set up at night -- men and women -- refused to be separated. Everyone shared a camp for that one night, and that one night only; that particular Journey was over 100 days. Several people reported hearing cries at a great distance, and Don said the camp specifically moved during the night to get further away from the bathrooms. All night long, the toilet paper dispensers could be heard spinning noisily.

What's particularly odd is that stories started appearing during the ceremonies for the next few days. It seemed like everyone in the area had some weird story about Concho.

The police, apparently, are sick of the school. They get regular reports about children breaking in to the abandoned building and playing noisily. When they get out there, there are no children and no signs of a break-in.

Do I believe this? Maybe. It's not really a part of my worldview, but I'm able to see the truth in the famous quote: "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

I guess the "Horatio" part doesn't really apply.

6/4 SEQUOYAH HIGH [Tahlequah, Oklahoma]

Sequoyah is a still-operational school, so we were braced for a difficult day. If we've learned anything, it's these three things: schools that are still operational are defensive and will usually try to use their time in self-promotion; coordinators make or break the day; the first person to speak sets a tone that almost never changes afterwards.

We started nearby at the newest school building, with plans to march some three-quarters of a mile to the site of the old school. I talked a little to a guy from the local news station who was filming our set-up (for some reason). He seemed nice enough to me, but other people later reported that he was pretty weird to them. Apparently, like many people, he held a lot of anger inside; but, unable to channel it in a useful or valid direction, it internalized and spurts out at odd moments. "I don't get it. Who needs an apology? If you ask me, you're just wasting your time -- the government has apologized a million times -- and whining isn't going to fix anything." Since the apology is really a minor component of our goal, it's pretty noteworthy how the thought of forgiveness set him off. To consider forgiveness requires acknowledging things that happened, and it's safer and easier to attack us, for him. Poor guy. I bet he's pretty unhappy. He and I only discussed cameras, so I missed that whole tirade.

The walk itself was complicated, as I made the silly decision to run ahead, take some pictures and video, run back, get in the van, drive up to the back of the procession (as there was no room to pass), park, run ahead, take some pictures, run back to the van... In hindsight, I've decided to never do that again. The trick would have been to walk along, just like the girl carrying Brandi Jo under her arm and (if you look closely) rocking out to her iPod. Kids will be kids, they're just higher-tech than they used to be.

A choir welcomed us to the school, which was nice.

We also heard several songs from Mitch Walking Elk, who will probably donate a few songs to use in the documentary. Overall, it was the most modern music of the Journey.

At the end, we had a second procession, this time out to the graveyard. None of the graves were labeled, but they were nicely kept up with stone markers and a little rock path. To end the day of music, a woman sang a traditional funeral song. I should know her name, but it escapes me at this second... Cecilia?

The Only Solution

I've decided, today, that there is only one answer: cannibalism. It's time to start eating the other people on the team. I'm starting with Marlin.

In other news, I think they've started reading the blog. Now they'll see all the things I don't understand or got wrong. Hooray for open information!

Blog Strangeness, Part 2

I've heard from two people that the ability to leave comments has been disabled. I'll see if I can solve it today. Here's a picture!

Blog Strangeness

I'm not quite sure what's going on, but the posts have started appearing out-of-order. And just tonight, "Anadarko" and "Jesus is Magic" have switched places with each other twice.

I wasn't able to write for a few days -- everything I didn't add tonight is still in place, except the notice about Tigger, which is floating towards the top for some reason. Strange. Hopefully things settle down.

Here's this picture again. We haven't seen it lately.