ROGUE WANDERER: A transferring matinee and lunch at Louie’s

ROGUE WANDERER: A transferring matinee and lunch at Louie’s

Published 7:00 am Thursday, May 28, 2026

Before I get into the meat of the matter, how about this Southern Oregon late spring cockeyed climate? After dwelling right here 44 years, I’m undecided why I act so stunned. This is an annual occasion, for these unaware.

It was 90 levels on Giovanni the Honda’s automobile thermometer final Friday driving dwelling from work. Today (Tuesday) the excessive hasn’t touched 60 and has already reversed course. I’m carrying two sweaters and have turned the warmth again on.

I’m not complaining. That will come about mid-July. It had been too heat too quickly for this heat-avoiding, Northwest-loving, long-time fugitive from the scorching desert metropolis.

On the topic day, the solar shone superbly shiny and the air felt simply cool sufficient when my expensive, intrepid pal Denise texted me with the beneficiant supply of a free ticket to a matinee exhibiting of “Come from Away,” a musical play on the Angus Bowmer Theater for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The efficiency was on Mother’s Day and I had no plans, so why not?

Now, you heard me say this can be a musical. Denise knew full properly that musical performs are usually far faraway from my record of favourite actions, as in, nauseating. I don’t like them. However, I knew full properly that this specific present was her absolute, quantity ten, died-and-gone-to-heaven favourite. I’m not exaggerating. You know I by no means try this. She had seen and sniffled by seven showings of it from New York to Seattle and different factors between. This could be her eighth touchdown in Gander.

The actuality penetrated my self-centered shell that, even understanding I recurrently flip my nostril up and sniff at musicals, she trusted our friendship sufficient to ask me to hitch her and Roxie, one other good pal, to share our Ashland manufacturing.

Before the day arrived, I coached myself in methods I may keep constructive with out mendacity outright. I may praise the set ornament or the costumes. I may smile lots and transfer my foot to the music. I introduced antacid tablets.

The excellent news: I beloved it. I completely did like it and didn’t should faux a factor.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, it’s an unimaginable one. The incontrovertible fact that they set such a dramatic and terrifying account to music is phenomenal, however the story could be nowhere almost as palatable with out it. The setting is a world airport in Gander, Newfoundland, the place 38 industrial and 4 authorities planes out of the blue appeared out of the sky for emergency landings. The fateful date was September 11, 2001. The inhabitants of Gander doubled the day of the NYC terrorist assaults when 7,000 refugees turned stranded there in want of primary requirements. The play cuts a real slice from a bigger pie to show the exceptional humanitarian response these residents confirmed. And for a number of hours, each airplane passengers and the parents on the bottom didn’t know why it was occurring. I shall say no extra. You should see it for yourselves. Just know there isn’t any intermission.

My reduction was real and I’m really grateful to Denise for believing I might benefit from the play. She simply might have defriended me if I had not. I’m not saying I care to set it on repeat, nevertheless it’s memorable and a beautiful story, and I at all times love a superb story. It made me wish to learn extra in regards to the occasion, and take into consideration how I might have responded.

After the present, I met Lane on the duck pond in Lithia Park and we walked to the patio seating behind Louie’s for a late lunch. Ashland Creek gurgled alongside subsequent to our desk and I loved my common Thai rooster peanut bowl with a glass of home crimson.

The city was characteristically teeming with guests per common this time of yr, nevertheless it didn’t really feel overly crowded, simply nice to be within the firm of so many others and their canines having fun with a positive day — such a special state of affairs from the one I’d simply witnessed. Those neighbors to the north will go down in historical past because the heroes they’re.

Here’s to a summer season of joy-filled actions and funky summer season nights.

Peggy Dover is a contract author/writer, with a brand new one within the works. Reach her at peggydover@gmail.com.