New Hampshire is odd. It doesnt fit the mold. Geographically, New Hampshire is in New England. Kinda sitting on Massachusett's shoulders and hanging on to Vermont's belt buckle. But New Hampshire is curious in the sense that the people of New Hampshire, while mentally still connected to the rest of New England, seem as if they are trying too hard to assert their own new identity. Like a youngster trying to break out on his own by rebelling against his parents.
When I started working in New Hampshire some 4 years ago, I did not have an apartment of my own, so I was put up temporarily in a motel. So, I got to go out to eat every night for a month, meet and get together with the crazy natives of New Hampshire. One day, I met this guy who was belting scotch, and I joined him at the bar. I wasn't really interested in conversation, just wanted to eat, get drunk and go back to the motel. I could tell this guy was itching to have a word with me. Finally, he decided to Just Do It, and collared me. For the next hour I got subjected to some hardcore Jesus-talk. Luckily, by the time he got me, I had already downed 2 big ones and so was in a nice hazy frame of mind, and was just able to keep nodding my head rhythmically at his preaching. Finally, he was done with me and he left. I then adjusted my neck, took it out of nod mode and looked around to check if I was still in the same place I was when I had started drinking. Pretty much everyone in the bar was looking at me with sympathetic eyes. The bartender, told me, "Yeah, he does that everyday". I said "Well, shouldnt you have a sign or something outside that says "Beware of crazy evangelists"?
The next day, same place, and its time for Crazy Heartbroken Stranger to show up. I dont know if I instill a feeling of comfort or fraternity in my fellow humans, but this guy started up as well, And not only was he pouring his heart out to me, he was also belting scotches-on-the-rocks at the same time. And, this was a dangerous combination. I told him I was new in town, and he offered me to show me around the town. It was 9.00 at night, and in a less inebriated frame of mind, I would have reconsidered his offer, but as it was, I needed some fresh air. So, off we went in his Mitsubishi Eclipse burning rubber. Everything was pretty much a blur to me, but the one thing that woke me up out of my stupor was a loud bang coupled with a vicious boneshaking, and that was when I realized he had just backed his car, pretty forcefully, into a wall. I realized I had to part ways with this guy in order to stay alive, and so I asked him to drop me off at my motel, which he did. He wanted to get together with me again, and I took his card and never called him back. Consequently, I am still alive.
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