Queen's Day

Today is Queens Day in the Netherlands. The Dutch folks had a party tonight, and it was quite an international affair. They rented out Yerevan's new hip Irish bar, Shamrock, and lots of Armenians, dips and other expats were there. I walked in and felt both at home and out of place. Out of place because everyone was wearing orange (it's the Dutch thing to do), and despite the fact that I attended U.Va., home of the orange-and-blue Cavaliers, for four years, I do not own any orange clothing. At home because, inexplicably, they were playing Steve Earle's "Transcendental Blues" - the whole album - on the stereo. It is one of my all-time favorite albums, and I've never met anyone else who owns it. I tried to find out whose CD it was so I could give them a big hug, but I had no luck. "What, you mean this isn't Dutch music??" No, that it ain't. Steve has done his share of drugs, but he is definitely from Texas.