CRAZY PEOPLE. CRAZY, PEOPLE.

Hanley's had no Planetes. None. They're now on order. Also, they didn't have Iron Wok Jan 1-3. I'm disheartened, but optimistic about the future. Jim Hanley's Universe is one of the best-stocked comic stores in the world (if not THE best-stocked) and they were just as surprised as I was by the omissions. As always, the employee I talked to went out of his way to look for the books and then order them.

Bought The Push Man and Other Stories and Ordinary Victories.

Saw the Cliff Face Comics near the top of the Minicomics shelves. My shelf talker was clearly too big, but I'm glad it's up there. The new one is smaller and includes all the books.

After I left, a teenage girl called out to me from an NYC taxi cab. I thought she asked me for directions to "Merlin," which I assumed was some kind of club. I said I didn't even know what that was. She was surprised and repeated, "Baltimore, Maryland."

"...The city?"

"Yeah."

"Penn Station is just down the street, you can take a bus or a train."

"How do I get there by cab?"

"...Um, go down to the Holland Tunnel, take that to Jersey. Go straight until you see signs for the Turnpike. Take the Turnpike South all the way down. To Delaware. Stay on 95. It may change to 295 or 495, but there will be signs for Baltimore. Keep going until you get to a Baltimore exit. There might be a couple. You know it's like a five-hour drive? Through three states?"

"Yeah. (to the cabbie) You got that? Let's go down to the Holland Tunnel. Thank you!"

And they were off.