More on Dave the Scrabble Mongrel…
Happy Camperbus 2 months ago // Outdoor Adventure Happy Camper Bus

Dave kicked our butts in Scrabble our first night in Eugene, OR. We all agreed that we should meet the following morning at the coffee shop at 10am for a re-match.

Dave said he would bring the coffee and pastries, which seemed a bit odd, being that we were slotted to meet at the coffee house and all. It was at this time that despite his clean-cut appearance and grandiloquent manner,we learned that Dave is in fact homeless. He lives in a 1994 Toyota 4 Runner in and around the Eugene area.

At just a stroke past 10am the following morning, we arrived at The Wandering Goat, desirous of being prompt and held up only by the long winded freight train that crosses the tracks directly behind ‘The Goat’. Dave was there, elated to see us and commented that the our arrival directly following the trains coming and going seemed dramatic and appropriate.

Dave hopped quite comfortably into the Bus and commenced to display on our little white table a spread of pastry, cookies and cakes that he had collected at one of the many stops he makes throughout the day. It was quite enjoyable and while we offered to make coffee, Dave insisted on doing the honors and showing us his system. He ran across the street to his truck and returned quickly with a small propane heater, a large can of coffee and some half and half. In a minutes time he had the water hot and ready and the commenced into a much off-putting ritual. He scooped the coffee grounds up in large heaps into the warmed water, stirred, poured the half and half, stirred and passed the cup my direction. I had assumed he was using instant coffee and had my self quite a fright when I took the first sip and was left with coffee grounds galore. They infiltrated my teeth and were scratchy down my throat. Dave commented very light-heartedly that he ignores this small discrepancy in favor of the ease of making his morning brew. I suffered the dark juice through and through all the while remaining silently greatful for our beautiful, travel friendly, espresso machine.

We slapped our hands together and commenced to get to our meant purpose….revenge! Dave was defeated on the second go around, but he proved quite a challenge and a worthy component. We had a blast.

Following this meeting, Dave chatted with us for some time about his plans and showed us the courtesy of providing a map of Eugene that outlines all of the hard-earned spots he has found to live comfortably, given his circumstances. The map directed us to a free place to shower, a place to get a free hot meal every night of the week except Thursdays, where you go to hoard more pastries and the like than one needs really, laundry, clothes and the date and time of where a local Scrabble tournament is being held!