Day 1

Today was very beautiful. The sky was a rare blue color, and the accompanying sun continued to melt away the lay-about snow. 

I have signed up for a weeks worth of volunteering at KEXP, the only radio station in Seattle. This is pledge week, so they need all the help they can get. I'm down to do a number of things, but what I am doing most is bringing donuts to the station. I discovered today that this involves a lot of driving (duh).

My vehicle is a mid-80's GMC Safari, but I call it the "Bucket" (or "Galactica"). It runs like a fever dream and always feels on the verge of breaking down, but has personality. She's like a retired football player with more injuries than she can count. It gets me to where I need to go around town, but I wouldn't risk taking it across country. Sorry, babe, but I don't think you'd make it past the Mississippi. 

My first stop today was Mighty O, a donut shop just a stone's throw (or a donut hole's throw) from Greenlake. I live up in Shoreline, so it's conveniently on the way to KEXP (which is just north of downtown Seattle). Not so convenient, however, was the shiny, fume-caked traffic crawling spitefully down Aurora, my artery of choice. Galactica and I get impatient and hop down some back streets until we find a skinny little street to park on. I hustle down to Mighty O and grab the donuts, and it's off downtown. 

The next joint is Top Pot on 5th, and it's very anticeptic, especially compared to the earthy, lived-in organism that is Mighty O. I stow the van in a public (paid) lot without paying (I'm just popping in), and grab the donuts. The place feels like if a Bond villain's lair was converted into a cafe'. Concave glass face, skeletal stair case, high ceiling. There is a slight snag, as they were expecting the donuts to be picked up tomorrow morning, so the 2 dozen are not ready. They are very nice, though, and throw together a batch. 

I arrive at KEXP on Dexter and Denny with 4 dozen donuts, and I am the savior. The station is this little building that is honeycombed with studios and bestickered offices. It is like an ant colony, what with everyone carrying out a task for the greater good of the whole. There is just enough room for people to get around, but not enough for me to just stand in the hallway and eat a fajita (they had fajitas). I find an office filled with volunteer coordinators, and they thank me again for signing up to do so many donut runs.