Arriving in 3 Oaks in the pitch dark with MacDonalds between Mary and mine’s knees and the sounds of nature swirling around us was a bit daunting at first. We were exhausted, and yet because we hadn’t seen each other in so long, we were also exhilarated, thrilled, and laughing so hard, there was a point at which we almost went to the bathroom in some near by bushes. When the laughs get so intense, that you literally CANNOT speak, you know it might be time to pull over. Especially when you’re over 40.

As we finally pulled into town, we got a bit sidelined. The center of 3 Oaks Michigan actually reminded me of the small town Chrisanne and I call home. If you sneeze at the far end of town where we live in California, you can hear it, and say “Bless you” from the other end.

It’s tiny.

And 3 Oaks was no different.

Beautiful, weighty trees lined the streets, and scattered along the sides were restaurants, little shops filled with knick knacks and antiques, and a sidewalk so clean you could breakfast on. We loved it.

And yet, since it was creeping ever closer to the Midnight hour and both Mary and I started to see double, we decided we’d stop and ask a kindly 30-something couple just where the heck the Acorn Theater was.

As we pulled over to the side of the main street, and in the light of a near by street lamp, I asked as quietly as I could:

“Can you please tell me where The Acorn Theater is?”

The woman, dressed in a t shirt and jeans, and holding tightly on to her dog, laughed uproariously, and then backed away slowly as if shed suddenly gone into some kind of strange Norma Desmond Trance. It was the strangest thing I've ever seen.

I turned to Mary who was now covering her mouth in near hysterics.

Then, her husband, eyes widened, and hands gently folded across his chest, walked up to the car door like Alfred Hitchcock.

And I mean….exactly like Alfred Hitchcock. His knees bent upward toward the sky, and his feet were pointed North and South, and his entire body dipped back in the clear shape of a capital “L”.

I thought for a minute he was going to inhale deeply, puff out his jowls, and say:

“Gooood E-e-e-e-ving.”

He then pointed us in the right direction, sans Hitchcock impersonation (which oddly enough, disappointed me) and we drove on. Neither one of us really addressed the situation until later, but without even looking at each other, we could see it playing over and over in our heads. Why did the woman scream and then take 3 large steps backwards? Why did her husband walk like Alfred Hitchcock? And how in the name of God, am I ever going to get Capri 120’s in 3 Oaks?

When we finally arrived at the Theater, we were stunned by how magnificent it truly was. A gorgeous old building with 3 stories, fabulous guest rooms, and the theater itself was huge and sat at least 150 people. Really beautiful.

As we met David (fabulous co owner) at the door we were still a bit punchy from the almost peeing the bushes incident to the Walking Backwards Hitchcock’s on Main Street. We shook hands, and were still giggling like two escaped lunatics…with MacDonald’s breath.

As we walked into the theatre, we heard music and a familiar voice zooming through the lobby.

“Wanna come see the end of Peter Yarrow’s show?” David asked, eyes beaming behind his silver glasses.

“What??? Peter Yarrow??? Of Peter, Paul and Mary…Yarrow?!”

As Mary and I peered through the entrance, Peter and his and his 3 piece went into his version of “Puff, The Magic Dragon.”

My life was now complete.

Mary and David and I stood in the back whistling, whooping, and clapping like we were at an Areosmith concert. Listen…I’m a sucker for a great folk singer, and Peter, Paul and Mary were three of the best. It was a piece of musical history I was watching. And I loved it.

The show ended, and knowing how I am with really famous people, I escaped out the back to get away from what could be a potentially dangerous exchange. Luckily, Peter was on his way out of the spare suite and us on our way in, never crossed paths. But as David introduced us to Tim (David’s fantastically funny partner) we took the tour of this grand ole space, and as we settled into our rooms, I realized I was getting ready to perform my little skit on the stage of the originator of “Puff The Magic Dragon.” I know its sounds a bit ridiculous, but I felt lucky. Really lucky.

Now, if today when we go out for breakfast we run into the Backwards Hitchcock’s, I’ll know for certain something cool is going to happen. Maybe Janis Ian will drop by for the second act? That’d be good.