Had a terrific evening with Andrew Sullivan and Chris Bodenner, and my dear and old friend Mark Allen (who took this picture). I did an Ask Dreher Anything segment for The Dish, and then retired with Andrew, Chris, and Mark to a restaurant for hours of talk. It was wonderful, just wonderful. I think Andrew and I were both rather surprised by how much our own life journeys have paralleled. I knew there had to be a reason I really liked that guy, even when we were duking it out in online debate.

Ruthie made this evening happen, believe it or not. It was the shock of her cancer diagnosis that made me want to reach out to people with whom I was at odds and ask forgiveness, and heal the break between us. Andrew was one of the first ones I contacted (the story is in Little Way). We’ve had an epistolary friendship since then, and tonight was the first time we’d met since all that. Thank you, Ruthie. Thank you Andrew. Thank you, Chris and Mark. What a great way to start this tour.