Greetings from Racine, Wisconsin, where tonight history was made. Charles Cosimano emerged from his Cthulhuan lair in Milwaukee to come hear Your Working Boy give a talk at Carthage College in Kenosha — and he brought with him Madame Cosimano and the one and only Siarlys Jenkins. I have a picture of the four of us, but the lighting is screwed up in it, and unfixable. But here’s a shot (blurry, alas) of Uncle Chuckie and Siarlys:

It was so great to meet these guys after all these years. Nothing like meeting someone in person. Thank you both for coming out tonight (and thanks to Mme. Cosimano as well). And thank you both for your contributions to this blog community, though I must say, Charles, it was bad form to pass your helmet around the room to take up a collection for the poor starving ghasts, gugs, and night-gaunts.

(Seriously, it was a wonderful time at Carthage. Thanks to Eric Nelson and the school for hosting me, and to Tim Harbach for driving us around. And thanks to Wisconsin for being so beer-friendly.)

UPDATE: Actual conversation in my house this morning before I left for the airport.

Me: “Charles Cosimano says he’s going to be there.”

Wife: “You should take him something.”

Me: “Yeah, but what?”

Wife: “Hmm. I guess some Tony Chachere’s [Louisiana spice powder] wouldn’t quite do it.”

Me: “No. I think anything less than dirt from the grave of a voodoo queen would disappoint him.”

Wife: “Point.”