It was Thursday afternoon of Burning Man 1998, and Larry needed to run into Gerlach to go to the office. There was no internet on the playa, Black Rock City’s residents that year numbered only about 20,000, so it was easier to come and go. I hopped in the car with him, and we drove into town. He took me to lunch at Bruno’s — the only time I ate their famed ravioli — and I remember sitting there and thinking about how strange the default world seemed, and how normal Black Rock City seemed. I don’t remember much about our conversation; despite the fact that I was volunteer staff and he was the Big Kahuna, he was remarkably down-to-earth and sweet. There was none of the fantastical philosophizing I had heard him discuss on many occasions. We had lunch (he picked up the tab), ran to the office, and went back to the playa.
Lunch @ Bruno’s