The beatnik won't give his name, but he knew Kerouac and was friendly with the people mentioned in "On the Road" - although, he hastens to add, he himself isn't mentioned in the book. He also knew Stephanie. Because of this connection, I get to spend some time talking with him alone - the rest of the tour group has moved on - but I don't remember much of what we talked about.
There was a building with some columns - this must have been a retreat in the woods - and the question had once come up whether to paint the columns in a way that would make them look like trees, or somehow enhance the perspective so that they would appear taller than they really were. But the beatnik had been against it because he didn't believe in tampering with reality in that way.
And that's all I remember.
