The rest ranged from defiant to vaguely insulting.

The folks in the press box were all nice. They wanted to tell me that the natives were just having fun--no hard feelings.

I was invited to be the intermission guest on the telecast of the second game, and the interviewer was vaguely apologetic and conciliatory.

Only after I got home did someone explain why they were all so concerned about me. He guessed that they thought that I had been severely traumatized by my weekend of infamy and were trying to reassure me.

Truth is I thought the whole thing was a little surreal but basically very funny all along. Maybe this goes to prove I have a big, insensitive Eastern ego, but I don't think so. Fact is there was a ruckus, but it was all so ridiculous that it was hard to take it seriously.

That doesn't devalue their concern for me. It was genuine and heartfelt but a little confusing at the same time.

I was also taken on a cultural tour of the town by the entertainment editor of the paper. He took me everywhere from a blue-collar West Duluth bar and the casino-style bingo parlor to the mansion on the east side and the university art museum.

I muttered sufficiently effusive remarks after seeing each of the sights. Some were really interesting.

I met the girl who wrote me and told me that I was totally wrong about Duluth. She's in seventh grade, has been playing the violin since she was a toddler and was skipping the Saturday night hockey game to go to a dance. Maybe her first one.

We both ordered beef and brew sandwiches.

I think they did another big story Sunday on my expedition. I haven't seen it.

Star for a Day

More than anything, though, I had the sense that I was playing out the last scene in a play that had opened, received bad reviews and was closing after an abbreviated run.

The curtain's coming down, I may never see the spotlight again. The only way to get people's attention again was to start saying how much contempt I still had for Duluth. To start flaying, to try to get people to pay attention to me.

I don't have any contempt for Duluth left. I know a great deal more about the city now, but I still don't totally understand how I became such a symbol.