Itwasinthesummerof1984thatIvisitedPrion,NewJerseyforthefirsttime.

    ItookanAmtraktrainfromWashingtonD.donmywaytoNewYotoffthetrainatPrionJunandtookataxiaotheuy.1984wasthepresidentialeleyearbetweenReaganandMondale.EverywhereIheard"BornintheUSA"byBruceSpringsteen,andMichaelJawaswearingthesilvergloveduetogettingburhehand.(Thatsoundslikejustafewyearsago.MaybebecauseImgettingolder)

    ThereasonIcametoPrionwassimple;PrionUywastheschoolF.ScottFitzgeraldgraduatedfromandIwaoseeitscampusmyself.Ihadnospecialpurposeformyvisitingexceptthat.MytrainstoppedatPrionandprobably,Ithought,Iwouldhavenobusinessinghereagaininmyfuture,whichmademetodecidetodropintheuy.Afterramblingoncampus,lookingathisownhandwrittenmanuscriptinaspecialroomatthelibrary,walkingarouown,andstayingonenightatashabbymotel"PrionMe,"IjumpedorakagainaoNewYork.Istillrememberthatthetowngavemeapeacefulandpastoralimpression.Itwasduringthesummervacationandfewpeoplewereseenonspaciouscampusaownlookeddrowsy.Whenjogginginthem,Istumbleduponmanyrabbitsandsquirrelsaroundthearea.(TheimeIvisited,thefieldswerereplacedbyabigshoppingmall.)

    AhingIclearlyrememberwasthetaxiItookatPrionJun.Nowadayslotsoftaxisarewaitinginfrontoftherailwaystation,butwhenIarrivedthere,therehappeobenotaxi.Theshuttletraiweeionandtheuywasoutofservicethen,Ifotthereason,though.ThePrionJunstationislocatedallaloneinvatfields,andyoucouldfindnohousewherepeopleareliving.Thepassengerswhogotoffatthestationwereonlyfour;awomaninhermid-twenties