Worcester Magazine September 17 - 23, 2020

SEPTEMBER 17 - 23, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CULTURE • ARTS • DINING • VOICES

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Something to scream about Worcester, racism and living in ‘Lovecraft Country’

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S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020 • V O L U M E 46 I S S U E 4 Find us on Facebook.com/worcestermag Twitter @worcestermag Instagram: Worcestermag

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100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial (508) 767.9535 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales (508) 767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com President Paul M. Provost VP, Sales & Strategy Andrew Chernoff Sales Manager Jeremy Wardwell Executive Editor David Nordman Editor Nancy Campbell Content Editor Victor D. Infante Reporters Richard Duckett, Veer Mudambi

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Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell Sanders, Gari De Ramos, Robert Duguay, Jason Greenough, Janice Harvey, Barbara Houle, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Craig S. Semon, Matthew Tota

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City Voices...................................................................................8

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the cover More than the monsters: Worcester, racism and living in ‘Lovecraft Country’ From left, Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors and Courtney B. Vance appear in a scene set in the Central Mass. woods of the 1950s in “Lovecraft Country.”

Story on page 10

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Right ‘Here,’ right now

Novelist Richard Dresser eyes divided country RICHARD DUCKET T

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

I

t does happen here in Sinclair Lewis’ 1935 semi-satirical political novel “It Can’t Happen Here,” about America lurching into totalitarian dictatorship.

In Holden native Richard Dresser’s novel “It Happened Here,” it’s happening in the here and now.

An “unnamed president” postpones the 2020 election and “once Nov. 3 comes and goes the election is always a month away,” Dresser said. For 16 years.

Dresser is an acclaimed and award-winning playwright but “It Happened Here,” which will be published Oct. 6 by Brown Books Publishing Group, is his first novel.

In it, he focuses on the impact the political situation has on one family from the Midwest.

“It’s an oral history of an American family — of course my speculation of what could happen. But really it’s about a family that seems to be fragmenting around the same time as the country is fragmenting,” Dresser said during a recent telephone interview.

For those with the means, a dictatorship may not be so bad if there’s Netflix and two-day shipping, Dresser observed wryly. But even then discontent can settle in.

“It happens in a subterranean way.

You can’t do things that you could do before.”

The family in the novel is divided, like the country is divided, with two brothers — one is a veteran and very conservative, while the other brother is a college professor. But they love their country, which they see unraveling before their eyes.

With the brothers, their wives and their children, Dresser has back and forth monologues from eight family members spanning 2019 to 2035 that have some heart and humor against the bleak backdrop.

“Almost everything that happens is caused by what the government does,” Dresser said. “What they’re going through is what the country is going through … It’s about how this division in this country tears apart relationships, tears apart families.”

With that, “There is a real sense of hope in the book. A real desire of this family to find a way to connect.”

But first, things “get extraordinarily

bad. Things get into a horribly bleak place in the country and in the family, but it does hold out hope that we will get through this whatever happens Nov. 3,” Dresser said.

There is also “a challenge for all of us — how we maintain our humanity in the years ahead.”

Dresser’s plays are known for being humorous, but while there is humor in “It Happened Here,” the novel is not a satire, he said. It is also nonpolemical.

“It was important to me that the book not be a polemic that only resonates for those of a particular political stripe. There are no villains in the family, although characters line up on different sides politically.

I hope that by dealing with the

Richard Dresser

characters on their own terms, political questions are raised but not answered. That’s up to the reader.

My goal was to write an engaging book that would inspire readers to consider the profound nature of our historical moment, and the consequences if we fail to live up to the challenge.”

Dresser was scheduled to participate in a Zoom event for “It Happened Here” on Sept. 15 with readings from the novel and a Q&A hosted by TidePool Bookshop, 372 Chandler St., Worcester. The bookshop is co-owned by Dresser’s cousin, Josephine Truesdell, and her husband, Huck Truesdell. It’s an oasis for book lovers, Dresser said.

Meanwhile, his brother George lives in Holden.

“I get back when I can” said Dresser, who now lives in in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, with his wife, Rebecca. “It’s different during the pandemic but I love it up there. I really have a warm spot in my heart for Worcester.”

His play “Below the Belt,” a comedy about three American men working for a multinational company in an unspecified distant land, was staged by the former Worcester Forum Theatre in 1997, and “Rounding Third,” a comic take on two Little League coaches with contrasting attitudes to playing the game, was put on by the former Worcester Foothills Theatre in 2005. Both plays have been seen at regional theaters around the country.

In 2019 Dresser attended the 50th reunion of the Wachusett Regional High School class of SUBMITTED

1969. He had been captain of the high school hockey team and catcher on the varsity baseball team.

Back in the day, however, Dresser didn’t realize that he was going to become a playwright. There were some theater genes. One of his aunts was the late Rose Dresser, a beloved local actress and director who was seen many times in shows at Worcester Foothills Theatre. But after graduating from Brown University, Dresser drifted for a while.

He then enrolled at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with the intention of studying sports broadcasting. To fulfill curriculum requirements, he was faced with a choice one semester between an advertising course or a course on playwriting. He has recalled that “I really didn’t want to take advertising.”

An elderly professor told the playwriting class (including a late-20-something Dresser) that he couldn’t teach them how to write a play — they would have to write themselves and he would offer guidance. So Dresser duly started writing a play for the first time in his life. “As soon as I started writing dialogue, it started to click,’’ he said in an earlier interview.

The play was a comedy called “Novelties.’’ He liked it. One day while at UNC he saw a notice about a playwriting competition being put on by San Jose State University.

“Novelties’’ won the top prize and was given a staged reading at San Jose State. Dresser flew out.

Other successes have included “The Downside” (about cutthroat corporate politics within a pharmaceutical company), which was a co-winner of the American Theater Critics Association’s 1987 Best Play Award for a play produced outside of New York (it was staged by the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven).

In addition to fostering a playwriting career, Dresser has also been involved with several television and movie projects. He is president and a founding member of the Writers Guild Initiative, which conducts writing workshops all over the country with the mission of giving a voice to populations who are not being heard. Dresser also teaches screenwriting at the graduate film school of Columbia University.

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postponing the Nov. 3 election.

Would the election of Joe Biden Nov. 3 blunt the book’s impact? “No, I don’t think it will because the division in this country is very real and it’s not going to go away and there’s no guarantee Trump is going to go away if he loses,� Dresser replied. “All the signs are there. As someone said, ‘The wind is picking up.’ Regardless of the election we’re still going to be at loggerheads.�

In deciding to write a novel, he said he had a sense of security from being a playwright of writing dialogue. The interwoven voices of eight different family members has been called “emotionally moving, breathtakingly envisioned, and surprisingly funny.�

Dresser said novel or play, “It’s all story telling. For me it’s been exhilarating to plunge into these new forms.�

WM-0000432376-01

Currently, “there’s no theater going on,� Dresser said. Meanwhile, Zoom plays “just feel flat.�

He’s been spending time recently working on a documentary, a first for him. And “It Happened Here� is also a first. There are no reviews yet but writer colleagues have been encouraging and written appreciative blurbs.

Asked if he had been pondering the future of this country prior to the election of President Trump in 2016, Dresser said, “I wasn’t pondering it before Trump. I’ve just become increasingly angry with the state of affairs in this country.� He was particularly upset about the division that he felt was rampant.

He said he began writing “riffs ‌ Every morning I would get a fresh dose of what was happening in this country.â€? He started sharing the riffs with friends, who encouraged him to write more.

In terms of a medium, “I felt I couldn’t tell the story I was envisioning on stage.� Dresser said he finished the novel before the pandemic hit. He noted that the book was also completed before President Trump actually suggested

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‘The band’s all pack and gone’ Saying good bye to John Fraser VICTOR D. INFANTE

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

stole one of the best jokes that has ever appeared in one of my articles from John Fraser: “The Rolling Stones you see playing stadiums today is the world’s greatest Rolling Stones cover band.”

I don’t feel particularly guilty about the theft: A lot of Telegram writers from back in the day pinched the

a giant arena. He was quite possibly the first person to write about the band Aerosmith, although that’s a point of great contention. Fraser could sometimes be coerced to regale coworkers with the tale of a young Hopedale resident named Joe Perry begging him to write about his band. They needed a little publicity.

Fraser also recalled how, just a few years later, Perry looked him in the

Longtime Telegram & Gazette writer and editor John Fraser died Sept. 3.

LEGACY.COM

witty one-liners that flew from Fraser’s desk, when he was a copy editor in the features department and the editor of the Sunday Etc. section. He was a funny guy and a demanding editor — the word “rigorous” was used to describe him recently — and a heck of a lot of fun to talk about music with.

You see, Fraser, who died Sept.

3, was a newsman all his life, but he made his biggest mark in the public eye as a music reviewer and columnist, with a storied career. He saw the Stones at Sir Morgan’s Cove, and insisted that that’s the way the band’s music should be listened to: In a tightly packed, dimly lit bar, not

eyes after a show and legitimately did not know who he was despite their having talked several times, the rocker’s mind spinning from the whirlwind of fame and probably a few illicit substances. Fraser was an enormous Deadhead, smoked a joint with Bonnie Raitt backstage at the Worcester Centrum, and wrote a review of the Plasmatics that was so much fun to read that I still teach it to rookie reviewers, interns and journalism students today: “It was the logical extension of REO Speedwagon’s lasers and Nazareth’s dry-ice smoke and explosions. Take all of rock ‘n’ roll’s excesses to the limit, and you’ll have Ms. (Wendy O.)

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It’s easy to be a music critic these days. Everyone has a blog, or a podcast. Even I have it easy. I know websites where set lists for shows are posted, and can summon song lyrics with a visit to Google. Fraser had to do it all the hard way, and that made all the difference. But the thing that made Fraser a great music writer is pretty much the same thing that made him a great person: He allowed himself to be open, to be compassionate, and to not take himself too seriously. He joked that we worked in the “trendy crap department,� but his love of music burned with sincerity. He wanted you to love it, too. He knew it mattered, although he would never admit that to your face. “Keep on dancin’ thru the daylight,� sang Bob Weir, in the Grateful Dead’s “The Music Never Stopped,� “Greet the mornin’ air with song/ No one’s noticed, but the band’s all pack and gone. Was it ever there at all?�

We know it was, because John told us so.

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upbringing Aimee acThroughout her and a ballerina. Kent, New York. Musicians, create ter of an actor in to small town of Êe is the daugh that Colette took her life in the Colette Aim in and out of of the influencesSUNY New Paltz in New York, of art flowing crats were many well as school at had all kinds and events as painters and aristo herself going on to art poets, shows rs, gallery found creative tors, dance the country in same types of she is today. Aimee shows all over surround herself with the now the artist that She . ues to BFA in 2006. that ls. She contin surrealistic world receiving her and arts festiva the luminous colors of her the Harlequin, a magical being l and at various music paint the idea of are sexual, playfu inspire her to working with ic Harlequins world and their own to people which now she has been it. These esoter our For several years the world that surrounds beyond the boundaries of and ng : can change itself s in their thoughts of traveli following events Greenfield. sometimes deviou ly elastic points of views. om/coletteaimee or at the in 13-15 Sept. al: ndous rawartists.c town Festiv reach treme of her work at Aug. 24, Worm own Spencer: Check out more Party in downt Spencer Street

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S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

artists CITY LIF E

WM-0000445850-02

Wiliams and the Plasmatics.�

For someone who’s (even now) primarily a music journalist, I can’t think of a better person to have sitting at the next desk over, before his retirement after nearly 40 years. Not all the artists he wrote about back in the day became Aerosmith, but they appreciated when he would spare a little space for them in his column. You have to remember, this was before there were Facebook Event invites for fans to ignore.

If you wanted people to show up at your show, you had to put up flyers, and if you were very lucky, you would get written up in the local paper ‌ and as stodgy as the Evening Gazette might have been (or so I’ve heard), Fraser’s column was a beacon of hope for artists and a streak of cool in what was largely considered a conservative paper. Just recently, on a post on my Facebook wall, local musician Doug Geer saw Fraser comment, and took a moment to reply to him: “One of the highlights of the life of our young punk band was getting a great write up from you back in 1980. I still have the article to this day.â€? Fraser may well have written about Aerosmith first, or at the very least been among the first, but Geer at least remembers it happened.

CITY VOICES

HARVEY

We are the ugly Americans JANICE HARVEY

noon, and the car in front of mine was driven by an older man who walked with a limp from the conhe woman behind the bakvenience store back to the pumps. ery counter was impatient with me, bordering on rude. He glared at me over his mask.

Surely her mask wasn’t hid- He couldn’t see that I smiled from ing a smile. I asked for a mix of yel- behind mine. Why the stink eye?

That’s when it dawned on low and chocolate cupcakes, and she nearly shoved them across over me that I was asking for these reactions. I looked down at my the display case. I was baffled by her behavior. I know I was polite in T-shirt, the one that reads “ NASTY my request. I know I spoke respect- WOMAN (noun) 1. A strong, informed woman who terrifies weak, fully. “What gives?” I wondered.

Later in the day, I waited to take ignorant males. 2. A woman who a left-hand turn onto Route 20. An does her part to rescue her country in 2020.” I was wearing it in the endless line of middle-aged bikers bakery. The woman who shoved roared up the road. I pulled out finally when there was a wide berth the cupcakes at me very likely between the last two motorcycles. wasn’t sharing my views.

The biker who triumphantly The biker behind me switched tossed me the bird on Route 20 lanes so that he could cut in front must have seen my bumper stickof me and give me the finger. The American flags on his bike rippled ers, the ones that read “WANT MAIL? Support the United States furiously in the wind. What had I Postal Service” and “We will done? It wasn’t a funeral procesremember in November — VOTE sion. “What’s his beef ?” I asked THEM OUT!” It wasn’t my drivmyself. ing that annoyed him. It was my I pumped gas that same after-

T

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

FIRST PERSON

Fowl Play in a Worcester neighborhood

JOE FUSCO JR.

They grab our paper and mail when we go on vacation. Their kids are well-behaved. ur new neighbors have Before they bought the house, put their home up for sale it was rented by four UMass because they can’t raise med-students who turned it into chickens in Worcester.

“Animal House” every weekend. It They’ve done a bang-up job remodeling the exterior of the house, was insufferable.

Besides, you’d think with all the building a seasonal porch, fixing up COVID stuff, gang shootings, and the garage, and planting beautiful economic and social turmoil in flowers everywhere, but they’re Worcester right now, possession of putting their abode on the market because they can’t raise chickens in four chickens would fly under the radar.

Worcester.

“We’ll help you hide the chickens They told us their parents gave them four chickens from their farm at our place. We’re an old white in Maine a couple of weeks ago, but couple who’ve lived here 30 years. one of their neighbors on Alvarado Nobody bothers us. As long as they’re not a flight risk.”

Avenue snitched to Animal ConOur new neighbor ponders our trol so they were told to lose the offer then asks us to join them for poultry. lunch on their just-built patio.

“My husband and I really love “Egg salad,” she says with a smile. the chickens, so we’re moving,” she exclaims while watering the tulips.

Joe Fusco Jr. is a poet and humorWe really like the new neighbors. ist who lives in Worcester.

They’re friendly and quiet. They put their trash out on the right day.

O

politics.

The cranky guy with the bad hip must’ve noticed that my mask says “86 45” when we were pumping gas at the Shell station. Hence, the scowl. Wasn’t that the reaction I was looking for when I purchased the mask? I just forgot I was wearing it.

Given or current toxic political environment, why should I be surprised? It would be hypocritical for me pretend I didn’t advertise my leanings to annoy the other side.

The log cabin on Stafford Street isn’t draped in “TRUMP 2020” signs and banners to persuade people to vote Republican. On the property of the same house, the sign that reads “BUILD THE WALL” is there for one purpose: to aggravate Democrats. We all claim “Freedom of Speech!” when confronted, but what we really mean is “Freedom to Bug the Hell Out of Each Other!”

I admit that I let loose a stream of obscenities every time I drive by that house — with the window up,

of course. No one hears me, but the guy in that house wins by raising my blood pressure a few points. It’s a ridiculous battle we are waging, and if liberals like me think we’re winning the snark fight with clever slogans, we’re as silly as the people who think Trump deserves the Nobel Prize.

This isn’t new, this war of the lawn signs and bumper stickers.

Several years ago, I was screamed at by an elderly “gentleman” while sitting at the Summit red light. His wrath was white-hot and ignited by the “Elizabeth Warren for Senate” bumper sticker on my car.

“YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!” he screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. If I recall, I answered with something that suggested he practice self “love.”

Was I ashamed for supporting Warren? No. Was he ashamed for harassing me at a red light? More likely, my response cemented his belief that Liz Warren had the backing of nasty women, and I

was proof. Did any of it matter?

Certainly not, in the grand scheme of things.

I have choices to make: I can wear my T-shirt and face the music, or wear it to bed at night instead. I can switch to my mask with pretty little birds on it or continue to incite Trumpsters with the “86 45” mask that sells for $14.99. (What a racket. Someone is making big bucks over our great divide.)

The girl ringing up six ears of corn at the Worcester farm stand looked around before she whispered, “I really like your shirt.”

“I forget I’m wearing it until people get angry with me out of nowhere,” I said.

She looked around again.

“To Hell with them,” she said.

“You don’t want to know them anyway.”

That’s when I decided that I’m still going to wear the shirt. But for now, I’m stuck with the stickers.

Send your Letters to the Editor to Worcester Magazine, 100 Front St., 5th Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 or by email to WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com. Please include an email address or phone number for verification purposes only. Note that letters will run as space allows.

CITY VOICES

WORCESTERIA

Back to school ... well, sort of ...

VEER MUDAMBI AND VICTOR D. INFANTE

LIBRARY TUTORING — VIRTUALLY: As the weather becomes nippy, our thoughts turn to school buses and homework. With a later-thanusual start to schools this year due to the varied needs for a remote start, Worcester Schools began Tuesday. Parents, students and teachers alike are concerned about how all this will work out but some things don’t change. The Worcester Public Library will still be the go-to place for students, if slightly different. While always concerned about learning loss and willing to provide free resources, the library’s HelpNow initiative means online tutoring from 2-11 p.m., seven days a week. “We were trying to figure out ways that the library could assist in this time and we thought this would be a good opportunity to have a service available for free,” said Cynthia Bermudez, Youth Services Coordinator. Students sign into the Brainfuse service through their library account, and are connected with a live tutor in a virtual classroom. She said the library is paying for the service so the kids do need a library card. It will be funded through a CARES grant specifically designed to assist libraries and other cultural institutions. Though the library is not open right now for in-person services, it is already planning - though no dates yet - for how it can offer in-person services. It has considerably increased supplies of electronic books since usage skyrocketed starting in March. (VM) ON THE SYLLABUS: If you’re not following the Instagram account

Be careful who you vote for, and definitely Disagrees not twice with Infante on Black Lives Matter I hope no one attempts to vote twice. He’s already said he could shoot someone. Sending a few to jail … no biggy. VOTE him out!

Ann McCrea lives in Worcester.

ANN MCCREA

In a recent rally President Trump suggested his fan club should vote by mail and then in person. Since some folks tried the bleach and other inane suggestions a good head’s up is the following: “Intentionally voting more than once in a federal election is a third-degree felony in most states and probably also violates federal election-fraud laws. The punishment varies from state to state but is usually up to five or 10 years in jail and fine of up to $5,000 or $10,000.” This is one of Trump’s keep-me-in-office stunts.

Joseph Gustafson lives in Leicester.

“Time to Drop Charges Against Black Lives Matter Protesters” is as wrong-minded as it gets. Not surprisingly, the police are blamed for the lawlessness. Let’s put this in perspective. BLM has nothing to do with social justice. It is a Marxist group that’s hellbent on

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dents looking for used dorm/apartment furniture. Similarly, my wife and I have had call lately to buy a couple of furniture pieces off Craigslist. The first took us up to Sterling, and the second to Charlton, and as this is the first time I’ve really used Craigslist, it’s struck me how similar buying used furniture on the service is to a sketchy drug deal: You spend the whole process trying to give away as little personal information as possible, you have to meet in an unfamiliar neighborhood you’ve never been before, you have to pay in cash, and you have to stand around making awkward small talk for a moment because everyone involved is a little uncomfortable. Then, you never see each other again. It probably doesn’t help that everyone is masked these days. Is the weirdness worth it for the temporary high of a nice new TV stand? Yes. Yes, it is. (VI)

JOSEPH GUSTAFSON

destroying capitalism and American history. Their tactics include verbal and physical assaults, looting and burning of businesses, and the destruction of public property.

These are crimes and perpetrators should be punished to the full extent of the law. We’ve seen mobs like this before. It was in 1940s, in Germany, and their leader was Adolf Hitler.

When a democracy starts favoring one race over another, it ceases to be democratic. When criminals are favored over the police, chaos reigns, and the law of the jungle rules.

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

@racismfreewps, you should probably start. The account shares anonymous testimonies of Worcester students (and a few educators), and how they’ve encountered racism, harassment and other issues on school campuses, in ways both big and small. Examples include an account of a teacher making racist comments on Facebook, a teaching assistant spreading anti-abortion materials during a high school health class, and the always classic gym teacher responding to a student’s sexual harassment complaint by saying, “Well, you shouldn’t have worn something us guys find attractive.” Can any of this be verified? Not really. Is it all believable? Very much so. Also of interest is veteran Worcester journalist Clive McFarlane’s recent blog, “Remote Learning is for the Privileged,” where he details some of the hardships faced by students from minority communities in this insane moment in time, reminding readers, “many families do not have the resources to provide quality education in their crowded apartments or their restrictive shelters.” As always, McFarlane captures a lot of dimensions of the problem, but one issue is definitely internet access. One solution that’s been floated a lot lately is municipal broadband. “I do think we as a city have to do something about this,” said School Committee member Laura Clancey, as quoted in the Telegram & Gazette. “We used to look at internet as a luxury. That’s gone — it’s a quality of life issue now.” Certainly, it’s a bigger one than a baseball stadium. (VI)

LETTERS

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COVER STORY

More than the monsters

Worcester, racism and living in ‘Lovecraft Country’ VEER MUDAMBI

COVER STORY

M

att Ruff ’s 2016 novel, “Lovecraft Country,” uses the science-fiction horror genre as a vehicle for underlining another kind of horror, the lived Black experience during the Jim Crow era. He does this by placing African Americans as the central characters, which has the effect of emphasizing for the reader the repugnance of systemic racism, which continues to endure in many forms to this day.

The first two episodes of HBO’s adaptation of the novel, which first aired Aug. 16, are largely set in Worcester County and Central Mass. A period piece horror series, “Lovecraft Country” has the chilling effect of bringing the novel to life at a time when the nation is going through a great awakening, and the risk to Black Americans in everyday situations has been pushed into the spotlight.

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Bird watching while Black, barbecuing while Black, breaking up a fight while Black and sitting in a coffee shop while Black — all are seemingly innocuous situations that can be a prelude to a headline incident. The main characters deal with all of these hazards and more, while they battle the monstrous creatures that live in the woods and stalk the humans who stray into their territory.

Activists such as Deborah Hall, of the Black History Project at Worcester Historical Museum, say the current outcry and clamor for equity feels different. The infamous George Floyd video left a deep impression on our collective psyche, because it captured something on camera that is usually hidden. With hard evidence, there is no longer any ambiguity for it to be explained away as something else.

It could be likened to a monster that has been known to be lurking on the periphery, but dismissed until indisputably caught on film.

The idea of America seeing something it does not want to see mirrors what Ruff was imagining when he wrote “Lovecraft Country,” equating the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft, a virulent racist, with the mundane horror of racism. His analogy is particularly ironic since Lovecraft’s fiction had no place for people of color and he was well known to be a white supremacist.

“Lovecraft Country,” the show, brings this analogy to life so vividly that the audience is left in no doubt that racism is a boundless horror vastly more

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COVER STORY

terrifying than the giant shoggoths who terrorize the community.

Ruff explained how he needed a bridge between the commonplace horrors of racism and the cosmic horrors of Lovecraftian science fiction. Naturally, H.P. Lovecraft became the thematic bridge of the novel. “I wanted to use New England since Lovecraft was from Rhode Island, and once I did that, my Ardham was based on Lovecraft’s Arkham — in a fictional Massachusetts county called Devon.” Lovecraft’s Arkham was partially styled on the Massachusetts town of Oakham in Worcester County. The picturesque, quiet New England countryside juxtaposed with the malignantly racist cops serves as a major element of the show’s building of deadly suspense.

Since the centuries spanning effects of racism and slavery are entrenched in society, yet often invisible to those who have never been affected by them, Ruff used the highlighting technique of likening two terrifying situations — one real

about it at all. This dissonance is most apparent in the North, which is why Ruff focused on depictions of the Jim Crow era in New England, as a reckoning with the cultural and historical amnesia when it comes to that period. “Segregation was just as powerful a force in the North as it was in the South,” said Ruff, though with different purposes. In the South it was more about continuing economic exploitation of Black people, while in the North it was more about marginalizing them to the point of ethnic cleansing. “A lot of freed slaves came up north and white folks wanted to keep them out.”

The concept of “sundown towns,” where Black people had to leave before dark or be lynched, normally considered a relic of the deep South, was commonly employed in the New England area. For people who have never heard of sundown towns before reading the novel or watching the show, it becomes a situation of “truth is stranger than fiction” — it seems so far-fetched that people re-

Above, from left, Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors and Jordan Patrick Smith appear in “Lovecraft Country.”

At left, Jonathan Majors, left, and Courtney B. Vance star in “Lovecraft Country.”

HBO

Below, “Lovecraft Country” author Matt Ruff.

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LISA GOLD

and likely, the other surreal and unlikely. Once it becomes clear on a fundamental level that an everyday abhorrent circumstance like racism exists, you see it literally everywhere, to the point that you may even wish you hadn’t. The knowledge changes you and makes you regret having it.

Like the monsters of the Lovecraft mythos, it cannot be unseen, let alone escaped.

How can something so insidious yet overwhelming be fought — perhaps it’s better not to think

act in disbelief. But they existed and there even used to be signs everywhere to that effect. Ruff shared that the “records were probably scrubbed — there’s an oral history of signs saying black people should leave before dark, but that’s not the sort of thing that people keep photos of because of the embarrassment.”

These segregationist attitudes filtered down the generations and while not as codified as in the South, were certainly enforced as depicted in the first episode of “Lovecraft

Country.” The suspense engendered by this unofficial approach is “even more horrific,” commented Ruff when discussing the show, “in that not only are you being discriminated against but you never know where you stand and never know when it will turn violent.” The mounting dread of these situations lends itself well to the horror aspects of the show, long before the first monster appears on screen.

After the main characters arrive in Massachusetts, Atticus, his uncle,

COVER STORY

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Above, Deborah Hall, of the Black History Project at Worcester Historical Museum.

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Below, Dean Betsy Huang of Clark University.

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on the receiving end of police brutality.

Misha Green, who created, directed, wrote and executive produced the show, has said in multiple interviews that the monsters are the people. Because it might be difficult for the audience to buy into that, the shoggoths may be considered the stand-ins or the physical manifestations of that ugliness. The unspoken horror of the show builds the tension to such a degree that in the first episode, one is actually relieved when the real monsters show up because of the painful dissonance in believing that the people are the monsters.

However, the human capacity for monstrous behavior is nothing new — so why this aversion to seeing it? “Our racist history is an open

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The show can certainly make a major contribution to the conversation on race in America, according to Huang, but she warned that the power and impact it has relies on what the audience brings to it. “You really feel the terror when a white cop shows up (in the first episode) and at least, it is the hope that the sense of terror gets conveyed to even white audiences,” she said.

One could easily transplant the white cops from the show to some places in present day America, said Hall, and pointed out that police forces of today evolved from the slave catcher patrols of yesterday.

The evidence is to be found in their differential treatment of citizens based on class and race as well as the instances of who is most often

.com

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

and his childhood friend Lettie are threatened, chased and eventually attacked by local law enforcement.

But so deeply ingrained is the idea of violent racism as a “southern problem,” that after the first episode aired, Ruff still saw tweets referring to the show as set in the Jim Crow south.

Hall believes that the value of the show lies in how it opens up a dialogue about our perceptions of what racism looks like in different parts of the country. “When you grow up Black in America, you’re living by a different set of rules but it takes different forms depending where you are,” she explained. Hall is originally from St. Louis, and the show stirs up dark memories. “Even when I go home now to visit, I know where I don’t want to get caught after dark.”

This is true of the North as well, including Massachusetts, considered a bastion of liberalism and forward thinking, as Hall rattles off multiple towns and cities she would make sure to avoid after sundown.

“With respect to New England,” said Betsy Huang, associate provost and dean of the college at Worcester’s Clark University, “we have this overly rose-tinted lens of how progressive we are here, we pat ourselves on the back for our liberal views.” As a professor of English, Huang studies the role of ethnic minorities in literature, science fiction and genre theory. This progressive self-image, when held even by those with the best of intentions, can actually inhibit efforts toward diversity and inclusion. “It often creates a block to looking at buried histories and invisible mechanisms that are actually very strong barriers to diversification,” said Huang, “to making sure our standards are applicable and accessible by everyone.”

The idea of the northern United States as a place free of racial tensions makes sense when viewed through a historical lens, most notably the Civil War, and also having produced a number of famous abolitionists. However, this gives a skewed perspective and makes it easy to overlook that opposing slavery does not necessarily equate to a belief in equality.

“Generally speaking, people (in the North) do not take ownership of that,” said Hall. She cited the common refrain of “that doesn’t happen here” among liberal progressives, “they know what they know and don’t want to know any different.”

This willful ignorance and selective memory means that, like the shoggoths portrayed in “Lovecraft Country,” the effects of racism today can remain unseen until it’s too late.

COVER STORY

wound,” said Huang, which breaches the comfort of the social order and viewers shy away from instinctively.

Unfortunately, anything associated with this “rupture” can evoke similar feelings of discomfort, including centering Black and brown people on screen. For typical sci-fi fans, this represents an unwelcome realism creeping into what is supposed to be escapist entertainment.

This has led to the “whitewashing” of the sci-fi genre, with franchises such as “Star Wars” being set in advanced futures, yet with mysteriously few people of color.

Green’s take on Ruff ’s book is that it reclaims the science-fiction horror genre for people who it has not typically been meant for and which has traditionally excluded them from any representation in it. Audiences have grown used to whiteness being centered in most of these productions. However, audiences of color won’t see the change as a problem, but a necessary disruption. “It’s who you identify with in a story,” said Huang.

In something of a self-referential move, the character of Atticus, the Black main character in a sci-fi horror series, is even more notably a fan of the genre himself, where Black protagonists are rare. He even references his father being angry with

him for reading stories by H.P. Lovecraft and forcing him to memorize the author’s infamous racist treatise.

Not only that, Atticus encapsulates multiple points of identification for various audiences — he’s a Marine veteran, a son with a troubled relationship with his father, a sci-fi fan and something of an amateur detective. “However,” Huang continues, “his blackness is never in question and the fact that the Black man holds our attention so strongly in these current times” makes that the foremost aspect of his identity. The additional facets of his character, that different viewers can connect with, could help them overcome any lingering feelings of discomfort brought on by the rupture or portrayal of a racist history we would rather forget.

The experience of being Black in America has been something that authors have tried to adequately convey for years, but Ruff felt he was up to the challenge. In his fiction writing he “always enjoyed approaching (stories) from different perspectives.” Hall emphasizes that the book as a commentary by a white man is welcome because “we’re all a part of this and we are all asking America to live up to its promise.” One does not have to be Black to talk about certain experi-

ences, said Hall, and it is not helpful “to say white people can’t talk about Black experience, or we wouldn’t have ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ or ‘Huckleberry Finn.’”

Being an “other” in this world, whether a person of color, LGBTQ, or some other minority means that one is potentially starring in

their own horror movie at all times.

One is always alert to any changes in the atmosphere, charged body language of those around, and when the monster is going to show itself.

“Lovecraft Country,” the show, forces the audience to share this constant stress to such a level that the appearance of bloodthirsty eldritch

monsters is almost cathartic.

The show speaks to both the raging pandemics in our world — COVID-19 and systemic racism.

Both are real, both are unseen and difficult to counter on an individual level, requiring societal shifts that encounter heavy resistance. The bottom line is that, given the cir-

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Above, Tony Goldwyn, left, and Abbey Lee in “Lovecraft Country.”

Left, Courtney B. Vance, Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors star in “Lovecraft Country.”

HBO

cumstances we find ourselves in, the audience cannot view the show the way they would have viewed it even six months ago.

Confronting the corrupting influence of systemic racism is almost imperative, especially during the current social climate. HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” takes on the issue head-on and brings the audience along on what feels like a twin rollercoaster ride: one incomprehensible in its abnormal horror, the other almost too familiar in a display of man’s shocking inhumanity to man.

The fact that it is relevant even now, to Hall, is what hurts. “It’s unfortunate that we are still having these conversations.”

“Lovecraft Country” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max

CITY LIFE If you are an artist, or know of a local artist, email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com. Fair warning, in order to publish your work, you’ll need to provide a small bio and high resolution digital copies of some of your art. We reserve the right to choose what will run, based on resolution and what will reproduce best on newsprint.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Artist Gerry Ruberti is an 84-year-old life-long resident of Clinton and a self-taught artist who began painting at age 60.

Ruberti enjoys working with oil on canvas and his landscape scenes are inspired by memories from his youth in Clinton.

Ruberti has also been the recipient of many awards in local art shows and fairs.

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CITY LIFE

LIFESTYLE

Chashu Ramen + Izakaya opens and deadhorse hill reopens — I cherished both SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

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ulinary legend Thomas Keller operates on a philosophy of diminishing returns. He believes a few bites of heightened stimulation leave a lasting impression. Less is more. The same is true of restaurants these days.

Before the massive shutdown, my dining habit had, frankly, gotten out of hand. I could blame it on my writing obligations or my social schedule, but I was eating out five times a week. It was gluttonous. COVID times taught me to cook, clean and savor. I still dreamed of bread baskets and the rhythmic buzz of a room full of strangers, only I had learned how to adequately appreciate those things.

Last week, restaurateur Tam Le invited my “Pop It” podcast co-host, Molly O’Connor, and I to be the first official table at the opening night

of Chashu Ramen + Izakaya. Under normal circumstances, we would have been excited. In the current climate, we were beside ourselves with childlike anticipation. (Our text chain featured a long string of heart emojis and GIFs of Michelle Tanner from “Full House.”)

The thought of a server daintily refolding our napkins should we leave the table to go say hello to a friend we’d spotted at the bar moved me to literal tears. Of course, neither of those things happened.

Restaurants look different now.

They have to. The servers gave us plenty of breathing room, never daring to touch our linens, and the bar had been roped off to keep lingering guests at bay. It’s an unfamiliar world out there, and yet, starved for a night out — we relished every moment.

The Massachusetts Restaurant Association told the Boston Globe

that nearly a quarter of restaurants across the state have yet to reopen.

Chashu wasn’t born of the pandemic. Plans to launch a concept at 38 Franklin Street had been years in the making. Le and his business partner, Son Vo, were willing to adapt in order to move their dream forward. Worcester showed up.

More than the weight of a menu in my hands or the clinking of glassware behind the bar, I craved food I could not make on my own.

Waves of izakaya streamed from the kitchen; little plates of seared Cajun togashi tofu and fried chicken bao bao followed by dishes of yuzu kampachi, splayed out like delicate pink flower petals. Next came charcoal grilled short ribs and wild prawns that sizzled on sticks. We couldn’t resist ordering deep bowls of ramen, steaming and tingling with spicy red miso. Chashu might have been new,

Waves of izakaya streamed from the kitchen, including dishes of yuzu kampachi, splayed out like delicate pink flower petals.

SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 19

LISTEN UP

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Hip-hop artist Lo Gun in fighting form with ‘Shogun’ VICTOR D. INFANTE

S

outhbridge hip-hop artist Lo Gun of Main Aim — probably better known to most readers as chef Michael Arrastia — might have a higher local profile for his cooking than he does his music, but that doesn’t mean it’s a sideline.

Indeed, judging by his recent mix tape, “The Shogun Tape” — available on Bandcamp — he’s as daring and as innovative a rapper-producer as he is a cook. Which isn’t to say this album will be to everybody’s taste, but there’s definitely a lot to chew on. (And we’re going to stop running this metaphor into the ground now, I promise.)

What stands out immediately is the sort of trap-music grit that permeates the album. That’s not really a criticism — the first song is straight up called “5th of Grime” — but it does give a listener a good idea of what to expect, tonally. Arrastia is keeping it dark here, more interested in finding textures in shadows then developing beats or grooves. “5th of Grime” – which unveils the album’s central narrative of Lo Gun as “an

assassin … he walks the road of vengeance” — works off a fascinating downbeat and an orchestral sample that brings a sort of heaviness to Arrastia’s assertive raps. It creates a sort of frantic feeling, like the listener were being chased downhill, stumbling as they run.

It’s interesting, and it feels intentional. Arrastia is hardly the first rapper to bring Old West or Samurai flick themes into their music — the Wu-Tang Clan, for a start, have already long claimed that territory — but he leans into his story, which gives it some freshness. That said, some of his choices are both

interesting and jarring. For instance, the second song, “Through the Door,” features a sample from Mary Hopkin’s stately 1968 song, “Those Were The Days.” Held in contrast to the aggressiveness of Arrastia’s raps and Stainless Art’s production, it creates a sort of dissonance. Likewise, that fades into the aptly named “JazzyDarkElevator Interlude,” produced by Arrastia, which is simply a sample of light jazz, touched up so the recording skips a bit. It’s surprisingly unnerving. When we return to rap with “War of Thoughts,” it almost feels like a sort of solid ground. There’s a stability to Arrastia’s flow that grounds the whole album, even as everything else seems to be dissolving around the edges, a feeling compounded by the eerie instrumental, “ColdAbyss Interlude.”

Things begin to turn on the track “Sit in Silence,” which was produced

by Worcester rapper Ghost of the Machine and features cuts by DJ Slipwax.

Martial-informed lyrics bullet against samples of a marching band snare drum, but Arrastia also switches up his more aggressive imagery with lines such as “Howling at the moon/

exhumed from my own McTomb,” and later, “like a casket that’s signed by Dapper Dan,” referencing the iconic Harlem suit designer. Even amid the cinematic violence and aggression, there’s a touch of whimsy. Still, the album starts fairly dark and keeps digging deeper into shadow. On “Collection Platelets,” Arrastia raps, “Life is dangerous/no matter how you shape it/they out collecting all your platelets/this life is dangerous/no matter how you face it.”

The song gives way to a sampled ballad in Spanish, but the sense of danger still seethes in the heaviness of the production. As it barrels toward the end, “The Shogun Tape” leans into its sci-fi and action-film themes. “All my life I’ve been living with this curse,” he raps in “This Curse,” bringing his focus back to his assassin protagonist, conjuring the image of a haunted gunslinger.

Soon after, on “X Gene Pool,” he makes references to the “X-Men” comics, particularly the franchise’s most famous character, Wolverine (who in civilian life goes by the name, “Logan,” inferring another warrior connection between the rapper and

his persona). Again, this is not an uncommon trope — we’ve seen more than a few comic book references in local hip-hop, particularly to the XMen — but Arrastia does manage to use it in a way wherein it feels more organic than it does an off-the-cuff pop culture reference. His warrior is a rapper, a gunslinger, a samurai, a super-hero, but these all just become ways of looking at the same thing.

The album ends with a collaboration between Arrastia and local hiphop artists Haze and Josh Bliss, and what’s interesting as the end unfolds is how all of this narrative is actually prelude to action, and not action itself. “As I navigate on the path that’s less traveled,” guest artist Haze raps on the album closer, “Clashing Steel,” “sharpen up the ammo/prepare for the next battle.” From here, things begin to move quickly, the speed of rapping escalating, each bar densely packed with words, but then then the pace slows again, and it feels less of an ending than it does the calm before a storm. The real battle, whatever that proves to be, is what lies ahead.

CITY LIFE

TABLE HOPPIN’

Doughnut Homies a hot spot at Worcester Public Market BARBARA M. HOULE

H

Doughnut Homies owners Hayleigh Noel and Christian Velazquez at their shop in the Worcester Public Market at Kelley Square.

DYLAN AZARI

Worcester residents and graduates of Doherty Memorial High School, the owners of Doughnut Homies have been contacted by several local businesses about collaboration. “We’re open to new ideas down the road,” said Noel. “Right now we just want to keep up with what we’re doing.” Noel said Velazquez quit his job to help in the business.

The Worcester Public Market is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The food court remains open until 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday only. Wachusett Brewery patio hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Wednesday through Sunday. Visit https://www.worcesterpublicmarket.org for more information about vendors.

File under: Doughnuts sweeten the day.

Family Harvest Concert in Leicester

Struck providing food at Shrewsbury winery

Struck Catering in Worcester is the new onsite food service at Broken Creek Vineyard & Winery in Shrewsbury.

Chuck’s moves dining inside

The big white tent outside Chuck’s Steak House in Auburn is gone, with the restaurant now open for inside dining from 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday through Thursday; 2 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 to 8 p.m.

Sunday; closed Mondays. Call (508) 832-2553 for takeout. Visit https:// www.chucks.com for online ordering and Grubhub delivery.

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

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Leicester’s Harvest Fair 2020 has been canceled due to COVID-19.

The Harvest Fair committee announced it will sponsor a Family Harvest Concert on the same Saturday that the fair would have occurred, Sept. 19, with a rain date of Sept. 20, according to committee member Judith C. Ivel.

The concert, 1 to 4 p.m. on Leicester Town Common, will feature The Doolin’ Lads, Yankee Notions and Slo Grass, groups that have previously provided entertainment at the fair.

Guests are asked to wear masks and social distance. Also, bring a scarecrow in keeping with the Harvest Fair theme. More information and updates are available on the Harvest Fair’s Facebook page.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

to set up and fill cases before the 11 a.m. opening. “Honestly, we never knew what to expect when we first opened,” said Noel. “People line up before we open and the doughnuts fly off the shelves. We’re sold out in 45 minutes most days. When they’re gone, they’re gone. We close until the next day.” FYI: Keto coffee is available at the business.

Customers currently can only buy up to a half dozen doughnuts, according to Noel, who no longer accepts pre-orders so as to be fair to everyone who waits in line or visits the business. Things could change as the holiday season approaches, she said.

“We made 200 doughnuts a day when we first started and had to increase our numbers,” said Noel.

“We never expected the business to take off like it did. I’m not kidding when I say we sleep about four hours a day. We’re busting our butts, but we’re so happy that people like our doughnuts. I feel really blessed and grateful.”

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

ayleigh Noel started selling fresh doughnuts several weeks ago at the Worcester Public Market, and lines at her location continue from late morning when the market opens until the doughnuts sell out, usually by noon.

Noel and her boyfriend, Christian Velazquez, run Doughnut Homies, a small business that makes doughnuts with variations on the classic glaze. Noel’s not afraid of going gimmicky, with icing in every shade of the rainbow, sprinkled with signatures such as Fruity Pebbles, peanut butter cup and crushed Oreo, in addition to intricately decorated doughnuts.

There’s never a bad time for a doughnut, said Noel, who with Velazquez lived and worked in Los Angeles for six months, returning to the Worcester area in January. She worked as a waitress at Dino’s Restaurant until the business closed during COVID-19. The restaurant has reopened for indoor and outdoor dining.

“We really got the idea for Doughnut Homies while in LA, where doughnut shops were on every street corner,” said Noel, who describes herself as a free spirit and born to be an entrepreneur. “I wanted to open up something of my own, so why not in Worcester? I wanted to be my own boss,” said Noel, who first started making doughnuts for “fun” and giving them away to friends and family.

“Everyone loved the doughnuts and told me they were blown away with the flavors,” said Noel. “That’s when I seriously started experimenting with recipes and taking in-person sales.”

Noel said she used social media to reach out to the Worcester Public Market, and the official partnership began in May. She has marketed the business on social media ever since, posting flavors of the day on Facebook Noel and Velazquez make 300 doughnuts a day, starting as early as 3 a.m. in the kitchen at the Latin American restaurant and caterer Nuestra on Stafford Street in Worcester, where they prepare dough and cook the doughnuts. They arrive at the public market around 9 a.m.

Guests must purchase food before ordering a glass or bottle of wine, keeping in accordance with state regulations during COVID-19. The public is not allowed to bring food to the winery.

Winery owners Eric and Peggy Preusse strongly recommend guests make reservations for indoor or outdoor seating by texting or calling the winery, (508) 925-5617. Current hours are noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Note that this weekend, Sept. 19 and 20, is harvest time, and the winery will be closed to the public; it reopens Sept. 26 and 27.

Struck’s menu is posted on the winery website, www.brokencreekvineyard.com.

Struck Catering was contacted

by Broken Creek to create a limited weekend menu, according to owners Derek Grillo and his mother, Barbara Cotter. Food is delivered to the winery and served by the winery owners.

Recent menu selections have included Charcuterie for Two, specially selected local cheeses and artisanal meats, nuts and spreads; Mezza Plate, with lemon hummus, tabbouleh, caponata, feta, olives and pita bread; a variety of flatbreads; jumbo shrimp cocktail; Local Cheese and Fruit Plate for Two. Cheeses especially are outstanding, according to Cotter, who said some of them have aged for more than a year and a half. Robinson’s Farm in Hardwick, Westfield Farm in Hubbardston and Smith’s Country Cheese in Winchendon represent local cheese producers.

Enjoy!

CITY LIFE

FILM

A healthy anticipation for ‘Dune’ reboot JIM KEOGH

I

n the spring of my senior year of high school my appendix exploded. I don’t remember much about the event other than crippling abdominal pain and my rushed entry into an operating room in the middle of the night.

The recovery — that I remember.

My hospital roommate had been thrown from his motorcycle while helmetless and had kissed the pavement with his naked face. “How do I look?” he asked me through the stitches. “Good,” I lied.

I convalesced at home for weeks.

This was 1979, well before doctors could neatly pluck an appendix with a laparoscope. The incision in my side went deep into tissue and left me shuffling around the house like Tim Conway playing the old man in a Carol Burnett sketch.

While the physical pain was tolerable, the boredom was a beast. I tried to keep up with school work as best I could, continuing my trudge

Josh Brolin, left, and Timothée Chalamet star in the remake of “Dune.”

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

through a 25-page term paper about immigration to the United States (my, how this topic has evolved) that I’d been typing when my lower right abdomen had begun to throb. My appendix-free self had a terrific excuse for missing the deadline, but my teacher’s patience was not infinite.

Still, my motivation tanked.

Television offered no solace. I will not rant about the state of daytime

TV in the late ’70s other than to say if you were not a fan of game shows, soap operas and loud commercials about the successful life awaiting you if you attend truck-driving school, you were stuck.

One afternoon my buddy Matt tossed a book on my bed. “You gotta read this,” he said. The book was “Dune” by Frank Herbert. Except for Ray Bradbury’s novels I was not

much of a sci-fi guy, but I trusted Matt’s taste. (I hadn’t been a fantasy guy either until he introduced me to Tolkein.)

I devoured “Dune” and then its two sequels (two more would follow).

Something spoke to me about the saga of Paul Atreides and his mythic quest to lead the planet Arrakis, the galaxy’s only source of the drug “mélange” — or “the spice” — which extends life and enhances mental abilities. Or maybe I was entranced by the notion of giant sand worms disrupting the conflicts waged across the desert by measly humans.

Six years later, I and countless “Dune” fans were charged up for the release of the movie adaptation, helmed by David Lynch. Lynch had established himself with smaller films like “Eraserhead” (supremely weird) and “The Elephant Man” (supremely moving), so handing him an epic of this magnitude as both screenwriter and director was risky.

Indeed. Lynch’s version proved a tremendous disappointment artisti-

cally, critically and financially. The director has acknowledged trying to have his name removed from the film before its release, largely because he didn’t have final cut. Today, the details of the “Dune” movie escape me, other than the image of Sting preening in a winged Speedo like a futuristic FTD delivery man.

I’m ready for the antidote to 1984’s “Dune.” The newly released trailer for director Denis Villeneuve’s reboot, which opens in December, is packed with snapshot visions of what could have — should have — been in the first go-round. It’s packed with established and emerging acting talent, and feels grittier and more substantial than its vaguely silly predecessor.

As director of “Blade Runner 2049” Villenueve has already shown success navigating the world of a beloved science fiction property. I’m hopeful he’s found the cinematic secrets to this seminal work that Lynch couldn’t unlock.

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S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

NEW ON DVD

‘Succession: The Second Season’ makes chaos fun KATIE FORAN - MCHALE TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

A

hit HBO series to catch up on before the Emmys on Sept. 20 tops new DVD releases for the week of Sept. 15.

“Succession: The Second Season”: Everybody’s favorite media family horror show returns with Kendall (Jeremy Strong) at his most broken, completely attached to Logan (Brian Cox) after his father has cleaned up his son’s manslaughter. Meanwhile, led to believe she’ll take over Waystar Royco, Shiv (Sarah Snook) sabotages her job with presidential hopeful Gil Eavis (Eric Bogosian), not to mention her surprise open relationship with Tom (Matthew Macfadyen), and Roman (Kieran Culkin) goes behind Logan’s back to get Naomi Pierce (Annabelle Dexter-Jones) on board to help the family buy out the legitimate news operation PGM via Rhea Jarrell (Holly Hunter).

In the unhinged schemes department, Connor (Alan Ruck) proceeds with his presidential campaign,

cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) proves to be less innocent than the family thought, and Marcia (Hiam Abbass) shows rightful rage at Logan’s increasing betrayals.

It’s another flawless season from creator Jesse Armstrong, scoring 18 Emmy nominations. And it’s one that provides such greatest hits as Kendall’s peak cringe “L to the OG” rap, just, all of Holly Hunter (as well as every appearance of the best character of the series, which remains the theme song, composed by Nicholas Britell), and the look on Logan’s face as he learns his son can be the kind of killer he can respect after all.

As Twitter user @ohJuliaTweets tweeted last month: “Do people understand that if they don’t wear their masks and physically distance we’re never going to get a third season?”

ALSO NEW ON DVD SEPT. 15 “Killing Eve, Season 3”: The groundbreaking queer cat-andmouse drama series created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge continues as Dasha (Harriet Walter) pressures assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) to

come back to work as now-ex-MI6 agent Eve (Sandra Oh) tries to stay under the radar.

“Weathering with You”: Animated film follows a boy who encounters a girl who can change the weather around her. In Japanese.

“21 Jump Street”: The 2012 film starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, as well as its “22 Jump Street” sequel, is being released on 4K Ultra HD. “Becky”: A rambunctious teen (Lulu Wilson) confronts a ruthless home invader (Kevin James) while visiting her father (Joel McHale).

“A House Divided, Season 2”: Soap opera follows the scandals of the Sanders family.

“No Safe Spaces”: Documentary follows Adam Carolla and Dennis Prager touring college campuses to discuss free speech.

“Outlander: Season Five”: The time-traveling Starz drama series returns after Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and Roger’s (Richard Rankin) wedding.

“Outpost: Season 2”: In the second season of the CW fantasy series,

sions of “Pet Sematary,” “The Stand,” “The Dead Zone” and “Silver Bullet.”

“Tommaso”: An artist living in Italy (Willem Dafoe) struggles with addictions and martial problems with a much-younger wife (Cristina Chiriac).

OUT ON DIGITAL HD SEPT. 15 “Wheels”: A young Brooklyn man (Arnstar) dreams of becoming a famous DJ while caring for his family in a tough neighborhood.

Sarah Snook and Brian Cox, star in “Succession.”

HBO

Talon (Jessica Green) must face the evil Prime Order trinity.

“Roman Holiday”: The 1953 rom-com starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck is being released on Blu-ray with a new restoration.

“Stephen King 5-Movie Collection”: Collection includes both ver-

OUT ON DIGITAL HD SEPT. 18 “Mambo Man”: A Cuban farmer/ music promoter risks it all on an enticing deal. Stars Idolka de Erbiti, Yudexi De La Torre Mesa and Mo Fini. In Spanish.

“Murder in the Woods”: Teenagers fight to survive in a cabin in the woods.

“Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs”: Computer-animated film follows a woman who must save a group of princes who have been turned into dwarfs. Features voice talents of Chloe Grace Moretz, Sam Claflin, Gina Gershon and Jim Rash.

CITY LIFE

THE NEXT DRAFT

As new-look Pats open season, Wormtown prepares for a quieter Patriot Place MATTHEW TOTA

T

L I F E S TY L E

could have been a lot worse if not for the support the brewery received from Patriot Place, according to Fields.

“I cannot say enough just how amazing Brian Earley (vice president and general manager), who runs Patriot Place, and the Kraft family have been as partners from the minute we heard the word ‘coronavirus,’” Fields said. “They have been phenomenal partners to all of their tenants at

Patriot Place, from the support they gave us when we were shut down, as well as every other restaurant, to the continued support they are providing everyone to help get us back on our feet until things return to normal.”

All this is to say Wormtown will not be following the Patriots schedule — Sunday the team is in Seattle — as closely as it did last season. And the safest move for the brewery is to avoid prognosticating.

“I’ve never had expectations for anything,” Fields said. “Setting expectations for yourself is setting yourself up for failure. We’re going to offer great beer and hopefully people come and join us.”

Visit https://www.facebook.com/ WormtownBreweryPatriotPlace/ for the most up-to-date information on Wormtown’s Patriot Place taproom, including hours and new beer releases.

on the menu — the driftwood and the porcelain pig figurine that sat behind me on a shelf — the sparkle of black subway tile and the glow of the kitchen. I ate lobster Cantonese with my hands. I cut off little pieces of the bison hanger steak and reveled in each bite as something so far out of my reach as a home cook. I let the Tougas Farm peach turnover wash over me in a confectionery flood.

My husband is the kind of guy who always leaves the party 10 minutes before he wants to. I’m the kind of girl who stays 10 minutes too long. I tried to linger at deadhorse, mask and all, but he promised we’d come back someday soon, and then it was over.

The coronavirus restrictions have not broken me of my restaurant addiction, but they have helped me to become more exacting. We are all hungry for new experiences and old favorites. I won’t waste my time or money on anything less.

Chashu Ramen + Izakaya opened last week at 38 Franklin St. in Worcester.

SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

19

but it made me feel like my old self.

The next night, I entered my second Worcester restaurant since March for a sit-down dinner. Like the previous evening, I wore a mask as I moved through the restaurant to take my seat at a carefully spaced table in the dining room. Whereas Chashu had been a feast for my eyes because of its newness, deadhorse hill mesmerized me out of reminiscence. There, inside those four walls was a place I recognized. It was like meeting up with an old friend.

I took mental snapshots of the teapot of hydrangeas and the font

PHOTO COURTESY OF WORMTOWN BREWERY

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 16

The Wormtown Brewery at Patriot Place.

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

he New England Patriots looked a little different Sunday with Tom Brady gone and Cam Newton under center, but the team was no less exciting to watch.

Devoid of fans, Gillette Stadium, too, must have looked strange. Yet the fake crowd noise and thousands of empty seats did not make the turf any less hallowed.

And at Wormtown Brewery’s Patriot Place digs, a short walk from the stadium, the taproom was not as rowdy as you would expect on the Sunday of a Patriots home opener.

Still, the taps flowed with more than a dozen beers, including two sour ales brewed on site, and, as the game played inside, the staff was just as energized despite seeing a fraction of the customers they normally would on a football Sunday.

As its Patriot Place taproom turns two, Wormtown is bringing the same confidence and enthusiasm to Foxborough as it did before the pandemic. Sure, the brewery expects smaller numbers on Sundays throughout the season. But during the week, the taproom is lurching back to life, slowly seeing more people. Meanwhile, the seven-barrel brewhouse has not slowed down.

“We’re seeing as much as 25% to 45% more foot traffic each week,” said Wormtown managing partner David Fields. “It’s still nowhere near where it was January-February be-

fore COVID, but it’s getting better. As Patriot Place gets busier, we’ve also got a ton of innovation coming out of that seven-barrel system in small batches. Every other day we’re releasing a new beer.”

In terms of gameday sales, the drop-off from last season to this year figures to be dramatic, Fields said.

For home games this year, Wormtown has planned to do about 33% what it did in an hour during the pregame last season. For the entire day.

While the lost revenue for home games hurts, it in no way forces Wormtown to pull back from its investment in Patriot Place. As hard as it is to believe, the brewery’s decision to open a second taproom in the shadow of Gillette was not based solely on eight home games a year.

Thursday through Sunday before COVID-19, the 250 Patriot Place brewery generally netted double the revenue of Wormtown’s Worcester taproom.

Then there’s the new brewhouse Wormtown has dedicated to small batch experimental beer: It’s tiny compared to the one in Worcester; but over the last few months, it has been busier, pumping out batches upon batches of new beer. Last week, it was a key lime pie sour.

“Honestly, we’re brewing too much,” Fields said, only half-joking.

Wormtown risked a lot in opening a second location, and having to close it for on-premise consumption for more than five months was difficult. The taproom hadn’t even been open a full year at that point. Things

CITY LIFE

ADOPTION OPTION Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes.

WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030.

ANJIE COATES FURRY TAILS GROOMING SALON & SPA

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S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

This beauty is Isabella. Isabella came to the shelter back in February and it was discovered that she was pregnant. After giving birth to 8 healthy and happy puppies, caring for them and seeing them off to their new homes, now it’s her turn. From what we can tell about Isabella, she has not had an easy life. She is looking for a very experienced owner who will commit to training that WARL will be providing for her. Isabella seems to be more trustworthy of women and can be picky about the dogs she chooses to get along with. Her new owner will need to meet her multiple times and display strong handling skills. Isabella is special to both staff and volunteers and deserves a second chance at a loving life. She is an energetic dog who loves to play with toys. She would love to go home with someone who can provide structure and a lot of physical activity for her. Isabella is looking for an adult only home with no other animals. If you would like more information or you would like to set up a meet and greet with her, please contact our Dog Program Coordinator at sara@worcesterarl.org.

WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of March 25, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected.

• ADOPTIONS: At this time, adoptions are being held BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are interested in adoption, please visit our website worcesterarl.org/adopt/ to learn more about our available animals then call us at (508) 853-0030 ext.0 or email us at info@worcesterarl.org to schedule an appointment.

• Casual visits to the shelter are prohibited.

We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation... finding homes for animals in need.

• ANIMAL SURRENDERS: Our business practice for surrendering a pet remains the same. All pet owners must contact WARL in advance of surrendering a pet. Please call (508) 853-0030.

• SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All scheduled appointments will be honored. If you have a scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you to discuss changes to our drop off/pick up procedures.

• DONATIONS: We will not be accepting linens of any kind or used, stuffed dog toys. While we are grateful for your thoughtfulness, we will not accept these donations if brought to the shelter.

• Pet food, cat litter, and other shelter supplies will be essential in continuing to provide for our animals and to assist community members in need. To avoid unnecessary travel and exposure, items can be purchased online from our Amazon Wishlist - https://www.amazon.com/gp/ registry/wishlist/3AX342JIL73M0

• Weekly training classes are suspended until further notice.

• The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended. All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can.

We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@worcesterarl.org.

Thank you for your continued FURiendship and support.

GAMES

J O N E S I N’

42 Sault ___ Marie Canals 44 Candle type 45 He might heal your hamster 49 “Se ___ español” 50 “___ wisely” 52 Reptilian warning 54 Clueless response 56 Obesity drug Orlistat, over the counter 58 Not too many 60 Business degs.

61 Stripper’s fixture 62 “The Neverending Story” author Michael 63 Jimmy of meat products 65 Half of an eternal balance 66 Movie studio filming site

Last week's solution

21

©2010, 2020 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1006

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

2 Song from Sarah McLachlan’s “Surfacing” 3 Highland Games garb 4 “At Last” blues singer ___ James 5 Prez on the dime 6 Kitschy '70s plug-ins 7 Part of AARP 8 “___ the fields we go ...”

9 “Mad Money” network 10 Job search insider 11 Spurred (on) 12 Hull wreckers 15 Stringy cleaner 17 Footballer Manning 18 “Isn’t that something?”

23 ___ Lobos 25 California/Nevada attraction 27 The whole thing 28 Burrito add-on, for short 29 Fashionable sandal 30 Drive-thru drink with a plastic dome 32 Villainous surname in the Super Mario Bros. series 34 Request to the dealer 36 Manufacturer of electronics for kids 37 What automobile interiors Down 1 Constantly napping member may drown out 38 Geologic time periods of The Wiggles

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

Enjoy Fun By The Numbers puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Across 1 Maggie Gyllenhaal’s brother 5 Tallahassee’s st.

8 Earthy yellow shade 13 Fix text 14 “___ Boot” 15 Weasel out (on) 16 “You’d think Band A would hold up, but it’s flimsy.

Band B wins” 19 Like some computer errors 20 Blood type for just over 6% of the U.S. pop.

21 They follow B 22 Unable to work, perhaps 24 CPR pro 26 Comp. storage sites 27 Forever, it seems 31 “Charter” tree 33 Diamond Head locale 35 “Band B wins, since Band A only has a tolerance for booze” 39 Wash against, as the shore 40 Cutesy-___ 41 Four Holy Roman Emperors 43 “Drop Band A on Band B? Band B wins, no contest” 46 1920s design style 47 Suffix for orange or lemon 48 Gaelic tongue 49 “Ben-___” (movie classic) 51 Shaker ___, OH 53 Furthest degree 55 Fertile Crescent locale 57 Golfer Aoki 59 Did some diamond inspecting?

64 “Band B wins, because it’s pointy and doesn’t digest well” 67 Early actress Langtry 68 Dir. opp. WNW 69 “Scientific American Frontiers” host Alan 70 Didn’t dine out 71 “Slippery When ___” (Bon Jovi album) 72 Spotted

“Battle of the Alternative Bands”--predictions on who would win. [#464, Apr. 2010]

By Matt Jones

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Where do I find such cool stuff and helpful services?

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LAST CALL

Cathy DiPilato founder of B-Organic C

DYLAN AZARI

athy DiPilato is the founder of B-Organic, a local company that makes organic cotton produce bags. DiPilato uses organic cotton grown without toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. All of her bags are 100% non-bleach, organic cotton and they are G.O.T.S certified (Global Organic Textile Standard).

How many states are your bags sold in? All of the New England states, and I just recently started reaching out to Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. I’m also in Florida and Michigan.

Did they find you online? Yes and no. I went to the Big-E last year and I set up a booth where I met a lot of different people who had traveled from everywhere.

I also went to the Boston Public Market. A lot of people come to visit their families for the holidays.

Really, from those locations, my business began growing.

How has COVID impacted your business? When COVID came into effect, it whiplashed me because they were afraid in the beginning that recyclable bags could carry the virus. They took all my products off of the shelves for a good three or four months. I went from making really great money and making great strides to making zero. It really, really hurt me.

I decided I just needed to rethink my whole plan. I’ve gone more wholesale. I don’t make as much money, but I definitely have been keeping busy and, hopefully, I can stay afloat now.

processor together and began whipping up a formula with all of the stuff that I researched about fruit flies. It worked. I passed out my little fruit fly bags for my Facebook friends to try. I asked them to report back to me in a week. I gave out 50 bags and all 50 of them were like, “Oh my! My food flies fled within 30 minutes.”

Can you tell me about your new product, Bye Bye Fruit Flies?

The fruit flies at my house were driving me nuts. It made me feel like I had a dirty house, which I don’t. It was just driving me crazy.

I started researching what fruit flies don’t like and what smells disperse them. I got my food

I’m just imagining a swarm of them booking it from your house. How long does the bag keep them away?

I guarantee each bag for eight weeks, but I’ve had mine for three months and the flies are still gone.

Sometimes I set out a little container of apple cider vinegar.

But, then the flies are all dead and floating. It’s gross. My bags actually repel the fruit flies. Who knows where they go?

– Sarah Connell Sanders

23

How did you solve the problem?

Every Wednesday we painted. It was just kind of our thing that we did. And one Wednesday I

baking soda. It took me about six months to figure out how to actually make ink without it running.

Everything I currently make is made out of rotten food that the grocery stores would normally throw away. From there, it just blossomed.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Wow, I’ve never heard that before. I started making my own bags out of organic cotton. They seemed to be making the food last longer. The kids were like, “Well, that’s great, but now we have no idea what’s inside these cotton bags because we can’t see through them.” As a result, we were still having the same problem where they were over-buying food when they would go grocery shopping.

said, “OK, instead of painting on canvas, why don’t we paint on the produce bags that we made and we’ll paint your favorite fruit and see if that works.” It became something really fun to do together. We painted avocados and then we put the avocados in the avocado bag.

And before we knew it, they were actually eating all the food they bought because they knew what was inside each bag. I thought, “If this is working for us, it has to work for other people too.” I started going to the local farmers markets and selling the bags.

More people would come by every week. I was still trying to pennypinch. The kids explained to me, “In China, we take fruits and vegetables and convert them into inks.” We decided to try it out. We were painting with the fruits and vegetables, but the problem was, if we washed the bags, the ink was bleeding. We started adding some flour and some sugar and some

S E P T E M B E R 17 - 23, 2020

How long have you been in Worcester? I’ve lived in Worcester my whole entire life. I’m a serial entrepreneur, always trying different businesses and some of them fail, but some of them are successful.

In January of 2018, unfortunately, I became very sick and I was hosting children from China. They were going to school in Worcester and they were living at my home. When I became really sick, I started realizing that I didn’t have the extra money to waste any food. I was throwing away food every single solitary week. I would open up the refrigerator and there would be cucumbers in plastic bags that had gotten disgusting and gross. They looked like sludge. My aunt, who was 98 at the time, said, “Oh, you know, years ago we’d use flour sacks.” So I said, “Oh, OK. Maybe that’ll work.”

I went out and bought some flour sacks and that didn’t work because the flour sacks were very thick and they were still making the food get moldy. I started researching how to make food last longer and that’s how I learned about organic cotton bags.

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