Florida.

I'm in Tallahassee doing field work that requires me to ask people for temporary access to their property to conduct noise measurements. Florida is a funny place. Evidential anecdotes:

1. 'Brother' Williams of the Jehovah's Witness Church glances at the official letter I have, doesn't read it, but asks me if everything I'm doing is "legal and proper."
2. Resident #1 presents a dissertation on why my ambient measurements will not be valid in the near future, based on the confluence of events in City politics he has foreseen. Same resident offers a Xerox copy of a photograph of his brother in a soundproof booth. He gives me a water.
3. Resident #2 gives me a blue Gatorade, and with a twinkle in his eye, apologizes that he doesn't have anything to smoke. Later, as he and his girlfriend are driving away, I ask if I can return the next afternoon for more readings. His girlfriend's jaw drops as he says, "Sure, but I won't be here. That's okay, though. Just leave me a joint somewhere!"
4. Resident #3 looks at me skeptically, as every resident always does. Then, for the first time since starting this gig eight years ago, he asks to see some identification. Perhaps inappropriately, I started laughing, because, as I told him, this should have happened dozens of times before this! We got on pretty well after that.
5. Resident #4 asks me hopefully, "If there's too much noise, will they have to buy me out?" His wife gives me a water.
6. Resident #5 informs me of the next-door neighbor whose door I just knocked on, "Well, she's not home because she's deceased."

I'm sure there will be more events tommorow. If you're lucky, you'll read about them this year.