Retreat to Goodisville 2013: Going Down There

"True Thug-4-Life": One of the highlights of every Goodis tour.

It's back! And bigger than ever! What used to be a humble graveside tribute to Philly noir legend David Goodis has blossomed into a full-on noir adventure on wheels we call "Retreat to Goodisville," and this year's installment promises to be even crazier.

Here's the deal: at 10 a.m., Saturday January 5th, 2013 (nearly the 46th anniversary of Goodis's death) we'll be meeting just outside The Grey Lodge Pub, 6235 Frankford Avenue in Northeast Philly. A coach bus will take 30 of us up to the Goodis grave in nearby Bensalem, PA. Bring your favorite Goodis passage, because at the man's grave we'll be paying tribute to him by reading excerpts from his work. Then it's back on the bus for a tour of prime Goodis locations, including the house where he lived with his parents (and wrote most of his novels), his birthplace, street corners and landmarks mentioned in Shoot the Piano Player (a.k.a. Down There). Plus, on the bus we'll have guest speakers, prizes, and beer. (Yes, we're allowed to imbibe on the bus. Lou checked!) Finally, we'll end up back at the Grey Lodge for beer and snacks.

Want a seat on the bus? We're asking for $50 per person to cover transportation, beer, soft drinks, bus snacks, prizes and incidentals. Seating is limited, so drop me a line at duane DOT swier AT verizon DOT net (with the subject line, "Retreat to Goodisville 2013") and I'll send you an address where you can send a check to reserve your seat.

Don't want to enjoy the warmth and camaraderie of the bus? No worries; Goodis's characters were loners, too. Meet us at the grave site and we'll give you a list of our tour stops so you can join in. But trust me: the bus is going to be worth it. Early January in Philadelphia tends to be pretty damn cold.

Lou and I hope to see you many of you guys there. Any questions? Drop me a line. I'll post a follow-up when the bus is full, which based on our early head count, should be fairly soon.