A Maze in Tchaiovna

I went to a lovely poetry reading last night, after a pretty good one the night before because they never co-ordinate these things. But it’s the one last night I want to write about.
It was at the relatively newly re-opened A Maze in Tchaiovna, and it was my first time at this location. It’s a short walk from Dejvicka Metro Station, on Kafkova St., which I find weirdly appropriate. I doubt they chose the location based on the street name, but it’s very cool.
It’s bigger, and even more complex than the last place. On my first futile attempt to find the poetry reading, before going back upstairs to the bar to ask directions, I passed many isolated rooms where people were playing chess, or cards, or just hanging out.
When I found the performance area, which is maybe a bit bigger than the last performance area, but similar. Some tables and chairs, lots of loose chairs, and a corner of couches. The stage is nice and large, and no microphone was needed. It was completely sealed off from outside noise. Perfect.
The thing that struck me right off the bat was that I didn’t know anybody there. Like I said, there’s no co-ordination between these events. I may have seen a couple of them at different poetry events, and talked to a few before the night was through, and one girl came in later who I’d met at the poetry reading last night, but essentially, it was a crowd of random strangers, so I had no idea what to expect when I got up on stage to do my “I’ll Vote Blue No Matter Who just as long as it’s Bernie” song. Well, the reaction was great, everything I could have hoped for. People were clapping along, giving callback to the lines, and I was loving it. It’s like wherever you go, all you have to do is mention Bernie Sanders and all of a sudden you’ve got a mini Bernie Sanders rally on your hands.