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Journey to Ukazoo-Slide 13

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King Me

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide 13: King Me

Aware of the crowd expected for the four-day Seventh Annual Checker Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, I called in advance to reserve one of the last available rooms.

A 3rd floor room with balcony, gave me a birds eye view of an expansive brick courtyard where the final Adult vs. Adult and Adolescent vs. Adolescent Championship elimination rounds were held outdoors. Once the respective champions were announced, the much anticipated special “Adult Champion vs. Adolescent Champion Face Off” would commence on the final evening of the Tournament..

Last night, returning champ Linus B. Larra, won his final match to become the now seven time undefeated adult champion. Earlier today, against all odds of a family match-up, David, his son became the adolescent champion. Linus has never lost a best of five “Face Off” match”. He also has never lost a checker game to his son.

Game One began. Move after move met with soft ooh’s and aah’s, and occasionally punctuated by the roar of the crowd each time a player shouted “King Me”.

Linus, easily winning the first game, strutted around the courtyard like a rooster, pointing at his custom made “I am the Checker Champ-You’re not” T-shirt, and crowing “Yes, Yes, Yesssssss”

The second game was close but David just managed to win by taking advantage of an overconfident dad. This time a more somber Linus stayed in his seat stewing over his lost, waiting for game three to begin. David, defeating his Dad for the first time, wore a soft smile and a spark of confidence was ignited as he too, waited for game three to begin.

Game Three also started out very close but somehow, Linus, deep in concentration, failed to see his son’s corner set-up move and David was able to sneak a lone checker in for a second “King”. That move tipped the game into David’s favor and he continued on to clinch his second straight win, thus sending Linus into a full fledged tirade.

Down two games to one, Linus won the coin toss for first move of a crucial, must win, Game Four.

I took this picture as David struck with the game’s first “King me”. Linus, already having lost several of his pieces was livid and starting to lose his composure.

David, sensing the “thrill of victory”, made a bold calculated move to the left side, sacrificing his “King”, to strengthen his pieces on the board for an attack on the right side.

It worked, Linus bit at the ruse and didn’t realize his mistake till he lifted his son’s “King” off the board. David, over the next five moves against what little resistance Dad could muster, had called out “King Me” twice, before a stunned adult crowd and an elated audience of kids.

Linus, assured a certain defeat of game and match, rose from his seat and leaving his frustration behind, walked around the table to graciously shake his son’s hand. Linus found himself, with a tear swelling up, extremely proud of his son.

The crowd was ecstatic.

What a wonderful night.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday Evening.

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide 12

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Four Dancer's

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide 12: Four Dancer’s

 

My stay in Weidup, Arizona has been rain, Rain, and more RAIN. A slow steady rain with very few pauses. Two events I was interested in attending were canceled. The first, a two day outdoor Arts and Crafts fair on the outskirts of town, canceled due to rain. The other event, a Bluegrass concert some 40 miles North, in Kingman, also canceled due to the lead singer’s unexpected elopement with the lead guitar player.

With a third day of rain, reading, working in the sketch book and aware of a “Twitting the Thumbs” mood creeping in, I made my way down to Ned’s Diner for a late lunch.

Missing the bulk of the lunch crowd, the place was relativity empty except for two behind the counter teenagers, Phil and Rita, as their names tags implied. As they took their lunch brake, once things were slowed down, two of their friends, Nancy and Larry stopped in to join them.

Phil and Rita already caught my attention with their behind-the-counter levity but together the four turned it up a notch. Silly, laughing, goofy, and at times clowning around with their food.

During their display of comedic actions, one of their trays worked it’s way off the table and created quite a mess. I was near enough that I helped them clean it up. A conversation developed and despite a substantial age difference, the mood, talk, and the laughs between us made it relativity easy to become friends.

Rita asked if I would be interested in seeing, this evening, a High School dance recital they were involved in. The “One Night Only” recital was sold out but Nancy’s older sister took off unexpectedly to audition for an opening of lead singer in a now very shorthanded Bluegrass band, so an extra ticket was available.

I couldn’t  imagine what was in store for me based on the type of characters they had already projected in the diner.

During the recital, I was extremely impressed by the set design and chorography, as well as the level of expertise and commitment by all the students involved.

Phil made a singular contribution to a jazz piece and teamed up with Nancy for a 50’s bebop number. Rita and Larry did a beautiful ballroom waltz. Together, these four, as noted in the program conceived, choreographed and presented the finale, a tribute to an early 1900’s composer, Henry Kimball Hadley. They selected parts of three Symphonies he wrote, to form a Music/Dance medley that would involve all four of them both in the title as well as dance.

I took this picture as they performed their interpretation of the first classical piece entitled “Youth and Life”, which was followed by “The Four Seasons” and “North, East, South, West”.

After the recital and getting their well deserved hugs and congratulations they gradually transformed back to the four goof-ball teenagers I had encountered at the diner, the laughs and silliness back in top form. They even managed to make their way over as I was leaving and we shared several words and laughs before parting company.

In a few short hours I had become very good friends with a very special foursome, funny what a rainy day can bring.

 

Art Notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday.

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide 11

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Journey to Ukazoo

 

Albuquerque Flower

Slide 11: Albuquerque Flower

 Checked into a Pueblo style Bed & Breakfast in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and spent the following day visiting several Art Galleries. After a late afternoon dinner I returned to the Inn, fixed a cup of tea, snatched up the few remaining cookies set out earlier in the day for guests, and moseyed out to the courtyard to relax and read a book.

Before settling in, I caught sight of the many varieties of cactus and flowering plants scattered throughout the garden area.

The Inn’s host, Archimedes’, or Archie as everyone called him, had also wandered out and seeing my interest, directed me towards a very distinct flower. Said he had no idea where it came from or what type of flower it was, and never had any idea when it might bloom.

Just happened to be one of those “in the right place at the right time” moments. 

Archie went back into the house to start prepping for the next day’s breakfast and I went to get the camera.

As I took this picture of the flower, I couldn’t help but overhear several voices at the far end of the courtyard. Making my way a little closer I became privy to a meeting of several roadrunners. The conversation centered on coordinating a family reunion picnic while they perused several area maps and global satellite imaging printouts to ascertain choice locations that might be relativity safe from a rather persistent coyote. They also were in the process of setting up a computer generated GPS tracking system. Intrigued, I couldn’t help but ask how the need for a tracking system fit into the scheme of things.

With hushed voices and over the wing looks they informed me that they had hacked into the coyote’s email account and found he was due to receive a shipment of PED’s from someplace in Florida, which he used to increase his stamina for extended chases.

They had also, by selling lemonade disguised as Boy Scouts, earned enough money to make a rather large “donation” to the local UPS driver, and just this morning intercepted the package of PED capsules. Quickly inserting a GPS microchip into one of the capsules, which when swallowed would trigger a 24 hour activation period, they would be able to monitor this pesky coyote’s location and movements.

Granted the picnic was contingent on when the Coyote took the tampered capsule, hence,  daily monitoring of it’s activation on the GPS tracking system was imperative and everything, picnic wise, was prepped and made ready for departure at a moments notice.

That was Wednesday, and on Sunday morning, there was a major commotion going on outside the Inn. I rushed out to witness the beginnings of a major roadrunner convoy. Carts, wagons, bikes,  scooters, on foot, everything packed and set in motion as they had sent word that Operation REUNION was activated, the coyote was now being tracked, and a fix on the safest place to picnic was verified.

Later that evening while having a glass of wine and finishing the book, I became aware of one tired but extremely happy group of roadrunners returning from a marvelous day of fun, sun, food, and most importantly coyote free.

 Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday.

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide Ten

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Spilled Milk

Slide Ten: Spilled Milk

 I didn’t start driving till late in the evening and after just a few hours, as I neared Roswell, New Mexico by some back roads, I started to feel a heaviness in my eyelids. Rather than risk falling asleep at the wheel I found a small secluded spot and pulled off the road. As I worked to find a comfortable position to catch a little nap I noticed the dim glow of a light up in the distance hills. Curious, I left the van and climbed towards it. As I inched over a small rise I saw, nestled between two stands of rocks, a very unique metal and glass home and just outside the entrance was a family standing around a small camp fire getting ready to make s’mores.

Startled by my presence, they nonetheless extended a warm welcome and an offer to join them for dessert.

Engaged in a “Getting to know one another” conversation while prepping for the s’mores, they recounted how while en route to a vacation destination they noticed the need to find a place for refueling. They had just pulled out of Warp Drive and needed to make a turn as they approached Milky Way which would get them to the next fueling station.

Henri (the husband/dad) insisted that they turn left against everyone’s else’s opinion to turn right and after traveling for several ‘Light hours’ realized they were lost. They ran out of fuel just as they arrived in this area and had no choice but to pull in and park.

That was 66 earth years ago. With no identification and possibly here illegally they decided to set up home in these hills while working to reconfigure their communication system so they might go home. Over all this time their system has produced only static, but as of late they have managed to filter in some classic “60’s” songs.

Their only close encounter with people was when they first arrived. The kids were out flying a rather large balloon they had made and out of nowhere some local farmer shot it down.

They have avoided anyone ever since.

I asked where home was and they quickly responded in unison “France”.

As the parents went to get a photo album to show me some pictures of their earlier travels, a couple of the older kids started to boast about how they could do this levitation thing with their glass of chocolate milk. The younger ones rolled their eyes and dared one of them to do it.

I took this picture just as Mom came back to find a rather audacious but failed levitation attempt.

A not-so-happy Mom proceeded to scold them, not just for the spilled milk but because they should know that the intergalactic law for levitation is “no one under 16 years old is allowed to do it-period”. Besides being sixteen, she reminded them, there are several hands-off training courses and tests required prior to obtaining a license before you can levitate any objects on your own.

She sent them all off to bed without any dessert, but after they were all tucked in, she at least, with a wink, allowed Dad to read them a favorite bedtime story, the universally acclaimed children’s book, “The Little Prince”.

Later, back in the van and on the road, I reflected on the evening of conversation and several dozen album photo’s of star systems, which prompted a passing question. Were they really from France?

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday.

Blog: http://www.craiglhaupt.com

Likes and Follows are welcome.

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide Nine

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The Frog Race

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide Nine: The Frog Race

 

Stopped in Kermit, Texas, the same week they were host to the State Fair. Spent most of the weekend wandering around taking in the sights and indulging in cotton candy, pizza and a favorite, Fried Dough. One booth featured Swedish Meatballs, but I’ll be darned if I could understand a thing the guy behind the counter was saying. Passed on the Meatballs and opted for a Blueberry Muffin at the next stand and it was sensational, to say the least.

Not everything was eating, I enjoyed a few games on the midway and relaxed to some great music-a smidgen of Country, a touch of Bluegrass, a band that played old Animal tunes, Blues and even a little Gospel which was very inspirational.

Events for Sunday, the last day of the fair, featured a host of frog related events such as Lily Pad Jumping, Snatch a Fly With One Flick, and the new How High Can A Frog Leap entry. Then in the evening, the final and ever popular main event, The Frog Race.

It was a clear night, Flood lights lit the field, and a jam packed crowd, primed for the main event, was growing wild with anticipation. Money changing hands and bookies writing like crazy as the champion from the next county over was to face off against the hometown favorite. Working the stands were soda, beer and popcorn vendors and at the top of one section were two old guys leveling insults at the visiting frog’s fans. Earlier they had also heckled a comedian working the intermission and most of the crowd happened to agree, he was barely funny.

At the sound of the starter’s pistol, I took this picture just as the frogs were dropped at the start line and began to jump for the finish line, but it wasn’t long before the cheering started to subside as people started to realize you couldn’t tell the two frogs apart. Concern and disarray swept the crowd. Confusion over possible misplaced bets ensued. As the frogs crossed the finish line and the race ended, the crowd was in a near state of panic, the Judges and owners convened and it was determined that both frogs were twins, each going to a new home when tadpoles and each assuming a different last name, so no one knew they were related.

One of Kermit’s more upstanding citizens, Sam, blessed with sharp eagle eyes was asked to check each of the frogs and he found, on the underside of the winning frog’s chin, a very faint birthmark in the shape of an alligator. The Judges decided to delay the final results while they waited on their request to fax over the birth records to determine which frog had the birthmark.

The crowd waiting, the comedian gone, so with a chicken sandwich in hand, I wandered around.

Half an hour later, the fax was in and raced over to the judges stand. By the roar of the crowd there was no mistake that the winner and birthmark belonged to the hometown frog. Hoisted up on shoulders, the frog was paraded all over the fairgrounds, creating a mood that was truly celebrational.

What a night. What a lot of eating-cotton candy, fried dough, pizza, chicken and of course, those wonderful muffins.

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday.

Facebook: Craig L Haupt

Likes and Shares are welcome.

All towns and cities are real with the exception of Rachel, Tenn.

 

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide Eight

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The Letter

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide Eight: The Letter

 Stopped in Waurika, Oklahoma, and found a wonderful rustic looking Bed & Breakfast. Later in the day as I returned to the inn after a walk I found several of the guests conversing in the Dining area. Much of the conversation centered around trying to find a fourth for Pinochle, and not just any Pinochle but Double Deck Partners. Without hesitation I jumped at the opportunity.

Chad, Mitchell, and Trey, as my partner sat down in the dining area to begin playing and it was during our game that John, a rather quiet but slightly emotional owner of the B & B opened a letter from his wife. She had, several days ago, gone to visit and help out a sick friend of theirs. John proceeded to read about his wife’s stay and how during the caring for their friend “she gave thought to what it would be like to fall in love with him and continue to stay even after he had regained his health”. That, upon her decision to stay, she would ask you to “box up and mail all my belongings” and would you “send the checkbook as I would need money to buy fancy new shoes and clothes” and also “have someone bring over the cat too”. The page concluded with “These were some of numerous thoughts that went through my head”.

Reading this created several outbursts of, “oh me’s” “What did I do wrong” and “How could she’s”. I took this picture after John had dropped the letter and he started into the “should I end my life” phase of moaning. Janet, a frequent guest who was sitting nearby, was concerned enough to pick up the dropped letter and looking closely saw that two pages were pressed so close together you thought it was just one sheet. Janet took it upon herself to separate the pages, calm John down, and insist that he read the second page his wife had written that started out with the sentence “but that didn’t happen, couldn’t and wouldn’t happen” and went on about how she found a “reaffirmation of love for John….”.

After the major drama of the letter had subsided and we went back to our game, John regained his composure, relaxed with a glass (or three) of wine, retired to the kitchen to bake a batch of chocolate chips cookies to share, and took requests for drinks. I asked if per chance he had a bottle of a local brewed root beer. He did.

Double Deck Pinochle, exceptional Pinochle players, home baked Chocolate Chip Cookies, local brand of bottled Root Beer. I would have to say that this was one of those-’It doesn’t get any better than this” moments.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday.

Likes, Shares, and Comments are welcome.

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide Seven

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How to Spin a Top

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide Seven: How to Spin a Top

 It was evening when I pulled into Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Found a restaurant to get a bite to eat and at the next table over I met a couple, Jack and Kelly. After getting to know them, I was cordially invited to their son’s debut the next day of trying to spin a top for the first time, in front of family and friends, since reading a recently acquired instruction book.

To his family the act of top spinning was as important as learning to read and write, and for several generations they had won various trophies at Top Spinning competitions. Yet their son, Kirk, could not master top spinning-not even with the help of relatives, friends, How to Books, after school programs or even “In Your Sleep” instructional tapes.

His repeated failures to master the art of top spinning had effected him personally and I was told there was a period several years back in ‘01 to ‘03, after a very close friend had moved away, that his depression became so bad that even all the different types of tops he purchased were predominantly blue in color. Family and friends helped him through those rough years but outwardly you could still see the lingering effects of that period.

The instruction book he received was from a long lost cousin in Spain was based on some rather abstract ideas. The book took standard Top spinning instructions and illustrations and rearranged them in ways he had never seen before but to his mind they breathed an air of clarity where all other straight forward instructional techniques had failed.

I took this picture of Kirk, as a set up shot. He had just finished spinning his top for the first time but he wanted the picture to represent the reading of the book as the true reason he was finally able to spin the top successfully.

Afterwards, Kirk told me he felt like a weight had been lifted and he was walking on a bed of roses after being so down and blue for so long. He also decided that he was now intent on mastering Chapter 12, “Seven Steps to Spin a Top on a 3”x 3” Cube”. The cube is to him one of the more challenging tricks but after considering all the steps, if he took away “Two” the method became even clearer.

Great family, will miss them. After breakfast tomorrow its onward to Ukazoo.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday.

Facebook community page-Craig L Haupt

Blog-www.craiglhaupt.com

Likes, Comments, and Shares are welcome.

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide Six

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Blueberry Earrings

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide Six: Blue Berry Earrings

Stopped at a corner market on Canal Street, just off the Turnpike in Yazoo (not to be confused with Ukazoo) City , Mississippi. While standing in line, I met Cynthia Trout and her boyfriend Rod, a real nice couple. In conversation she mentioned that she has a cat, fish, and a parrot named, Porgy, who would perch on her shoulder and loved to eat pumpkin seed and an occasional worm or maybe even a fly, at least when he could snag one. 

Glancing around the market, a rather minuscule place, the walls were orange, rough and cracked and on the floor over by the scale was a well worn carpet, yet this small but quaint place smelt of fresh baked bread with a whiff of fresh herbs. Behind the counter, wearing a leatherjacket, was Woolly Jones, a tall man who could cast a long shadow on a sunny day. Besides running the register, his duties included making sure stock on the shelves seldom ran out. 

While leaving, we saw a little boy named Ray who was skipping, go by us while yelling Wahoo. Woolly, sharply, but with a smile, told him to scat.

Later I hooked up with Cynthia and Rod at the local waterhole and met their friends, John Dory, Molly Miller and Saul Deans, who, besides learning how to skate in their spare time, were part of tonight’s featured band, Stargazer.

I took this picture of Molly, while she was working to tune a piano she would play later in the set. She was taken a little off guard and on impulse covered her face, as she still held a firm belief that each photo takes a little bit of the soul. Saul would play the drums and John was noted for playing a mean bass as long as he didn’t flounder while checking out the ladies.

Wonderful music, wonderful people. Will stay here another day and then it’s back on the road again.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of Journey to Ukazoo Slides are every Monday.

As noted in Slide One, the Facebook Slide postings 1 to 6 and this Blog post for Slide Six are now aligned and Slide Seven will post to both on Monday, July 15.

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide Five

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Walking to Rachel, Tennessee

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide Five: “Walking to Rachel, Tennessee”

 According to the local radio station K-N-O-W, it’s supposed to be a sunny day, but by my outside observation at a roadside rest stop in Tullahoma, Tennessee, I know, just know, there ain’t going to be no sunshine today.

I took a picture of this gentleman, named Bob, who was walking to Rachel, Tennessee, mainly because his slow and deliberate gait projected a man focused on a singular mission and yet at the same time as a man with a lot on his mind.

I know from what I was able to visually decipher,

I know, he was concerned about a little boy who lost his favorite balloon.

I know he was glad of his decision to allow a young couple to pick flowers from his garden.

I know that if he had stayed home he might have watched the movie “Alligators from Space II”.

I also know that beyond all those thoughts,

I know,

I really know, that foremost on his mind, is where, in Rachel, Tennessee, can he find a place that does Karaoke.

I will be staying overnight in the house of some people I have met and as wonderful as they have been and as wonderful a house that they have, I know it’s just not the same as home.

Well, it’s been four weeks and a touch of homesickness must have crept in but I have a long way to go till I get to Ukazoo and I know thoughts of home will have to be put aside for now. 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide Four

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Veterinarian Office

Slide Four: Veterinarian Office

 By way of some people I met here in Apalachicola, Florida, I had the opportunity to learn how to Scuba Dive for the first time. I had more trouble with the swimfins than anything else, kept stepping on my own feet!

While making my way around the bottom of Apalachicola Bay at the Gulf of Mexico, I found myself swimming into a Veterinarian Office. This is one of a couple of Photo’s I took of the Doctor’s “wading room” that shows someone entering with his pet fish just in time for their scheduled appointment.

Looking around the room, I found I wasn’t surprised by the absence of chairs but I was pleasantly surprised to find among the reading material, the highly regarded book (by undersea architects & designers) “Underwater Decorating” by popular designer and concert aficionado L.T.

For those concerned with the welfare of the pet fish, his visit was to check for any infection from a cut he had received from a rusty nail of an old submerged rowboat. He left the Doc’s office one very happy little fish. Besides no infection, his original band aids were replaced by the latest edition aquaman band aids that would make him the talk of his school.

Air supply getting low, so it’s back to the surface, and later a light evening meal, some good music at the local inn and then back on the road to Ukazoo in the morning.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt