I am going to write a little bit about the University of Kansas…..and more specifically, about the K. U. basketball team. Usually, I more or less shy away from writing about a subject like this because everything I have to say is pretty subjective…..and I know it has a tendency to annoy some people….my friends….or to rub them in the wrong direction.

But, then I stop to think. When they talk about their own favorite team….yes, sometimes it annoys me; sometimes it rubs me in he wrong direction….but I know they are in the same position that I am in: they have a favorite team; they are proud of it; they are loyal to it; and they show their pride and loyalty by saying good things about it….and bad things about other teams, such as K. U.

 

 All of this back and forth banter and trash talk is done in “fun”…..and I haven’t lost any good friends over this issue….at least, not very many. There was one rather close call, and I will tell you about it later….if I think of it. Mostly, it is done in fun. I enjoy it….and they enjoy it. It’s just one of those things that friends do.

People pick their “favorite” team(s) in different ways and for different reason. A lot of my friends choose their favorite team because that was the college they graduated from…..or that their children or their parents graduated from. That makes sense. Some people simply jump on the band wagon…..and become “fans” of whatever team happens to be doing well at the time. They always want to be on the winning side, with no really long-lasting loyalties. They change team loyalty like they change their clothes. You have heard the expression: “He must have a clean mind, because he changes it so often.” And, some people cheer for teams for…..well, who knows what reason?: perhaps they like one of their player; or they like the color of their uniforms; or their friend likes that team. And…..some people…..well, they couldn’t care less.

As for me….yes, I do have strong loyalties. And, I do have some good reasons. It is no secret to anybody who knows me that I am a loyal and devoted fan of the University of Kansas. And, I always have been. I can remember lying on my bed in my room back when I was in junior high school listening to the play-by-play of K. U. games on my ancient radio….the kind with electric tubes that had to heat up before you could listen to it.

Now….if you would ask me why I chose K. U. back in those days….and, let’s face it….that was a long time ago….I am not really sure that I could give you a reason. Although one reason might have been…..they were famous. They were being coached by Phog Allen and Dick Harp…..two of the most prominent names in basketball coaching at that time. And, they were good! They won the NCAA title in 1952. Also….they were accessible. Their games were being broadcast on a radio station that we could get out in Sterling, Kansas.

And, the fact is: I have not changed my loyalty in all these many years. But, there is another reason, too. Maybe just as important. After I returned from South Vietnam and started teaching in Valley Falls in 1969, I decided to go back to college to work on a Masters Degree in school counseling. Of course, I chose K. U. I was lucky. My favorite university was within easy driving distance. I took classes every summer and every night after I finished teaching…..for three years! That’s a lot of time. A lot of effort. And a lot of money!

Yeah…..I go back a long ways with the University of Kansas. My loyalty runs deep. I am proud to be a Jayhawk.

I had season tickets for K. U. football games for four years…..up until we started building my house…..and my help was needed on the weekends. But, for those four years, I never missed a game….come heat or sleet, rain or snow. And, we had all four of them. I first started going to K. U. football games with Gene Hanson, who was our P.E. teacher at the time. We finished construction on the house later that year…..but I never did get back into the habit of going to all the football games. I was a home owner….and there were too many other things to do on weekends.

But….K. U. basketball. That is a different story. I went to my first basketball game in winter of 1970. I went with Bill Barnes, who was our high school basketball coach. We parked the car, walked into Allen Field House, walked up to the ticket window…..and bought two tickets! Just like that. The field house was only about half full….and maybe not even that much. We, for all practical purposes, could simply chose own seats. I don’t remember who K. U. played…..but I am pretty sure they won.

What I remember most about that first game was: Wow….here I am in the famous Allen Field House….watching players whose names I had heard only on the radio…..sitting in the same place where Phog Allen had coached and Wilt Chamberlain had played….seeing Max Falkenstein sitting behind a table calling the play-by-play….seeing the old “Beware the Phog” sign for the first time. Allen Field House was the largest building I had been in up to that time…..more than 16,300 seats. Even if the building was only about half occupied. I can remember going to the National Junior College Basketball Tournament in Hutchinson when I was in high school and college. It was held in the Hutchinson Sports Arena, in Hutchinson, KS. It seats 7,600 people. Man….I thought is was huge! We used to go to the top row and look down. We were sitting on top of the world! But it is small compared to Allen Field house…..and when I go to the Sports Arena today…..it still seems small in comparison.

Another of my earliest memories of K. U. basketball was in 1971 when I went with a friend of mine to the one and only Final Four that I have attended. We hopped into my 1970 orange VW Carmen Ghia on a Friday morning and drove to the Houston Astrodome where K U. was playing the following day. It is an all-day trip to Houston…..probably nine or ten hours. We arrived in the late afternoon….not having any idea where The Astrodome was located. By some turn of luck we found it pretty easily, probably by following the Interstate until we finally saw it. We parked the car in the parking lot and went inside to buy our tickets. We stepped up to ticket window, which was still open, and asked for two tickets. No questions asked…..the woman handed me two tickets: Aisle 221, Mezzanine Box D, Seats 2 & 3. Each ticket cost $8.00! (I know because I still have the ticket stub.) Can you believe it? Stepping up to the ticket window at a Final Four game the day before a game and buying a ticket for $8.00? Just for a laugh, try that today. Get into your car, drive 761 miles, walk up to the ticket window, ask for two tickets…..and see what happens! They are either going to laugh at you….or call for somebody to bring a strait jacket and take you away. Things have changed a lot. Back then….in 1971…..college basketball was a game. Now it is big business.

The first few years I attended K. U. basketball games, I bought individual tickets. I would choose the games that I wanted to attend and call the ticket office and order the tickets. There was never any problem. And, again, even after we got there, the place was seldom full…..and again, we could pretty much sit wherever we wanted. It was probably about the third year that I had been going to K U. games, that the woman in the ticket office finally asked me, “Why don’t you go ahead and buy season tickets?” By that time, she already knew me because she had talked to me so many times on the telephone. Actually, I had really never thought about buying season tickets. But, it seemed like a good idea….a practical idea, at least. So….I bought two season tickets. This must have been in 1972 or 1973. And……I kept them for the next thirty years…..until I retired in 2003.

The first ticket I bought to a K. U. basketball game cost $5.00. The ticket was for a specific seat…..specific row and seat. But, almost literally, I had the pick of the house in where I wanted to sit. Allen Field House was usually about only half full back in those early days. Except, of course, for games like K. State or Missouri, for example. I don’t remember how much it cost to park, but it probably wasn’t much more than a dollar or two. And, more than likely, it was free. Ticket prices stayed relatively inexpensive, and attendance stayed rather sparse until around 1984 or so. That was when Danny Manning enrolled at K. U. The story changed from that point on. Things were never the same again. A new era in Kansas University basketball had begun.

Starting somewhere in that era, attendance suddenly picked up. And certainly from 1988 forward, Allen Field House has been sold out for every game. That is quite a record. It is now 2014….so that is already more than 25 years. And, along with the increased attendance came an increase in ticket prices. A steady increase. The last year that I bought season tickets, in 2003, the price of a single ticket was $40.00. There are approximately 20 home games a year. A season ticket cost $800.00…..and I had two of them. Let me say a bit about season tickets. Many people are under the impression that if a person buys a season ticket, he gets a discount or lower price. Not true! The only advantage or value in having a season ticket is that a person is assured of a seat…..an assigned seat.

Back in the “old days”, you could almost be assured that when you entered Allen Field House, you were going to receive some sort of souvenir…..a sign to wave, a foam rubber finger, a picture, a magnet….something. Those days area also over. Believe me….nothing is free at K. U. any longer.

It is said….and by a lot of people who have been around….that Allen Field House undoubtedly is one of the best….if not THE best….venues to play basketball in the entire nation. It is loud….and it is raucous. And, it is loud and raucous because of the K. U. fans who fill its 16,300 seats game after game. K. U. fans are basketball-savy fans. They know the game. And, they are demanding fans. They expect their team to win. Winning is a tradition at K. U. Unlike fans of some other universities, K. U. fans do not show up to cheer “against” their opponent. They show up to cheer FOR their Jayhawks.

“Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of “The Phog!” When a person attends a game at Allen Field House, they are attending truly big-time basketball. The atmosphere is electric and alive and dynamic. And, it is steeped with a long history of tradition. Of course, this, for all practical purposes, is where college basketball started. James Naismith, the man who invented the game, was the first coach at K. U. And, there was the long-time coach, the dean of basketball coaches, Phog Allen…..after whom the field house is named.

Allen Field House was dedicated in 1955…..and it has stood the test of time. The field house has been renovated, modernized and updated…..but is has never been basically changed. It is still the Allen Field House that is was in 1955….and probably will always remain that way. Other universities tear down their old field house and replace them with new, sleek, sterile buildings. But Allen Field House retains its history and its tradition…..the tradition that has developed over the years and has made the Kansas University basketball team the 2^nd most winning team in the history of the NCAA.

Kansas University is not a college that constantly changes its basketball coach….unlike the K. U. football team. Since I have been old enough to be aware of….and follow….K.U. basketball, and that is back in the early 50’s….there have been only six head coaches: Phog Allen, Dick Harp, Ted Owens, Larry Brown, Roy Williams, and Bill Self. And, before that….James Naismith, who, ironically, had the only overall losing record of any K. U. basketball coach. Not a bad lineup.

K. U. assistant coaches have gone on to stellar, important, high profile coaching and management position throughout the nation and the world….Bob Hill, John Calipari, and R.C. Buford, just to mention a few of them. And…..former K.U. Players? Wow….the complete list is too extensive to include here. But….how about these, just for examples? Tad Boyle, University of Colorado; Kevin Prichard, Indiana Pacers; Mark Turgeon, most lately at the University of Maryland; Danny Manning, University of Tulsa.

This has been a brief explanation of why I, along with thousands of others, are devoted Jayhawk fans. We know that we are a part of a team and a tradition that we can be genuinely proud of. Of course, I am very much aware that other people are also devoted to their teams….and are also proud of them. That is great. That is the way it should be. Many of my friends support other college programs…..mostly our main in-state rival. My adult professional friends support this “other” team mostly because they attended that university…..no matter how misguided that choice was!

The rivalry that takes place…..all the trash talk….is fun. Sometimes, fierce….but fun. We K. U. fans readily concede they have a better football team. But, we hold a vast superiority in the game of basketball. Jokes fly back and forth….along with friendly insults. Of course, we K. U. fans have a distinct advantage in the area of poking fun and making jokes. What did you major in? Cow milking? What did you get your Masters in? Hay baling? Where did you sleep when you were a student there? In a barn? What did they feed you for lunch? Hay? How do you get to class? On horseback? What is your major sport? Cow chip throwing? Or maybe pig racing? You get the idea…..and have probably even figured out which university I am talking about.

The most insulting thing they can say to us is that we are “snobs”……that we graduated from Snob U. If that is all they have to offer….I can deal with it. After all, we feel we have the right to be just a little bit “snobbish”…..considering that we graduated from K. U.

Like I say…..all this trash talk is fun…..and it goes on all the time. But, over all the years, I don’t think I ever lost a friend because of it. And, I doubt if we will ever stop doing it.

Well….I say that I have never lost a friend. That it is all done in good fun. But, there was one time….the only time…..that somebody took it seriously. One morning when I was still a classroom teacher, I was sitting at my desk when another teacher came into my room.

He/she said, “K. U. is playing Emporia State tonight.”

“Yeah,” I replied, “and they are going to get slaughtered.” Which, to anybody who knows anything about basketball, was merely a truthful observation. I didn’t think any more about it. Why should I?

But, at lunch time, this teacher came into my room…..crying and very upset.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“You’re a mean, hateful person,” she/he said.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, rather shocked…..and also somewhat mystified.

“You said some mean, hateful things about my college,” she/he said.

Wow…..I was speechless. I didn’t know how to respond. This had never happened to me before. I mumbled something about it being a joke…..this happens all the time….it’s all done as fun….while thinking to myself, “What a narrow minded person. They can’t even take a joke.”

Thank Heavens, this was an exception….the only exception that I can think of….to the rule.

What else can I say? It’s great to be part of the Jayhawk Nation. It is great to be a part of such a rich and time-honored tradition…..and to be associated with not only a great basketball program…..but also an equally great university.

In parting….Let me say, “Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of “The Phog!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you a slave to traditional conventions? Do you do things the way everybody else does them? Would you like to try something different…..just a little bit out of the ordinary?

If all of the above are true…..try having a picnic in the winter. Who made the rule that picnics must take place in the summertime? It was probably some sissy who is afraid to try something a little bit out of the ordinary.

So…..rebel. Show your independence. Start the fire….a big one. Buy some hot dogs or hamburger or chicken or steak…..or anything else you like….and get ready to enjoy one of the great adventures of your life. Well….it probably doesn’t compare to getting married, having children, graduating from college or winning Power Ball. But, it is fun.

When Fayez Alruwaili…..my friend and recurring, semi-permanent guest from Saudi Arabia….was at my house during the Thanksgiving break, we bought a new fire ring, which we placed on the covered patio. In our sense of adventure, we couldn’t wait to try it out….and see if it really worked. I mean…..what is there to work? All you have to do is put some wood in it….light it….and let is burn. Anyway, we tried it….and it worked. But….we tried it at night….in the middle of the winter.

We bundled up in our warmest clothing….coat, stocking cap, scarf, gloves…..and set about having our night time cook out. Our first endeavor was rather unimaginative. We roasted hot dogs. But, a person has to start somewhere. We also bought some potato salad, some chips….the scoop kind….and some dip. That sounds like a picnic to me.

What you eat is up to you. Almost anything you can fix in the summer can also be fixed in the winter. We chose to start “simple”. But, we eventually worked our way up to more creative menus.

We sat in front of the fire, trying to keep warm, while holding the two prong hot dog “stick”, with a hot dog on each prong, over the fire. Fayez had never roasted hot dogs before. But, he caught on quickly. I mean…..it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to roast hot dogs.

The fire was burning brightly….flames leaping into the air….as we sat warming our hands….trying to keep warm (and for the most part succeeding)….and eating our hot dogs. It was a calm night, and the lack of wind helped in keeping us warm.

I am sure that our neighbors….and also passers by…..wondered what was going on. Two crazy people sitting on the patio in front of a roaring fire. We we were probably lucky they didn’t call the fire department to come put the fire out. Or a mental institution to come and take us away.

The food tasted good, though. And, the fire was cheery as we sat, ate, talked, and listened to the sounds of the night….the coyotes howl, the neighbors’ dogs bark (mostly at us), and the rustle of the trees as they swayed in the gentle breeze.

This was only a practice run….a warm up drill…..for our trip to the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks during the Christmas holiday. We could have stayed in a motel. That would have cost at least twice as much as staying in a campground, though. And, the experience would not have been a fraction as exciting as staying in a campground.

 As we expected, we were the only campers in both of the campgrounds where we stayed. Several people in large RV’s were already well established at the KOA campground in Springfield, MO. We assumed that there were people living in them. We never actually saw anybody….but lights were on inside the RV’s. Aside from the RV’s, we pretty much had the campground to ourselves. We didn’t have to worry about disturbing other people….and we didn’t have to worry about other people disturbing us. A brave motorcyclist pitched a tent a couple hundred feet from us. But, we never saw him again after he went into his tent.

We bought three bundles of wood at the campground store. At first we bought only two bundles….but added another bundle as an after thought. And, it is a good thing we did. By the time we went into our cabin around midnight…..we had burned all the wood.

We could have stayed in a motel…..but it would have cost more twice as much. We could have gone to a restaurant to eat…..but that would have cost more than three or four times what we paid for our delicious fire-grilled Saudi Arabian meal. In a restaurant, all you do is order your food, eat it….and there is only a limited amount of it…..pay for it, and leave. Here in our campground, we had the joy of preparing our meal. Well, Fayez prepared it….but I had the joy of watching him. And, we had the joy of watching the food cook slowly over an open campfire. And…..most of all…..we had the joy of eating the delicious, tender, tasty food when it had cooked to perfection.

And, one of the greatest joys for me was the dishes…..or NOT having to wash a bunch of dishes. What did we have to wash? Really nothing. We used large plastic forks and knives; we used double strength paper plates; we drank pop from the can; we used used the “scoop chips” for the guacamole. When we were finished eating, we stuffed all of the trash into a bag…..and the dishes were done! Now we could kick back, relax, and enjoy the camp fire….and the cold, crisp night……and secretly laugh at all those people sitting in their RV’s who had not had nearly as much fun as we experienced.

 NO…..I am pretty sure we wouldn’t choose to do this every night. But, on a calm, not-so-frigid night, it is a fun, relaxing thing to do. Something just a little out of the ordinary….something to make other people wonder what is going on…..and something that breaks up the every day routine…..and a way to do some different every once in a while.

Don’t kid yourself. You need to have a big, warm fire. You need to be dressed warmly. And, you need a fairly calm, windless night. After some experimentation, we found that it is preferable to start the fire with charcoal….especially if you are going to prepare food. The charcoal starts more quickly; it gets hotter faster….and stay hotter longer. And, when you are ready to add wood to the fire…the wood starts burning quickly with a minimum of effort.

So….you think we are crazy? That’s OK. But, you will never know until you give it a try. And…..who knows? Maybe you will find out that you are actually adventurous enough….and tough enough….to enjoy it. Like Fayez and me.

 

 

Christmas 2013 has come and gone.  Another glorious season of Peace and Good Will…..celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  To me, Christmas is a special time of the year when “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  We give because we were given the most important gift that we could possibly receive….the birth of our Savior and of eternal life.  Nothing we give can begin to match this priceless gift.  We give….but all of our gifts are merely symbolic.

This Christmas season was special for me.  I definitely received more than I gave.  I received only two “gifts” this Christmas…..two dozen cookies from my neighbor…..and a coffee mug from Fayez Alruwaili, my special friend from Saudi Arabia.  Each of these gifts were especially meaningful to me, because both of them were given out of a sense of love…..and not out of a sense of obligation or to meet any expectations.  The cookies?  They are long sense devoured.  Only the plastic tray remain.  The coffee mug?  It is sitting on a shelf….where it will remain forever.

 My Christmas season was brightened this year by Fayez, who came to spend the Christmas holiday.  I first met Fayez as a guest who found my name of one of the international hospitality sites that I belong to.  He came and spent last Christmas vacation….the season of 2012…..and ever since, I like to think that my home has been his “home away from home” ever since.

Fayez is from Saudi Arabia…..and of course, he is Muslim  But, this in no way prevented us from enjoying and embracing all the traditions and customs that go with the Christmas Season.  Our first real Christmas experience was attending the program presented by our local elementary school.  Back in the days when I was a classroom teacher, I came to know this Christmas tradition all too well.  And…..I have to admit:  It was not one of my favorite activities.  In fact, it was a pain in the ass….something to be endured….a feeling of relief when it was over.  This could have been the first grade school Christmas program I had attended since I stopped teaching 6th grade back around 1990.  Somehow I just couldn’t summon the proper feeling of nostalgia for the program.  The memories still hadn’t evolved from “something I had to do….to something that I wanted to do”.  But….this year we went.  The program is free, of course……and we certainly got our money’s worth!  The program stretched into a marathon performance, as class after class was herded to the stage so sing their obligatory two songs.  I am not sure exactly what went wrong.  Christmas programs never lasted this long when I was teaching.  But….nevertheless, as I said…..We got our money’s worth.  And, it is a common cultural ritual that schools across the nation go through each year.  And….Fayez got to experience it.

The next actual tradition that Fayez got to witness was the Christmas Eve Service at my church.  It is a beautiful service of lessons and carols, which are performed not only by the congregation, but also by the sanctuary choir and talented soloists.  The service always ends with lighting of candles while the choir and congregation sings Silent Night…..followed by a rousing, joyous rendition of Joy to the World on the church organ.  As we walked out of church, the clock turned to midnight…..Christmas Day.  Before returning home, however, we just couldn’t resist taking a drive down Wanamaker Road….probably the busiest street in Topeka. It is always a treat to see the almost surreal scene that takes place there on each Christmas Eve…….the busiest street in Topeka almost devoid of any traffic.

Christmas morning, after Fayez finally roused himself from his bed and took his four and a half mile Christmas run, we exchanged Christmas gifts….and then prepared to go to Topeka to eat lunch with our friend Sam.  It is becoming sort of a tradition to eat both Thanksgiving and Christmas lunch with Sam at his apartment.  Perhaps the best things about Sam’s meals is that they are not the traditional meals…..the kind you would find in most other households.  They are unique and prepared with great care and attention.  And…..also important…..they are super delicious….and plentiful.  We always leave Sam’s house full and satisfied.

Our next stop was my brothers’ house.  Usually there is a crowd of people there…..their good friends…..buy only passing acquaintances to me.  This year, however; it was just a little more special. Several of my cousins…..second, third and fourth cousins…were there.  Some of them, I had never met before.  It turned out to be a pleasant experience.  After a brief walk at Lake Shawnee, we returned home…..another Christmas Day in the books……history, as they say.

There were other customs, as well.  We put up the two little Christmas trees….our only decorations.  We listened to Christmas carol that I had recorded onto CD’s.  Christmas music is among my very favorite music.  I could listen to it all  year round. Here I am talking about good Christmas music:  Christmas carols and Christmas standards…performed by artists, choirs and orchestras who are worthy of singing them.  I am not talking about the cheap holiday songs that are constantly butchered by untalented artists, seeking only to make a fast buck for capitalizing on the holy season.

For the first time this year, we toured the Winter Wonderland display of lights…..a short but beautiful drive through an elaborate display of lights at Lake Shawnee….and sponsored by TARC for the benefit of its clients.

Aside from the Christmas activities, we had other fun, too. Let’s consider our New Year’s celebration, for example. The New Year, 2014, sort of came in quietly with a soft whimper….but not as much of a whimper as last year.

 Last year…..the New Year of 2013….we were at home. Last year, I had two guests for the long Christmas break. Besides Fayez, there was also a Chinese student staying here for the holiday season. It was snowing outside…..a bona fide snow storm, as a matter of fact. At the last minute, we decided to drive into town and buy a couple bottles of champagne. We slowly made our way through the blowing snow into town…..and to the town’s only liquor store. Luckily enough, there were exactly two bottles of champagne left! And, they were ours! Unluckily, the owner of the liquor store was a former student and runner of mine…..and we had not seen each other for several years. He seemed glad to see me again…..and I spent the next 30 minutes talking to him….while Fayez and my Chinese guest sat in the car…..freezing, I suppose….and wondering where I was.

 Back home, at Midnight, we each poured a glass of champagne and raised our glasses in a toast to the New Year. Almost immediately, our Chinese guest’s face began to turn bright red….and his eyes began to swell shut! I was alarmed…to say the least. What was going on? Would I have to call 9-1-1 and tell them to come pick up a minor….under the age of 21….and take him to the hospital? The Chinese guest….who would turn 21 his next birthday…..told us that he was allergic to alcohol…..and this was what happened when he took a drink. I immediately told him to put down his glass…..and go to bed. I had never seen anybody react to alcohol in this way before….nor have I since.

This year, however, Fayez and I went to my favorite bar in Topeka around 8:00….ate supper….and sat and drank (beer for me….Pepsi for Fayez) until the New Year arrived. We had planned in advance and had each made a list of questions and topics which we could talk about….just in case the conversation started to stall out.

The evening could have been ruined, though. When we first entered the bar, we took a table near the back. Unfortunately, we didn’t know that we had sat down near three rather ill-dressed, ignorant…..and rather loud middle age bums….two men and one woman. I suspect they were residents in some sort of home for the mentally challenged…..although we didn’t ask them.

The first bad sign came when one of the men snapped his fingers at the waitress…..and said something like, “Hey!” The waitress, whom I admired, immediately told the man that he was rude….and that was not the way to get her attention……and that if he wanted her to help him, he could ask in a civilized manner. That more or less set the tone for the rest of the evening. They apparently had $40.00 to spend…..and they spent the rest of the evening quarreling among themselves….sometimes loudly….and drinking beer.

We asked the waitress if we could move to another table. She lost no time agreeing….and even helped us carry our plates and glasses to booth sufficiently removed from the quarrelsome trio. Looking back, I doubt if they even realized how uncouth, unpleasant and disturbing their behavior was. And…..I can also imagine that  perhaps they do not go out in public very often.

Fayez and I sat in our new booth…..and spent the next four hours discussing the questions we had bought with us…..often questions of a controversial nature…..because both of love to argue….or have friendly discussion, as we prefer to call itl. The time passed quickly. Shortly before Midnight, the waitress gave each customer a glass of champagne. Except for poor litle Fayez. He had to drink pop. We watched the super-exciting, drama-filled ball drop….or was it a cow or a pig or something….in Manhattan to ring in the New Year. Of course, we had to count fast….because, let’s face it…..there are no skyscrapers in Manhattan, KS, like there are in Manhattan, New York. Even the tallest barn or silo is really not very tall!

Around 12:30 or 1:00, we left the bar to come back home…..to a New Year. We had a happy beginning to our celebration….and a happy ending…..hopefully setting the mood for the remainder of the year.

And, the quarrelsome trio were still at the bar…..and still had things to quarrel about. Probably setting the tone for their New Year, too.

But….I am happy and thankful that our way is the best way.

 

 

On Wednesday, December 18, Fayez  Alruwaili and I started our little four day adventure down into the heart of the Ozarks….Hillbilly country. With the car already loaded, we drove out of the driveway at exactly 7:00 A.M…..this may have been a “first” for being on time. And….maybe it was a good omen, too. The trip was great…..from the start to the scary finish.

Maybe one way to enjoy a successful trip is to plan carefully….but have low expectations. And, that is what we did. Before we left….and for a few weeks in advance….everything was planned out in fairly great detail. And…..if you know me…..I am an obsessive planner. But…..and I think this is true….we had rather low expectations. Low expectations in every area except for one: To have a good time and enjoy our rip. This proved to be a good combination.

Fayez and I have an on-going battle or disagreement…..a (mostly) friendly one however….about the value and usefulness of a GPS unit. This on-going discussion would keep thing lively the entire trip. I grew up depending on….and knowing how to use….a map. Fayez puts his faith in the GPS unit. And….I have to admit, the GPS unit did prove to be useful at times….especially in urban areas where it is sometimes difficult and confusing to anticipate….or to read….street signs. For highway driving…..may way….the good old map is the best.

Nevertheless, we managed to find our way to the farm of a friend….Sam Delap…..near Pleasanton, in east central Kansas. Did you ever get a picture of something in your mind, even before you see it? And that pictures sort of becomes reality? And then your “reality” is shattered when you actually see the real thing? This is what happened to Fayez and me in regards to Sam’s farm.

Sam primarily grows nuts….chestnuts, pecans, etc….on his land….along with some persimmons and other various trees. Both Fayez and I had pictured the farm as 50 acres of flat, tillable land. We were surprised….very surprised….but pleasantly surprised….when we actually arrived at his farm. It was a beautiful combination of flat land and rolling hills; of mature trees and tillable soil. It even had a pond and a creek running through it. If it looked this good in the middle of the winter….we can only imagine what it looks like in the spring and summer when the leaves are green and the flowers are blooming.

Fayez and I immediately decided that Sam had gone into the wrong business. This would be the perfect setting for a golf course or some sort of resort. And, I am sure plenty of “nuts” would show up and pay big bucks to stay there!

After checking out a nearby Civil War Monument, we headed to our final destination of the day……Springfield, Missouri. It was here that the GPS played one of its few useful functions. Springfield is bigger than I had remembered to to be. But….the trusty little GPS unit led us to our campground destination.

Actually, we were the only real campers…..along with several permanent or semi-permanent RV dwellers. And, even we “camped” in the most comfortable style possible. We had rented a camping cabin where we slept at night…..complete with a very efficient heater and wi-fi…..and showers across the driveway. But….we were still camping….by out standards, at least. If you have a campfire….and if you cook your food….and sit in front of your campfire at night…..you are camping. Right?

We did all of these things. Before we left home, Fayez had in advance prepared our evening meal…..a typical Saudi Arabian meal. At least, that is what he told me. It was delicious, to say the least….cooked to perfection in the fire. And, along with some good old American potato salad and some chips and dip, we enjoyed a filling satisfying meal. We sat in front of our fire…..trying to keep it burning….and trying to keep the brisk south wind off our necks. It was fun….and that is how we ended a good start to our little vacation.

Early the second day…..Thursday…..we headed down to Branson. It was on this day that it pays to do some planning…..but to have low expectations. To simply enjoy the moment and not worry about “what might have been”. My Number One desire in Branson was to visit the National Tiger Refuge. But a person can only see it as part of a guided tour….something we did not know in advance. Anyways, by the time we got there, the first tour had already started. The two other tours were in the afternoon….too late for us to even consider, if we wanted to arrive in Hot Springs before dark.

Having eliminated seeing the tigers as a possibility, we moved on to Option 2…..visiting a complex called “Hollywood”. It wasn’t quite what I had expected…..but usually nothing is quite what I expect. It is a large complex of various entertainment gimmicks. We turned down a tour of the wax museum in favor of a “mirror maze” and a sort of simulated video game….where the participants were strapped into their chairs on a revolving platform…..and fired a laser gun at creatures as they appeared on the wall.

The two “attractions” cost about $28.00 each…..and lasted approximately 20 minutes….and that is probably being generous. The mirror maze might have been challenging for a grade school kid…..or individual with an IQ of less than 100. But since both Fayez and I have IQ’s slightly above the 100 make…..at least, between us, we do…..the maze did not prove to be very demanding. And….what can I say about the simulated video game? It was more suitable for those people who sit at home all day in a dark room with a video game remote control in their hand.

So much for the city of Branson…..the playground of redneck sophistication and pleasure. We had talked of parking the car and walking down part of the “strip”….just to absorb the atmosphere and to check out up close that opportunities were available. But….alas….we had to move on to our next destination…..Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Depending on the trusty little GPS unit….instead of my more experienced and logical mind…..we took to the open Ozark highways again. Sometime in the mid-afternoon we approached Little Rock…..a place that definitely was not on our agenda…..but instead was a place mandated by the GPS. I am almost sure that it was neither the best route…or the shortest route. But…..there we were….too late to do anything but be a slave to the GPS unit.

Actually, the GPS unit did serve a useful purpose. Once we were within in a hoop and a holler from Hot Springs, the GPS directed us to our campground with surprising ease. As we had been told by the campground owner, we were met at the entrance by a semi-permanent resident, who directed us to our little camping cabin.

The semi-permanent resident who directed us to our camping cabins was, I thought, a rather sinister looking man…..covered with tattoos…..and, I thought, an evil glint in this eyes. Our cabins….the only one in the campground…..was more or less isolated from the remainder of the camping spaces. “The wood is free. Take as much as you want.” the guy told us. Free, indeed. All of the wood was probably 24 inches in diameter…..very ill-suited for starting a fire….of any sort. Fortunately, we had a bundle of wood left over for the previous night…..and we brought it with us. Otherwise, we would have been sitting in the cold and dark.

After fixing our supper…..which consisted of hot dogs and more potato salad and chips and dip…..we retired to the cabin for a game or two of rummy. There was a picnic table inside the cabin….another first for me. It was quite convenient….perfect for playing cards…..since there was literally nothing else to do. With no Internet, no TV…..no nothing….we went to bed early that night. The front door to our cabin had no lock. This was at least a slight concern to me: Remember the sinister looking man with the tattoos?

Obviously nothing happened to us……look! Here I am! And the next morning when I checked in with the camp owner, he assured me that the man and his wife….a woman with even more tattoos and with red bushed-out hair…..were “one of the sweetest couples who we could hope to meet.” And….all of that worrying for nothing. This cabin, although similar to other camping cabins, was probably the best one I have stayed in. It had the standard double bed and a bunk bed…..but it was more spacious and there was more room to move around. And, of course, the picnic table inside he cabin. The heater was very warm….almost too warm. I slept without cover all night…..and was still too warm. But….better too warm than too cold. If there had been Internet reception…..it would have been hillbilly heaven.

Hot Springs is an old tourist town with a series of hot baths which make use of natural hot springs which bubble from the earth. Supposedly they have some sort of medical or therapeutic powers…..along with the power to power to make each person about $50.00 poorer. That is what is costs to sit in one of these baths. Of course, there are other things thrown in….a massage and a couple towels, for example.

We didn’t take advantage of these springs. We did buy a cup of coffee in a coffee house located in one of the bath houses….which we drank on the front veranda while we watched other tourists stroll by. The coffee had its own therapeutic or restorative powers, since it was our first cup of the morning.

All of the large ornate bath house are located on a block called Bath House Row. Back in the “olden days” all of these bath houses did a thriving business. This was probably before modern medicine has sort of ruled out the possibilities of any magic benefits to be derived from these waters. Today, only two of the bath houses are active and used for commercial use. The others are tourists offices or other public or semi-public buildings.

If I had to pick out a highlight of our stop in Hot Springs, it would probably be having my pictures taken in front of “The Home of Bill Clinton” sign. The city is quaint, with lots of good bars….and probably a lot of summer time entertainment…..but it was not a major destination for us…..and we moved on town our final destination of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

After an afternoon of driving though some more hills and trees…..and don’t get me wrong….they are pretty, especially in the spring and summer…..we arrived in Fayetteville around the time the sun was setting. We found our motel, located just off the Interstate, easily. We got checked in, found our room…..and I immediately set up my laptop so I could check my e-mail after a two day absence.

Since the motel had no restaurant or bar, we left in search of one. We first found the University of Arkansas….where Fayez had to take a language proficiency test the next day. Satisfied of its location, we moved on to find a place to eat. Fayez had already checked on the various Arab restaurants in the city. We settled on a Lebanese restaurant. On the surface, it seemed like a good choice. The first bad omen….although we didn’t know it at the time….was that it hadn’t opened yet and we had to wait several minutes in a steady rain. It was only after we got inside….had ordered and eaten our food…..that the bad news showed itself…..in the form of the bill.

The food is ordered as individual items…..and not as a meal. Fayez ordered a variety of different foods….all separate items. The meal was over very quickly. And it was far from satisfying. And…..so was the bill! We paid $48.00 for what I considered to be about $12.00 worth of food. What we had anticipated to be a delicious and memorable meal turned out to be a rip off. But….what could we do? Just chalk it up as a learning experience and move on with out lives! And move on we did……to downtown Fayetteville, which was lively with people that rainy night. It is hard to tell after only one visit…..but it seemed that Fayetteville has something in common with Lawrence: a downtown that is the center of activity. A place where people go to walk, to drink, and to socialize. Even with a steady rain coming down, the sidewalk were crowded with people….and the streets with cruising cars. We ducked into what appeared to be a popular bar……ordered a couple drinks….beer for me and a soft drink for 19 years old Fayez. And, of course, some snack food…..because we were still hungry.

The next day…..Saturday….our final day before returning home…..was devoted to the English proficiency test that Fayez had come to take….the IELTS test. Although we started for the university early enough to arrive in plenty of time for Fayez to take his test……we got caught up in a rather monumental traffic jam. It seems that hundred of people were arriving for some sort of event…..although we never did find out what it was…..nor did we care. When it was apparent that we were not going to arrive at the testing center on time…..Fayez jumped out of the car and started running toward the building……only a few hundred feet from where we were stranded. No….we didn’t just leave the car abandoned in the middle of the road. I drove to the testing center….finding Fayez standing in the parking lot waiting for me.

I had intended to spend the morning walking around the campus of the University of Arkansas. But a steady moderate rain had descended upon the city…..and the temperature had fallen during the night. It was, quite frankly, cold and miserable outside. As as an alternative plan, I put the seat back into the full reclining position…..and went to sleep! I found this to be preferable to walking in the rain and getting soaked to the bone. Have you ever heard the expression, “He is too dumb to come in out of the rain.”? Well…..I am not one of those people. I never even went out into the rain.

Dire weather warnings were posited all over the Internet…..freezing rain, sleet, snow. None of it sounded good. Between naps, I called our neighbor twice to check on the weather conditions here at home. The first call was encouraging…..everything was normal; nothing was falling from the sky. But….an hour later, she called to tell me that it had begin to sleet….maybe mixed with a little bit of freezing rain. Not the news I wanted to hear.

The test lasted longer than I had anticipated….quite a bit longer, in fact. At one point, I had considered going to look for Fayez. I was just a little bit concerned…..although I had no reason to be concerned. It was hardly likely they were going to kidnap him or use him as a sex slave. But, I was concerned, nevertheless. I decided that if he had returned by 2:00/……I would go ask about him. But, as I should have expected, here he came…..with a smile on his face. He felt he had done well on the test…..and he was feeling pretty good about himself. And, I was happy for him, too. I know how hard he was worked to improve him English…..and I have witnessed the steady improvement throughout the year.

But, the celebration mood quickly ended as we made plans to return home. We knew that the weather was not good….lousy, in fact….all the way from Fayetteville to our home. We briefly entertained the idea of staying in Fayetteville overnight to see what the weather would be like the next day, Well, at least, I entertained the idea! Having driven on icy and snow-packed highways for decades…..and knowing how dangerous it is to drive on icy highways……I usually tend to be very cautious. It is better to get there late…..than not to get there at all.

We made the decision, however, to go ahead and start driving. If the highways became too dangerous to derive on, we could always stop at a motel along the way.

A couple sentences does not describe…..or do justice….to our trip home. Sleet and/or freezing rain fell almost constantly the entire trip. Although ice was freezing on trees and utility poles, the highways remained in very good shape for most of the trip. As we drove along, we kept wondering at what point the highways would become slick and icy. Actually, aside from a few rough patches in southeast Kansas, there was no problem until we turned onto the Ferguson Road at Perry. At this point it was apparent that no maintenance crew had touched them……and it was also apparent that few, if anybody, had actually driven on the road.

But….to digress a bit. We stopped in Nevada, Missouri, at Kentucky Fried Chicken….KFC. This KFC is the only KFC that I know of that has an all-you-can-eat buffet. Robert and I had stopped at this restaurant several years before…..and I wasn’t sure it still existed. But, when Robert reminded me about it…..it became an almost major destination. We found it…..we ate until we were satisfied…..and we hit the road again.

We arrived back at our house around 8:30…..only about an hour later than it would normally have taken….and this included our stop at KFC for supper. We had done well….and we were happy and relieve….and thankful….to be back home again.

Instead of staying “we” did well…..I must say that Fayez did well. He drove the entire distance between Fayetteville and our house. And, he did a remarkable job. I was proud of him…..and he gained some valuable life experience. Experience that will serve him well the longer he stays in Kansas.

We started our trip on a happy note….and we ended our trip on a happy note.