It is March now. The weather is warm and sunny….. Spring still hasn’t officially arrived….but if you don’t look at the calendar, you would never know it. There are still no leaves on the trees….but some of the early spring flower have already begun to bloom.

In Oklahoma City, however, the weather is warmer, there are leaves on the trees….the sun is also shining brightly there. Why not bring some of that sunshine to Kansas for a few days? So….I decided to drive down to Oklahoma City, pick up Sultan, and bring him back to my house for his spring break.

The plan was simple. I would drive down to Oklahoma City, meet him at the McDonald’s where I dropped him off after Christmas break, talk to the lady who owned the house where he was living….and then we would drive back to my house. I left my house fairly early in the morning. I had planned to arrive maybe 30 or 45 minutes early….and use that time to catch up on some text messages….and maybe even make a telephone call.

All you have to do to get to Oklahoma City is get on the Kansas Turnpike….and head south. You can’t miss. The trip was not very exciting. But, driving on an Interstate highway is rarely exciting. I was approaching Oklahoma City…..but I mis-judged the distance. I was much closer than I thought I was. I stopped to go to the rest room at a service station right off the highway.

I was starting to get just a little bit drowsy. I filled a cup with coffee and went to the cash register to pay for it. I reached into my pocket to get some money. The clerk….a young man who couldn’t have been older than his early 20’s…. said, “Is that all you are going to buy?”

I was just a little nervous. Maybe they don’t like for people to stop use their restrooms without buying something of a little more value. Just a little embarrassed, I answered, “Yes……”

“OK….It’s on the house…..”, he said. “Have a good trip.” Maybe he actually thought I had filled up my car with gasoline….or maybe people from Oklahoma are just nice people.

Before leaving, I asked him how far I was from Oklahoma City. Wow….Somehow my calculations were far off the mark. I was almost there! “Oh, good,” I thought. “I will have plenty of time of write the messages.”

But….I checked my cell phone. I had 2 or 3 calls from Sultan. I called him back. Shock! He was already there…at the McDonald’s waiting for me. Something I hadn’t planned on. No messages now…..

I was soon back on the road. And, sure enough, Oklahoma City was just a few miles down the highway. I approached my exit….and as I came within sight of McDonald’s, there was Sultan. He had seen me, too…..and he was waving his arms to attract my attention. As if I need that. This land lady had dropped him off early…..having faith that I would actually show up, I guess. But, we soon loaded his suitcase into my car….and headed back to Kansas….and the Ranch.

Sultan wanted to drive back. And….Why not? It would be getting dark in a couple hours….and then he would have to drive anyway. Time went quickly as we talked. We made one pit stop somewhere on the Kansas Turnpike…..but basically kept driving until we got to Topeka. Sultan was hungry….as usual….so we stopped at a Subway on South Topeka Blvd. There are Subway restaurants all over Topeka…..but this is the largest one I have ever seen…. Not only in Kansas….but anywhere in the USA. But, we didn’t linger long…. We were eager to get back home.

Fridays are almost leisurely days….even when I am at home alone. On both of the Fridays that Sultan spent with me, we ate lunch with our friend, Sam. Sam is a friend of mine….dating back more than 50 years to the days we spent working for the International Voluntary Services in South Vietnam. One day while I was looking through names and addresses of IVS alumni, I came across Sam’s name. Wow…. He lives in Topeka. I didn’t know that. I wonder how long he has been there? Was it the same Sam that I had known? Surely it had to be. I immediately sent him a message….along with a picture that was taken back in those days when we were actually young. I got a quick response. Sure enough…..it was he. And, he even remembered me!

I was still working back in those days…..and so was he. We made an appointment to meet somewhere in Lawrence on a Saturday….a place called “Wheatfields”, I think. We ate in Lawrence a couple times…..I am not sure why. But, it didn’t take very long before we realized that simply eating in Topeka would be much more convenient and time effective. The first lunch was maybe 20 years ago….. I am not sure. I was still working, at least. And, it a tradition that has pretty much remained constant until even today.

Sultan spent two Fridays at my house. The first Friday, we went to the China Pavilion. This is one of our regular eating places on what turned out to be a 4 week rotation. China Pavilion has arguably the best Chinese food in Topeka. It is an economical buffet….one of those places where we can sit and talk….and not worry about wearing out our welcome. We go there often enough that the people who own the restaurant know us….and we always receive good service. This is usually one of the places that Sam chooses when it is his turn to select.

The other Friday that Sultan was here, we ate at the Billard Cafe….at the Billard Airport. This was my choice….and it has become a regular eating place. We pretty much stick to our regular restaurants: The Golden Corral, The China Pavilion, the Billard Airport Cafe and the Globe Restaurant. It is a good variety of cuisines…..American, Indian and Chinese. The Billard Cafe seems to be run by one family….and a friendly family, at that. We are always made to feel welcome when we eat there. As are the other restaurants….this one, too, is a buffet. The food is definitely American. The selection of food is rather limited…..but it is delicious and well prepared.

Not only is the food good….but there is also the novelty of sitting in the large dining room and watching private airplanes take off and land. Well….I suppose it really isn’t that exciting….but it is something that you can’t do in one of the downtown restaurants….at least, you had better hope not.

Sultan also prepared another of his delicious, creative meals over an open fire. As usual, the main ingredients were chicken…..a variety of vegetables…..and the inevitable rice. All of his gastronomic creations usually contain chicken. But, that is only because goat meat is not readily available in this area. Actually, one time Fayez and I did find a place that sells goat meat…. But, it was expensive…and full of bones. It was not, Fayez informed me, the kind of goat meat that is sold in Saudi Arabia. So….we are quite content to settle for chicken.

Sunday lunch, as usual, was reserved for the Aladdin Restaurant in Lawrence. The last time Sultan and I ate there was during the Christmas break….in the middle of the winter. It was a rather cold day. I am sure I could have handled the cold….but Sultan is a boy from the desert…..and he would much rather endure 100 degree temperatures than be exposed to freezing temperatures. However, this Sunday afternoon in mid-March the weather was perfect….sunshine, temperatures in the mid-70s. Even somebody from Saudi Arabia couldn’t complain about it.

After we finished eating lunch, we drove to the Kansas University campus….the home of the Jayhawks. A person cannot help but feel inspired when walking around the campus, soaking up the long, illustrious and storied atmosphere of this venerable institution of advanced learning….. Also, one is enveloped by the mystical legend of Kansas basketball, Allen Fieldhouse….Home of the Jayhawks. This is where college basketball originated….for all practical purposes….and the spirits of James Naismith and Phog Allen are still alive.

But….it was Spring Break….and it was Sunday. Not a good combination. Allen Fieldhouse was closed….as well as the Jayhawk museum….and other associated buildings.

Since it was such a beautiful day, a walk down Jayhawk Blvd. seemed appropriate. We parked our car in the parking lot across from the east entrance to the Student Union Building…..right next to the school of religion. We strolled along Jayhawk Blvd. and I pointed out some of the various building….especially the buildings where I had classes when I was working on my Masters Degree in counseling back in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

 

 

 

 

The campus was virtually deserted. A few people, like Sultan and I, wandered about aimlessly….just enjoying the stately, but relaxing, atmosphere of the campus….with its mixture of sleek modern buildings mixed in among the mostly old, historic structures. It was still mid-March, so there were no leaves on the trees yet….but many of the early flowering trees and shrubs were in full blossom….the dogwood trees, the red bud trees…. As we strolled down Jayhawk Blvd., it was easy to feel that spring was indeed in the air.

After I had pointed out some of the well known buildings that lined the Boulevard…Bailey Hall, Frazier Hall, Strong Hall, Hoch Auditorium…. We walked back to the car across from the Kansas Union. I showed him what is probably the most striking sight on the campus…..the Bell Tower and Memorial Stadium. The Bell Tower, a memorial to the veterans of World War I, is difficult to photograph with people in the picture. Basically, there are two choices….both more or less unfavorable…. You can take a vertical shot….in which the person looks like a midget. The other choice is to take a traditional horizontal shot….and cut off the top half of the Tower. Memorial Stadium, on the other hand, makes a great picture. It is far enough away that it was easy to include Sultan….and the entire stadium. Actually, the pictures of the stadium usually turn out much better than the K. U. football teams that plays in the stadium. But….unless absolutely necessary, we don’t bring up that matter for discussion.

Sultan was suitably impressed by the campus…..I think. Impressed enough to enroll there someday, I hope. However, we skipped the tour of the West Campus…where most of his classes in engineering and science are taught. And, those are probably the courses in which Sultan will be most likely to enroll.

 

 

 

 

But….enough was enough. Sultan was getting tired. Or maybe it was I who was getting tired…. We drove to the Ranch. I took a nap….. Sultan took the golf clubs and practiced teeing off while I rested from the excitement of visiting my alma mater again.

The next day, Monday, March 14, we embarked on a journey to Sam’s farm. What made this trip so special was that it was the first time I personally drove the car. On previous trips, either Fayez or Oliver drove. Usually when somebody else volunteers to drive….I hand them them keys and say, “Gentleman…. Start your engine.”

 

 

 

 

 

The trip got off to a rather foggy start….. Yes…literally. The fog was so thick that visibility was only a few feet. I have driven to Lawrence hundreds of times over the years… I mean, I attended K. U.; I had season basketball tickets for thirty years; I shop and eat there. But….somewhere along the way, I became aware that I had no idea where I was. Remember in the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy said, “I don’t think we are in Kansas any more.” Well….that was sort of the way I felt. It was not only a little bit scary….but a little surreal. How is it possible to get lost driving to Lawrence? I don’t know the answer to that question? Drive while you are high? Drive in your sleep? Or…..maybe….drive in the fog? Being reasonably intelligent (I mean, after all…I did graduate from from K. U.)….I turned the car around and retraced our path. It is only logical that if you retrace your path….you are going to end up where you started from. This is what happened in our situation. I recognized my mistake….Darned fog….and we were finally on the right road…..heading toward Lawrence.

With a little help from our “friend”…the GPS….we found Sam’s farm. Sam was already there. After the normal small talk, we walked out back of Sam’s barn to look at some trees. Of course, I had already seen them before. But, this was Sultan’s first time at Sam’s farm. When Sam suggested that we walk down a hill to look at some other work he had done…. my sense of self-preservation kicked in. Walking down hills is pretty easy…… A problem arises, however, when it is time to walk back up the hill. I figured this would give Sam an opportunity to explain the details of planting and growing trees to Sultan. And, it would give Sultan a chance to ask Sam any questions he might have about the operation.

So….as Sam and Sultan disappeared into the distance, I contented myself by taking pictures of the several rows of new chestnut and pecan trees growing in the distance…..and exploring the area around the large machine shed. Sam has an address sign now…. Ah, ha….a photo opportunity. There is a small private cemetery adjacent to Sam’s property…. Many of the graves are more than 100 years old. Another photo opportunity. After the options for taking pictures were quickly exhausted, I turned my attention of answering text messages. My fingers are simply too big to accurately type on the small keyboard of the Smart Phone. I have to use a stylus. And, that….for me….is time consuming. I was only about a third finished with writing the messages when I looked up…..and there were Sam and Sultan….already returned from their exploratory walk.

 

 

 

 

Sam always provides a delicious lunch….so the interruption was not entire unwelcome. After lunch was consumed, we drove to a field west of the machine shed….which is sort of the “headquarters” for the farm right now. This part of the property is separated by a stream…..a stream with no bridge. Fayez and I suggested long ago that a new bridge would be a welcome convenience to speed up “commute time”….but thus far….No Bridge. Anyway……This field is here Sam has grafted several trees. Again….since I have already observed the procedure….and since this would be the 1st time Sultan had observed the grafting process…. (He has a more scientific mind than I do…. ) but…mostly because I simply did not feel like walking….Sam and Sultan took off walking again…to the field where the trees were being grafted….while I stayed at the car to wait.. We had driven both of our vehicles…. Because we were going to head back home after Sultan had seen the grafted trees.

After taking a few pictures, I resumed writing text messages….one letter at time with my stylus. Actually, I was hoping Sultan might be gone for 30 or 45 minutes. And, maybe he was… But, as always….time goes fast when you are occupied….and before I knew it, there was Sam and Sultan heading back toward the car.

As always, the time we spent at Sam’s farm was a pleasant few hours. I don’t know very much about planting and growing trees…. But I do know that the farm is located in a quiet and beautiful setting….mature trees, flowers left from previous owners, rolling hills, a meandering creek….and even a cemetery next door…..a perfect location for a country residence….or a golf course.

The visit to Sam’s farm was the “educational” (as well as pleasure) part of Sultan’s sojourn at my house. Normally, we just do….stuff. The days just sort of flow by….nothing very “heavy” or serious….doing this and that….whatever happens to come to mind. That is…whatever happens to come to mind in between the events that are scheduled and planned….like the trip to Sam’s farm, for example.

 

 

 

 

One thing that Sultan did NOT to during this visit was…run. Sometimes I get the impression that Sultan does not like to run as much as I thought he did. I am not so sure why he didn’t run during the eight full days he was here. Yeah….part of that time we were gone….away from home. The other days…..I am still somewhat puzzled. During the Christmas visit, he ran the four miles Ferguson Road course to get his Ferguson Road t-shirt….a shirt that he claims to cherish! On this visit….well, he never ran even one step.

But….nothing could keep him away from the fitness center. That was one place where is always wanted to go. Sultan is an avid workout enthusiast. He almost never refuses an opportunity to go to the fitness center…..day or night. And, in our case, it was mostly at night. He has his workout routine fairly well refined….and defined. Before he goes, he can always tell me almost exactly what he intends to accomplish…. What muscle group he will concentrate on….how many reps….which machines he will use.

So needless to say, we spent a few nights at the fitness center. For the most part, he works independently. I do my thing….such as it is….mostly arm and shoulder weights…and he does his thing….whatever he has chosen for that particular session. Whenever he needs a “spotter”, I am always willing to help him. Otherwise, he quietly and efficiently goes about his business. Always, however, flashing me one of his trademark smiles on frequent occasions. And….let me add…. We….or more accurately….I…learned my lesson. If it appears that anybody “official” or anybody who works there is around…..I immediately put $5.00 into the collection box!

The final “big event” of Sultan’s holiday at my house was a trip to Farmington, Arkansas, to visit Dorothy….one of my two living first cousins. I try to make sure that I take all of my foreign guests down to meet her. She is now 91 years old. But, don’t let that fool you. She is still sharp as a tack (as the cliché goes). Her memory is far superior to mine….and I am not exactly young anymore. She still drives her car. She still does her own housework….fixes her own meals….and all that good stuff. In other words, she is far from being a helpless little old lady!

Anyway, she (and my cousin Raymond) always seemed to genuinely enjoy meeting my guests. Fayez had already had the pleasure of meeting her…..and, she loved him!

Thus….we planned a trip to Farmington. It was only a two day trip. Down one day…back the next. I booked a motel room in Carthage, MO, for Wednesday night….less than a couple hours from Farmington. We would stay there overnight and arrive at Dorothy’s house around mid-morning. That would give us enough time to visit….and to eat the delicious meal she was sure to have made for us. If we left her house by 2:00, we could comfortably be home before dark.

It was to be a routine trip. All the plans had been made. But, first, I had a doctor’s appointment in Topeka. I figured that would not take very long. Actually, the appointment, I am sure, was primarily so the doctor could collect his money from my insurance company…..and very little to do with me. We packed our stuff into the car….and took off for Topeka. From Topeka, we would head south on US 75, cut across to Ft. Scott, then Nevada….and finally to Carthage where we would spend the night.

As fate would have it….and I suppose it was lucky fate this time….I decided to stop and fill the car with gasoline before I went to the doctor’s office. When we left the doctor’s office, we could immediately head south on US 75. As usual, I stopped at a service station in North Topeka to fill up. With the tank filled with gasoline, I got back into the car, turned on the key….. And…Nothing Happened! Not even a faint “click”.
This had happened before….actually at least two times before. One time in the mid-winter, I had just finished walking at Lake Shawnee and heading off to do the shopping. Tired and exhausted, I turned the key….And…Nothing. I called AAA. It would be more than an hour before the service truck arrived…..and the sun was giving hints of setting in the West. Being stranded at Lake Shawnee at night is probably not a desirable thing to happen.

A Deputy Sheriff stopped and asked if I was having a problem. “Call us next time,” he said. “We can probably help….and it will save one of your visits from AAA.” Nice to know….but a little late to find out…today, at least. The guy from the auto club arrived, quickly diagnosed the problem….installed a new connector to for the battery cable….and pronounced it “cured”. So much for that.

The second time I experienced this problem was at the exact spot where I was sitting…same station….same pump….same problem. I recognized the problem immediately. That wasn’t much comfort….but at least, I knew what was happening.

I called AAA again. As usual, explaining the exact location is a lengthy and sometimes frustrating ordeal. The agents who accept these service calls are definitely NOT from the Topeka area. I can almost visualize them sitting somewhere in India or Mexico…..puzzling over Google Maps….trying to figure out the various locations. Both of the locations in Topeka are in very obvious, highly recognizable areas. I mean….the west side of Lake Shawnee by the boathouse? A service station at the intersection of US 24 and North Topeka Blvd.? How much more obvious can a place be? Anyway, it turned out that the locations were not so obvious to the individuals I was talking to. At least she knew there was such a place as Topeka, Kansas.

It was too late to go to the doctor’s office. I called them, hoping they would understand my situation….and not charge me for an office call. They did. Anybody who thinks joining the auto club is a waste of money has certainly not lived my life…..with my cars. It has been so useful that I upgraded my membership. Many automobile insurance policies include some sort of roadside assistance. Maybe they are just as good as AAA. I don’t know…..if I have never tried them. But, AAA is uniquely set up to handle such “emergencies” and distress calls quickly…..and efficiently…..and politely.

Of course, I was blocking a gas pump. It certainly was not my fault….and there was little I could do except wait until the service truck arrived. The representative classified my situation as a “top priority” since she understood the gas station was no doubt losing money because I was blocking one of their pumps. In about 30 minutes we saw a truck with the familiar AAA painted on its side. Again, it did not take very long for the guy to figure out the problem. He installed a new connector…..just like the guy at Lake Shawnee did….I think. But…. He also told us that we should take the car to a mechanic and find a permanent solution. With the trip on the line….and with the doctor’s appointment duly canceled, we decided to drive back to my mechanic at the junction of K-4 and K-92. They messed with it for a while…. We were in the waiting room, so I have no idea what they did….. But, finally, the service manager told us that he thought is was safe to start off on our trip….. But…..that we should bring the car back as soon as we returned.

So we happily…..albeit nervously….departed on our journey to Arkansas. Now that we were no longer in Topeka, we had to settle for the perhaps shorter….but more complicated….route. But, the with our programming ingenuity, we avoided Kansas City….and took a more rural, less busy route into Missouri where we got onto I-49 and headed to our overnight stop in Carthage.

With the assistance of the GPS, we had no problem finding our motel. I parked the car, and we went inside to register. After registering, we returned to the car to go to our room. And….Surprise, Surprise! The car wouldn’t start. We opened the hood of the car…. Why? I am not really sure. Isn’t this what everybody does when their car won’t start? I was preparing to call the AAA…again….when a very large black man emerged from the motel room directly in front of our parked car. He was a rather intimidating looking guy…. I was hoping that we were not parked in what he might think was “his” parking spot. But, he immediately walked over to us and asked if we were having a problem. I explained the problem. He asked if we had a hammar. Fortunately, we did. While, I turned the key, he tapped something under the hood of the car. The car started immediately! He must have been a former mechanic….or, more than likely, he just knew more about cars than I did! Anyway, he showed us how to lightly hit the battery connection. “It will work every time,” he said.

Despite my prior request, we had been assigned to a 2nd story room. That would be acceptable….except the motel had no elevator. There were no rooms available on the ground floor…..so we had little choice but to carry our bags up to the 2nd floor. This was no problem for Sultan….. But, for me….it was a struggle….and I was not happy. On top of that, one of the lamps did not work…..and we practically had to use a flashlight to see our way around the room!

A day or two later, I received the normal questionnaire in my e-mail, asking me to rate the motel. I normally ignore these surveys, or I respond to these questionnaires in a perfunctory manner…. But, this time, the unpleasant experience was still rather fresh in my mind. I gave the motel an overall good review…. But, I also very aggressively described how unhappy I had been with both the failure to be placed in a ground floor room….and also about the lighting.

Did you know that motel managers sometimes actually read these reviews? I certainly did not. I figured they are a lot like the little survey I get from the doctors after each visit….. They make it looks like they are concerned about my feelings and my impressions and my suggestions. Actually, I think they are really a public relations ploy. Nobody actually reads them….or really cares what you think. But….Wow! A couple days later, I received an e-mail message from the manager of the motel apologizing for my unfortunate experience…..and telling me that the next time I stay there….Yeah, right!….he will personally guarantee that I will be assigned to a ground floor room…..and that it will be inspected and in perfect order when I arrive.

They did have a good breakfast, though! But….the car? I probably don’t even have to tell you…..do I? But….we remembered the advice of the guy from the afternoon before. “It will work every time…..” And, sure enough….it did. It is rather embarrassing to have to open the hood of the car and hit the battery cable every time we wanted to start the car. How much more Hillbilly….or Redneck….can a person appear? But….it wasn’t like we had another choice. And, after all….we were in Southern Missouri! “When in Rome……”

We headed on to Dorothy’s house….past the vast retirement villages and golf courses that line I-49 for miles in northern Arkansas. Retirement villages that are far too expensive for my budget…..

We arrived at Dorothy’s house around 11:00 or so…. They….Dorothy and her daughter, my 2nd cousin….were happy to see us….and made us feel at home immediately. There are always a lot of interesting things to look at in Dorothy’s house….or in this case, her apartment. Pictures painted by Raymond, my cousin….family photos….mementos accumulated throughout her long life….handmade craft items made by them and their family….. And, of course, Dorothy had many stories to tell to Sultan….about her early life….about places they had lived….about their jobs…..about their family…..

These were all stories I had heard previously…. But, to Sultan, they were new….and interesting….and I think, fascinating….

We were on a rather tight schedule….our time was limited…. Lunch was soon served. Oh, Wow! I had neglected to tell Dorothy that Sultan is a Muslim…. Looking back over prior visits, we were always served chicken….or hamburgers….. Always a rather “picnic” style lunch. Dorothy has even gone so far as submitting a series of menus to me before our visits, so I can choose the most “heart healthy” diet.

This year….again, Wow! The unexpected happened. She had prepared ham sandwiches! A look of shock and confusion covered Sultan’s face when he saw what was being placed on the table. I very quickly….and in the nicest way possible….said, “Oh…Sultan can’t eat pork.”

Dorothy was embarrassed…..apologetic…. It never occurred to her that Sultan could not eat pork…. But, as always, Sultan was very gracious and very accepting of the mistake. The cheese slices that were being served were plenty thick enough to make a sandwich in their own right. Sultan was perfectly contented to dine on cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwiches…. Along with whatever else was served that noon. The crisis was averted….Sultan was content eating his lunch….everything the rest of us ate…minus the ham. It worked out well…. I am sure I ate Sultan’s share of ham….along with more than my share of cheese.

Lunch was delicious…. Pictures were taken….. It was time to head back home. We had a four and a half hour drive ahead of us. So around 2:00, we said our good-byes….and hit the road.

This was the final “big event” of Sultan’s visit. I suppose all good things eventually come to an end. The next day….Friday….was a busy day. We were up early….our bags already packed and ready to go. The end of our day’s activity would take us to Hutchinson, where Fayez would pick up Sultan and take him back to Oklahoma City.

But, first…..there was the little matter of the battery cable. We arrived at the mechanic early. They quickly replaced the battery cable….and maybe even the terminal. One really never knows what mechanics do. You just try to have faith that they are telling your the truth! And, in my case….I trust them. Next we headed to Holton to drop off the computer at the computer repair shop. I would leave it there over the weekend and pick it up on Monday when I returned home.

Then we got on US 75 and drove to Topeka. We met Sam at the Billard Airport Cafe….one of our regular eating places in the monthly rotation. It turned out well, because, as I said previously, Sultan had never been there before…..and it would be a new and, hopefully, unique eating experience for him. Even though Billard Airport is only for privately owned small airplanes……no big passenger jets here……it is a pleasant place to sit and eat and watch the occasional light aircraft take off or land. And….the food isn’t so bad, either. It is served buffet style…..and it an all-you-can-eat type of place. The choices of food are somewhat limited…..but it is well prepared and delicious. It is also a place where we can sit and carry on a conversation without any fear of glaring eyes warning us to finish our food….and get out. But…..we were rather in a hurry…..so we didn’t linger any longer than was necessary to be polite.

We were on our way to Hutchinson…..about three hours from Topeka. We checked into our room at the Atrium Motel. Since we had a couple hours before it would be time to eat…..I did what I always do up on arriving at a motel: I took a nap. And….strangely enough….I think Sultan also took a nap. Maybe all the fun and frivolity of the past week had worn him out. Or…..maybe he was simply tired because he got up early that morning.

After eating our supper at the Sirloin Stockade….about a block away on 17th Street….we returned to the motel and sat in the bar…..the Grand Slam…..talked for a while…..went back to the room….and went to bed.

Fayez arrived around 10:00 the next morning…. Without any ceremony, we loaded Sultan’s stuff into the trunk of the car….. and, off the drove into the proverbial sunset.