Year: 2003

Friday I convinced Sarah and Elaine to eat at Flappy Jack’s Steak and Pancake Restaurant. I mean, with a name like that, how can you not at least give it a try?
I, of course, had the steak and pancakes, with two eggs over easy and grits. It all was good save the namesake pancakes, which tasted like they were made from
three-day-old batter from a box. As penance, I took them to the shoe store. 😉

Saturday Gennard, Janina, Elaine, Sarah and I went pseudospelunking in the covered up Hot Springs Creek. It used to run down the middle of Central Avenue, but
they needed more lanes of traffic (and still do), so they covered the creek. There is an entrance at the Transportation Depot, and we went in there. The water
was cool, but not uncomfortable. After going about 100 yards, we realized that we needed more than the two flashlights we had, so I ran back to the Youth Center
and borrowed the flashlights from the show. We trudged on, seeing such fauna as a turtles (including one with a shell that was at least 18″ in diameter),
crayfish, perch, and catfish. The water level was a bit high due to rains earlier in the week, so the going was slower than we had planned. The batteries in
the borrowed flashlights were weak after being used in the rehearsals and shows, so we cut our expedition short and came up at the manhole at the beginning of
Bathhouse Row. The expression on people’s faces as we emereged from underground were quite amusing!

After lunch I finally got around to ‘taking the waters,’ and I selected the Arlington for this experience. It was very nice: started off with a soak in a tub of
?40
?C spring water for 15 minutes, with an attnedant who scrubbed my back and legs. Then two classes of hot water for drinking, then 5 minutes in the vapor room
(which was plenty…I like hot, but, man, this was something else!). Next came a lie-down wrapped in sheets with a hot towel placed on my hurt shoulder (from my
fall in Italy), then a massage. I should do this routine before every performance…it was awesome!

I’m sure I’ve remarked on this before, but I truly love storms: be they lightning, wind, thunder, whatever…there power serves as a great reminder of our true
humbleness. Tonight, after tons of rehearsing today, we emerged from the gym-cum-theater to witness a spectacular light show. Lightning bolts leaping from
cloud to cloud from every corner of the sky. I stayed in the parking lot for I don’t know how long watching the display. Very nifty, indeed.

All those years of idolizing Chevy Chase in Junior High paid off today. Had an idea for the capture of the Queen of the Night, and ran to tell Sean Kelly.
Unfortunately, the stairs I was running down were not uniform at the bottom. Slipped, and slid down at least ten, with a tremendous ‘thud’ at the bottom when I
hit the floor. But leapt up and kept running, none the worse for wear. And Generalisimo Franco is still dead.

Been too busy to post. So here are random observations:
Indian Trading Post – Early for dinner one night, so Sarah M., Elaine, Bart, and I went to peek into the Indian Trading Post behind the Brau Haus. Bart
refused to go in…he was wise. The door was propped open, but there was a piece of plywood about 2′ high blocking the door. We peeked in, and voice said “Come
on in…just step over that; it’s to keep the toddler from running out into traffic.” We all exchanged looks, but went ahead and crossed the threshold. We were
greeted by a guy who appeared to be in his late 40’s or early 50’s, one eye extremely bloodshot, who strode toward us while putting on his shirt, barely covering
his distended stomach. “Hello, I’m Chief White Eagle.” He shook my hand, then immediately twisted it to the formation for thumb wrestling, but moved our thumbs
to the outside. Pointing to our hands, he asked, “See this symbol? Ancient Mayan, over a thousand years old.” He then pointed to the intertwined C’s painted on
the floor that looked vaguely like the outline of our fingers. Then he commenced the grand tour of his establishment. He had the standard dream catchers and
crystals for sale, then took us past the excavations they were doing towards the underground creek (which I hope to go explore before I leave), then to the
pedicure room, where his wife was working on two women from New Orleans, and on past the massage room, where Elaine got an eyeful of some woman in her birthday
suit before they finally closed the door. We took a pass on seeing the Moon Lodge. He invited us back anytime for free crystal- or aromatherapy. I don’t think
any of us will be taking him up on that offer.

Amish at the Panda – We went to a Chinese buffet, and there was a Mennonite couple (or some such – guy with long beard and overalls, wife with hair in
white bonnet and palin dress and no makeup). Odd enough, but they were talking on a cellphone! And arguing with whoever was on the other end! Definitely one of
the most incogruous scenes I have ever witnessed.

‘Shim’ – Living in the Montrose, I’ve seen my fair share of travsestites. Usually, they take great pride in their appearance. But there is one that we’ve
seen wandering the streets of Hot Springs that is definitely not aspiring to any fashion awards. Always wears the same red skirt. Has two different shirts.
Somebody reffered to this person as a ‘shim’, a name that is short and descriptive…think I’ll adopt using it.

Quotes – Got a selection of quotes uttered during the festival here.