Friday, March 21, 2008

Boy, are my arms tired...


Yep, nothing builds character like sitting helplessly as a 2 hour flight turns into a 6 hour flight. While Chicago may have been snowy, wet and miserable, Saint Louis was enjoying a beautiful sunny day. I know this, and have photographic proof, because my plane landed there and sat for a while after running low on fuel while holding over Peoria. I swear I didn't kill any albatross, and I have no idea why the weather cursed me so these past few days.

Eventually I made it home, having had a successful trip to Dallas. The filming went well, and I was told by professionals who know such things that I had a knack with the teleprompter. Anyway, the client was happy and I had a good time. My debut in industrial film is in the can.

I had a little time to wander around Dealey Plaza, even though it was dark by the time I got there, and I was struck by how small a space it was. Frankly, my whole world turned a little upside down--after standing near the "X" on the street marking the spot where JFK was hit, and looking up at that 6th floor window, I don't think it was
that hard of a shot. Oswald could've made it. That still doesn't explain the pristine bullet, or why anyone would route a procession through a choke point like that, so I still have plenty of conspiracies to ponder.

The best part of my visit to Dallas was finding a hamburger place in a neighborhood east of the Book Depository. The name of the place was the Twisted Root, and I treated myself to a burger with hot sauce and blue cheese, with sweet potato fries and a Shiner Bock long neck. Instead of giving you a number when you order, they give you a little card with some redneck name on it that they pick out of a basket. So what card did I get?



How did they know I once had a dog named Buford? Or that I was a lawman? (Hopefully a less rotund and ridiculous lawman than Sheriff Justice.)

And now I'm home. On Monday we leave for New Orleans.

11 comments:

Dale said...

Hey Buford T! I hope your industrial film opens nationwide so everyone gets a look at it. Welcome home, for now.

SkylersDad said...

Welcome home, and I hope you have better travel luck on the next trip!

Anonymous said...

Poor Bubs. I hope you have better luck on your next trip.

Dino said...

i heard from a few people that had trouble flying this week - sorry you got stuck in it

lauralu said...

Hey Bubs,

Have a great trip with the family down to NOLA.

It was too cool running into you at the Costco today at the shades rack.

Remember BBQ and cocktails this spring.

Laura

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter and have a great time in NO.
Stella Rose would love to see you guys some time. Me too.

Tenacious S said...

Awesome! I'm counting on you to solve the decades old mystery of who shot JFK.

Fran said...

Shiner bock and a burger like that, Mr Buford T. Justice?

I would say that karma was trying to reply you for the whole travel hell business.

Yes indeed.

GETkristiLOVE said...

You should have said, "Give me a diablo sandwich, a Dr. Pepper, and make it quick - I'm in a god-damned hurry!"

Katie Schwartz said...

What did it feel like standing where JFK was shot? Had to be very eerie and sad.

Q4U: What defines a "choke point"?

Joe said...

jg, it was spooky being there. My appreciation of the moment was lessened by some asshole panhandler trying to talk with me. A choke point is any feature that forces a motorcade, convoy or procession to slow down or bunch up, making it more vulnerable to attack.

GKL, yes, I should have said that!

Fran, I did feel somewhat vindicated.

Ten, I'm more confused now than ever. Sorry. I always had this image of the shot as being this freakishly difficult task, but it didn't look like that big a deal. I'd like to go back and look down from the window, but looking up at it it didn't seem like much.

Bill, Laura, howdy! We gots to get together soon!

Dino, I heard lots of similar stories from fellow flyers.

Kirby, Skylersdad, thanks

Dale--if you're extra special good I may send you a copy some day.