Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Memorial Day 2008

Thoughts upon Returning to the Ozarks

It has been too long.
Too long since I have been home.
I have forgotten the beauty of topping a rise in the road and seeing a valley of green spread out before me.

Too long since I have been among family.
Grandpa and his spit cup.

Too soon.
Too soon for the poverty. Too soon for the waste of human potential.

This country attracts the best and the worst.

I have mixed feelings.

I should return to the city where I can be anonymous.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

A Great Double Header

When I selected the dates for the plays at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre I just picked every third or fourth Saturday night because weekends at the first of the month always seem so busy. First Friday. Second Saturday. Everyone wants to be early.

So, I was disappointed when I realized our tickets to “The Drawer Boy” were over the Memorial Holiday Weekend. That weekend usually involves a weekend trip back home to the Ozarks. However, since we had the tickets we decided to stay in town until Sunday.

Last weekend I saw a mention in The Pitch about the restaurant La Bodega, and the wine and tapas. I have always enjoyed a good glass (or bottle) of wine and I have been curious about tapas since my daughter came back from a summer visit to Spain and was all infatuated with their culture.

We decided to double up on Saturday night for tapas at La Bodega and a play at the KCRep. Both were a resounding success.

At La Bodega we did the potato pancakes to clams and mussels. All washed down with cold sangria. As the early evening sun shown on the colorful tiles of the restaurant we might have been in Barcelona.

We ended the evening with a standing ovation for the actors of “The Drawer Boy”. I have seen a few plays in Kansas City, Chicago, Toronto and New York. This was one of the best.