Sunday, July 28th, 2024. Up at 4AM, out the door at 4:30, driving 50 miles through God’s country to arrive an hour later at the Taos Gorge. It’s first come first serve there and I scored a prime spot to set up my show for the day. When the easels were set and the pictures […]
“Keep aware of your own career, however humble. It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.” Max Ehrmann Life along the Rio Grande is altogether good these days. Like the big river the days flow by in nature’s grand design. Lately I find myself drawn back to an […]
Decade birthdays can be unsettling. This first occurred on my 30th birthday, and I found my 40th, 50th, 60th & 70th to also be perplexing. Each new decade was like leaving my country and emigrating to another land, a land I knew nothing about. But then at 31, 41, 51, 61 & 71, it was […]
On the road in the Middle East, traveling with friends Jim and Paul, we stopped one afternoon in the town of Dera’a, Syria. We were all hungry and found a street vendor who made felafel sandwiches. The grizzled old fellow who sold us the food spoke perfect English. He told us of his youth in […]
It’s been a while since I posted Part II of “Chiapas”. Like everything I’ve ever written, ‘Chiapas ~ Part III’ has a life of it’s own and will post when it has fully revealed itself to me. I take solace with the notion that maybe one day many years from now there’ll be those who […]
“Mas por me! Mas por me Pancho!” Ben heard these screeching words as he walked up a narrow cobblestone street through a peaceful neighborhood. “Mas por me Pancho!” He looked all around him until he observed a parrot on a perch on a second story terrace. The bird kept chortling, “Mas por me Pancho!” (“More […]
Diane Sloane arrived at the Café Mitla in the early morning. Sitting quietly by herself she ordered a Café Americano. Luis took her order. “Are you waiting for Mr. Ben?” he asked. “No,” said Diane. “I don’t know… have you seen him? “Not since that day he was here with you. He may have left […]
The sun was setting when Ben walked into the cavernous Terminal de Autobuses de Oaxaca. Gentry had been told that Mexican night-buses usually traveled at half capacity. This meant passengers could generally expect to have an empty seat next to them. The seats were similar to standard airline seats but with more leg room. With […]
The next morning Ben brought his luggage into the hotel lobby and saw that Jose was still on duty. “Buenos Dias Jose,” said Ben. “Buenos Dias Señor Gentry.” “I’m surprised to see you still at work.” “The morning clerk called in sick.” “When will you be relieved?” “Soon.” “I hope the owner is paying you […]
Ben awoke at dawn, surprised he still had on his clothes. As he sat up he felt something under his left leg. It was the binder he’d been reading when he fell asleep. He put the binder back into a weathered satchel and placed the satchel under the bed. He showered and put on fresh […]