"Good Times"

Our connections to places and events evoke memories, and a recent visit to Ark City summoned a few good ones. Mom, Dad and I attended the 78th Arkalalah parade held yearly on the last weekend of October. Begun in 1928 to lift morale and relieve the doldrums, Arkalalah means good times and food, and my people have enjoyed the activities from its inception. In the 60's, the Wolf girls marched as the scarecrow, the lion and the tin man of "Wizard of Oz" fame and Mike's pre-marriage introduction to all my Grandparents occurred on this festival weekend in 1974.

It was fun to watch my mom visit with high school friends and hug strange men! My parents were married 55 years ago at the United Presbyterian Church and I have memories of my Grandpa Ramsey greeting church goers in the foyer as I headed downstairs for the all Sunday school sing along. I can still feel the breeze of a summer Sunday generated by the furious flapping of the cardboard fans provided by a local funeral home. As a child, funeral home fans were fascinating but now I get the consumerism behind advertising such services in 90 degree heat to the religious.

We connected with my Uncle Doyle and wife Carol for lunch, connected with Susan's nephew Daniel Weger, the tall trombonists on the front lines of the Kansas State band and left the parade a bit early because we had no connections with anyone else on the floats!

One final connection was Mom's peek into her past at 209 N. "A" Street. She lived in this house from the fourth grade through high school, her best friend Pam lived a street over and a good looking kid named Fred bounded up those stairs in a lettermans jacket to court her. If it weren't for that connection I wouldn't be here!