Monday, March 3, 2008

Nostalgia turns into a conspiracy theory...





I was reading the USA Today, and came accross a little blurb under the Arizona Square, that told of the demise of Evan Mecham. He died on February 21rst, 2008. He was the man who banned Martin Luther King Day in Arizona. He was removed as the Governor of Arizona in April of 1988 due to either an impeachment, an indictment, or a recall election, I dont personally recall myself and wasnt part of the recall either, as I had already moved away. (it wasn't because of the Martin Luther King day fiasco, It was some other corruption) Imagine that, a corrupt politician... But I will get back to his corruptness later on in this post by making up outlandish accusations...

It got me thinking about my younger days. I am a huge Gator fan, but thats only because I grew up in Gainesville. I sold cokes in the stands during the 0-10-1 season. (the tie was against Ga Tech ,Larry Ochab was the QB that day. Scott Brantly ended his Gator Career on that field during that game and I took the 4th quarter off from selling cokes to see if they could pull out a win. Later, Brantly went on to play ten years for the Bucs.) When I graduated from High School, Instead of going to Uof F I did what many people do, I chose to Move away to go to College.
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I went to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff Arizona. I learned to Snow Ski up in the high country, I learned about Beer Bongs and worms in Tequila. I learned lots of other stuff as well, and then when I graduated, My degree came to me, signed by the Governor of Arizona, Mr. Evan Mecham .... I think the uniqueness of his term of office actually adds "pizazz" to my degree, until I noticed in the picture here on my blog, and my degree on my wall, the signature is the same. I believe he may not have actually "signed" My diploma, so much as someone in his office, probably used a stamp... (ok, maybe I never really thought he signed it at all, but work with me, this is a conspiracy post) Its ok though, because I still know my way around a beer bong, he cant take that away from me, Thats part of who I am, and I still may be one of the finest skiiers, that you know, never skis anymore. -----In my mind I am an AWESOME skiier. Just like if I were to tell you how good of a football player I was in High school? I was like Ed Bundy... I once scored four .... Anyway, While I was in college, I used to drive back to Florida for most summers so I could work. Most years I would take I-10 through Phoenix, and Tucson and then the motherfucker drive that is El Paso to Beaumont Texas. But one of those trips had me going down I-40.
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Not to far from Flagstaff, on I-40, is Winslow Arizona, and although I am like every other guy on this planet that likes to see how fast a trip can be made, We stopped in Winslow for the express purpose of standing on a corner, like in the Eagles song. Now we may not have seen a girl in a flatbed ford slowing down to take a look --, but damnit we did it in the late 80's (it was me and a friend, His name was Scott) well before the city of Winslow made a park and a festival out of it.

In or around 1997, (facts can sometimes be elusive, plus get in the way) The city of Winslow commercialized this and actually made a park called "standin on a corner"... they even have a yearly FESTIVAL ? I feel somehow my youth has been commercialized as I did it without the help of a park and festival....I just pulled over and stood on a random corner in Winslow Arizona. (College kids were just harder in my day...) We didnt need a park or a festival. I just needed that girl in the flatbed Ford to slow down and you know... Look at me.. but then, as I was getting all nostalgic, it occurred to me that the song was written in the 70's. How come the City of Winslow was so slow to capitalize? Was it because the Eagles were corrupting the Governor with kickbacks to run political roughshod over the Local Winslow government? is the reason he had an office staffer use a stamp to sign his name on my degree because he was busy in the "Hotel California?" Mr. Mecham was a "Hard headed man he was brutally handsome" (just look up in the corner for proof of that) We may never know because Mr. Mecham will take it to his grave.... but much like the grassy knoll in Dallas, and the Zapruder video, My college degree is the last link to that era.... Ok thats dramatic because there are tons of other links and stuff, plus its not like I was the only one that graduated that fatefull May 15th.... I know many of you will say "why dont you come to your senses" and that you know, I have been "out ridin fences for so long now" but thats my story...

3 comments:

Brianinmpls said...

Cool post:)

I def. think their was some kickbacks there...either that or they all just forgot about it for a decade I hear there was a lot of drugs going around in the 70's.

Mine is signed by Jesse "The Body" Ventura

Native Minnow said...

I've often thought I should drive down to Winslow for that exact purpose while I live kind of close. I really like Flagstaff. I don't know about living there, but it's certainly a cool town to visit. My first year in Vegas we drove to Flagstaff for New Year's Eve to watch the pine cone drop. We also saw a lame punk band, and one of my friends tried to pee on a train. Good times.

Bill From Gainesville said...

Brian, I believe your Jesse "the body" Trumps my Evan Mecham, Its like you have a full house to my three of a kind, But I do believe anyone out there who has the terminator on their degree, has the royal flush of Governors signing diploma's ....
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Minnow. I have peed in many innapropriate places in my day, and when I was a Junior and Senior, my apartment was right next to the train tracks.. We used to just pee in the bushes though, and throw those useless little Saucer plates at the train.... Those were GREAT DAYS...