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AUGUST 2020 / VOLUME XV / Issue I
BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION ~ Tulsa to Oklahoma City and everywhere in between ~
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2 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020
CUSHING
LOOKING FORWARD
Not just a magazine...a part of your life! Next Month:
SEPTEMBER: FALL FESTIVALS SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE AUGUST
ON THE COVER EVERYONE in Mannford is anxiously awaiting the first day of school. Pictured are: SENIORS Aiden Henson Tryston Baker Camden Pierce JUNIORS Barrett Hilton Braden Phillips
Fall Festivals Dining Edition Hunting & Thanksgiving Edition Christmas Edition
SOPHMORE Carter Percell FRESHMAN Bella Pehrson
Health & Fitness Edition
8th GRADE Timber Rowell
Love Edition
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COVER PHOTO from CRYSTL’S PHOTOGRAPHY
BACK TO SCHOOL
Home Improvement Edition Sports Edition Real Estate & Industry Edition
FUN!
Travel Edition Back to School Edition
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BACK-TO-SCHOOL EDITION 5
EDITORIAL by Joe Gooch
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BACK TO SCHOOL by Kayla Dees
14
PASTOR PAUL’S PASSAGES by Paul Ragle
19 CREEK COUNTY BATTLE OF THE BOAT by Josh Harrington
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From the EDITOR
by JOE GOOCH
What happened to our summer vacation? The CORONA virus pandemic maybe? Did anyone get a vacation, or did we stay indoors all summer? Oh well! Now it’s back to school...I think. WOW! Everything is messed up, and especially me. Let’s just hope this year’s Friday Night Lights don’t get cancelled for our schools. No high school football would be like doing without apple pie, and homemade ice cream. Find your home team schedule starting on page 29, but please realize some of our local teams are playing a shorter schedule or conference only.
flowing from the Great Salt Plains, the water was extremely salty. In fact, the water was so salty the beans wouldn’t cook because the water would only simmer. It would not boil, thus leaving the pot of beans crunchy. One evening an old pioneer settling in the Cushing area became aggravated while trying to cook his beans for supper with this water. He became so frustrated he said, “Well just CIM-MARR-ON!” He then kicked over his pot of simmering beans! And that’s how I came to understand where the Cimarron River got it’s name. (Story provided by G’ma Katie Butcher)
My doctor says I have a much different problem called mild cognitive impairment. In layman’s terms that means I am dumber than a rock. This is also known as Alzheimer’s or dementia. That is not true, because in the second grade I was the smartest child in the class. OK, so there were only two students in the class at my little country school of Pleasant Mound in 1955 but I can still claim I was the smartest of the two of us!
Anyway, let’s get back to school! I really think our kids need it! Social networking is best done in person! Our personalities depend upon the classroom, our local teachers, and our friends! At this point, if I were still in school, I’d befriend the local bullies just for the sane reality of feeling alive!!! Ah ha ha ha stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive…I do love those Bee Gees from 1967!!
Did you know? It’s my understanding that during the Land Run of 1889, settlers stopped along the Cimarron River to cook a pot of beans. However due to the Cimarron River
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THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 5
ALONG THE CORRIDOR COMPILED by KAYLA DEES
The start of the school year is once again just around the corner. Catch the latest news from the schools in The Corridor Magazine! AGRA BEARCATS
CARNEY BULLDOGS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 CLASSES BEGIN - August 31 OPEN HOUSE - August 11 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE - October 8 - 9 FALL BREAK - October 12 - 16 CHANDLER FALL CARNIVAL - Date TBA LIONS CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 BRISTOW PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 13 - 14 PIRATES FALL BREAK - October 15 - 16 CLASSES BEGIN - August 12 FALL BREAK - October 16 - 18 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 14 - 15 6 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020
CUSHING TIGERS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 13-14 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
DAVENPORT BULLDOGS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 10 OPEN HOUSE - August 6 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE September 17 FALL BREAK - October 14-16
DEPEW HORNETS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 14 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE -
MEEKER BULLDOGS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
OILTON PANTHERS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 13
FALL BREAK - October 15-16
PERKINS-TRYON DEMONS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 20 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 12-14 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
FALL BREAK - October 25
PRAGUE RED DEVILS
DRUMRIGHT TORNADOES
October 13-14 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
October 24
NO INFO AVAILABLE AT TIME OF PRINTING...
KELLYVILLE PONIES
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE -
CLASSES BEGIN - August 12 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE -
RIPLEY WARRIORS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 15 OPEN HOUSE - August 13
September 15 & 17 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
SAPULPA CHIEFTAINS
LUTHER LIONS
October 12
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 13-14 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
MANNFORD PIRATES
CLASSES BEGIN - August 19 OPEN HOUSE - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 12-13 FALL BREAK - October 14-16
CLASSES BEGIN - August 20 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE FALL BREAK - October 14-16
SHAWNEE WOLVES
CLASSES BEGIN - August 20 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE - October 17
STILLWATER PIONEERS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE - October 8 & 13 FALL BREAK - October 15-16 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 7
STROUD TIGERS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE - October 14 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
YALE BULLDOGS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 13 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE September 22-24 FALL BREAK - October 15-16
WELLSTON TIGERS
CLASSES BEGIN - August 22 PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE October 14 & 15 Fall Break- October 16-18
Enjoy the 2020 2021 School Year!
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THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 11
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CALL ABOUT OUR MEMBERSHIP FEES & DUES
Proper Backpack
USE FOR YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH by ROBERT D MULLINS, DC Chiropractic Physician
It is so easy to lose perspective of how heavy something is to you and me when you compare it to a child’s strength and capabilities. Lifting a gallon of milk is so simple to me, yet my children are not able to lift and pour their own milk without extreme exertion and potential mess or even injury. The same is true for textbooks. In college, I would carry around several textbooks in my backpack (a good twenty pounds at least) without too much difficulty, especially if I wore the backpack correctly with a proper posture. Today, our children carry around their textbooks, lunch bags, phones, I-pods, MP3 players and who knows what else inside of their backpacks every day. The contents of these backpacks are usually just thrown in without any thought of proper weight placement or balance. Then, they are slung improperly over one shoulder, hanging down usually too low across the back. This is very stressful to the spine and the structures that support the spine. If your child has to lean forward to carry the backpack, you need to check the overall weight. Too much weight will lead to poor posture, numbness and weakness in your child’s shoulders, arms, legs and even back pain. If your child is complaining of any of these symptoms, get them checked out by their Physician or Chiropractor. Your children can have back pain just like you. If you teach them the correct way to use and wear their backpack, you will decrease the likelihood of injury to their spine. A little prevention will keep your children healthier and happier. Enjoy Better Health, Naturally!
GUIDELINES
FOR PURCHASING A BACKPACK FOR A CHILD from the U.S. National Safety Council
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Choose a backpack designed for safety and comfort with appropriate padding.
2.
Look for belts and straps that wrap around the chest and hips for extra support
3.
Check for many compartments for proper weight distribution of the different items that will be stowed away in this backpack.
for reflective stripes for 4. Look increased visibility at night.
5.
Now that you have purchased an appropriate backpack, you need to make sure it is packed correctly.
6.
Secure heavy items to the bottom part of the backpack so it is not top heavy.
7.
8.
Pack and tie the backpack in a way that it is as close to the body as possible. You do not want to move your child’s “Center of Gravity” more than is necessary. If you do, there is a chance for muscle strain. Make sure both shoulders are being used (not just one shoulder). This will equalize the load on the spine and reduce the possibility of a sprain/strain injury.
THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 13
CREEK COUNTY
BATTLE OF THE BOAT Jack Aven, left, of the Mannford Pirates and Stephen Tolon, right, of the Bristow Pirates will face off in this season’s Creek County Battle of the Boat. by JOSH HARRINGTON
Heading into my junior year of high school, I was starting to develop into more of a role player for the Bristow Purple Pirates football team. I was by no means a game changer on the field, but the culture that Coach Brett Jones has established makes every player feel like an All-State caliber player each and every snap. The very first play of the 2016 season was at Hafer Field in Bristow against the 2A-powerhouse Victory Christian Conquerors of Tulsa. Our kicker, Kyle Roenner, booted a flighty ball caught just ahead of the goal line. Our kickoff team, which I was on, rallied to the ball and jarred it loose from the returner’s clutch. I, being an opportunistic fellow in the right place at the right time, fell on the ball at the one yard line, marking up my one and only fumble recovery in my high school football career. We went on to lose the game in a 49-48 slugfest, but the tone had been set that Bristow football was back! Memories like these are what role players like myself live for in football. These pure accidents which looked like strokes of brilliance on my part were assuredly few and far between, but I still remember all the memes my friends made when Cindy Wayland posted a rather hilarious picture of me running off the field with my arms reached towards the sky in my miniature Roman triumph to the sideline. We throttled the Stroud Tigers in a 46-0 rout the next week, and the next week we had to travel to the south side of Keystone Lake and face off against the Mannford Purple Pirates.
14 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020
PHOTOS by CRYSTL’S PHOTOGRAPHY
There are two running jokes in Bristow, and, more than likely, Mannford, about the annual game which has been played over a span of decades. One joke is about the “real Pirates” team and the “fake Pirates” team. The other joke is that, no matter the outcome, the Pirates will come out with a win on the other side. The 2016 game of the series saw Bristow come out on top, winning 47-29. In 2017, this feud fostered the creation of a trophy. With a few days of game prep and film breakdown under our belt, Coach Jones told the team that he and Mannford’s head coach had come together and decided that there should be some kind of trophy to commemorate the competition of the two Purple Pirate squads of Creek County. Think the The Jewelled Shillelagh of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry or the Ole Miss-Mississippi State Golden Egg, but localized to our two towns. Enter the Creek County Battle of the Boat. Atop four pillars surrounding a player in full pads sits a small-scale replica of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the flagship of the infamous pirate Blackbeard. The model even includes his Jolly Roger, a horned skeleton sporting a spear pointing towards a red heart and three red dots. From that point on, it truly felt like our efforts carried more weight than in games prior. The 2017 edition and inaugural game for the trophy ended in a 35-34 victory for the Bristow Purple Pirates. It was a heated altercation of blows; it was neck and neck for the entire duration of the game. Neither team truly had an edge on the other until counting down the final seconds.
The 2018 game finished 35-7 in Bristow’s favor, and the 2019 game-score was 38-0 in another win for Bristow. One thing I remember most about playing Mannford when I donned Bristow’s own purple and gold was no matter what the score said on the scoreboard, the competition was never at a lackluster level. It always seemed our high octane, speedy triple option offense was at bitter odds with their intense four-man front on the defensive line and gritty linebackers and defensive backs. When Mannford charged ahead with their patented spread offense that featured four offensive linemen and the occasional tight end in two-point stances (meaning the two points of contact with the ground were their feet, contrary to a three-point stance, where a player places his hand in the grass as well,) we constantly felt it was only a play away from their quarterback throwing a dart downfield past our corners and safeties and putting six up on the board. In fact, even special teams play was a battleground, with explosive, end zone-to-end zone returns never out of the realm of possibility. My memories may have a bit of a bias towards the Bristow side of the story, so I reached out to both head football coaches to learn more on the 2020 Edition of the Creek County Battle of the Boat. I spoke with Coach Brett Jones, beginning his eighth year as skipper of the Bristow Football Program, as well as Coach Dustin Kinard, who spent 13 years as the Sandites’ Head Coach in Sand Springs. He then made the jaunt down west on Highway 51 to start his first year over the program in Mannford. Leading off, I wanted to know what offseason efforts were taking place in both towns in lieu of the COVID-19 crisis looming overhead. “Starting the summer program was tough,” Coach Kinard said. “Just like everybody else, we didn’t get to have spring ball or pad up our kids to see where they’ll fit in the system. Luckily, all of our sports organizations could start on June 8th with the caveat that they had to work out outside; our football team finally got to start working out in the weight room with two at a rack with the rest outside putting in work.” “We started our summer with free weights, and, on July 15th, we started our normal summer pride procedures with a few changes, of course,” Coach Jones said in his response. “We have to keep the vents open to ensure maximum air flow, and we split up our offensive lineman from our skilled position players to create more social distancing and also better suit our program schedule.” I asked Coach Kinard about the culture he seeks to build in the town that lays claim to being the “Striped Bass Capital of the World.” “Establishing a culture starts with establishing the family aspect of the team. Whether it’s your first year there as coach or your twentieth, the boys have to be on the same page, day in and day out. We have a lot of guys who are going to be playing on both sides of the ball this year, and, as the Head Coach, you have to be there to guide them through the tough parts of football. I’m really excited to see how these young men grow.” Coach Jones, on the other hand, established the “Protect the Family” mantra during his first year as Head Coach, so I asked him what influenced him to create such an environment.
“Teaching young men to be better citizens, sons, brothers, and, eventually, fathers is something we all take great pride in on our staff. Therein lies the influence,” he continued. “We look to foster exceptional player-to-player relationships as well as mentor our guys beyond football by building lasting player/coach relationships. Having a top-tier team takes facilitating certain dynamics, and we strive to do so everyday.” Saying that Bristow’s flexbone triple option is unique to high school football is an understatement to say the least, and senior twin brothers Kaylon and Stephon Tolon have flourished on the offensive line and at quarterback, respectively. Coach Jones will be the first to tell you our offense has become a part of our identity over the past seasons, and he doesn’t look to deviate much from the mindset. However, Coach Kinard is no stranger to defending the heavy ground game found in the triple option. SIn fact, he’s no stranger to the flexbone formation, documenting his experience with the Sandites where they faced off against the Yukon Millers, a team that also runs the offense. “Aside from Yukon, you don’t see it much at the bigger schools,” he added. “That style’s philosophy is to ground and pound, and we aren’t scared to get in the trenches or stop the perimeter game. Our coaches are all familiar with scouting out the motions and reads, and who takes who on what play, and our players have seen the same offense since seventh-grade. I’m confident that the x’s and o’s will fall in line as we think they will. “We also plan on changing our offense up a bit,” Kinard added. “We like our guys spreading the field, but, make no mistake, I like to run the ball too. Don’t be surprised if you see our backfield with a few more running backs than you’re used to! We’ll expect to bring out the best in a couple of offensive linemen with our junior Braden Phillips and senior Jack Aven, and Tucker Hunsaker will be battling it out to be Q.B. number one.” According to both coaches, stopping the run is paramount to winning the game. Bristow’s defensive line is bringing back junior Alex “Frosty” Winter and senior Fabian Bradford with junior Cord Dobrinski patrolling the flats and sealing the edge at outside linebacker, while Mannford’s defense will lean on the help of ironman players Phillips, Aven, and Hunsaker. I asked them both why they thought their team would bring home the trophy for the Creek County Battle of the Boat. Kinard stated, “I think we’ll have the mentality for the game. Bristow is definitely our biggest rival in pre-district play, and controlling the ball will be vital; I can’t think of a better way to start district play than with a win over Bristow on our record.” Jones countered, “We’re confident we can bring the trophy back home to Bristow once again, but it’ll have to be earned. We’re expecting a better team in Mannford with a lot of new schematics, so our guys will have to buck up and prove that they deserve to be on the radar this year.” I, for one, cannot wait for 2020’s volume of the storied Bristow-Mannford rivalry. It’ll be a game of undisputed triumph for the victor, but, rest assured, it will be a clash for the ages.
THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 15
COACHING STAFFS BRISTOW:
Brett Jones - HC/OC/QBa/MLBa Shay Rackley - DC/OLBs Jake Avery - Interim DC/DB Scott Hall - OL Chance Batey - WRs Shaun Roebuck - RBs Jesse Markum - DL Billy Sexton - DBs Josh Harrington - OLBs
MANNFORD:
Dustin Kinard - HC/OL/DL Jason Landrum - DC/WRs Kenny Gooch - OC/DBs Bryan Golemon - OLBs/WRs Josh Snelson - OL/DL Josh Coleman - RBs/DBs
SEE SEASON SCHEDULES ON PAGE 30-31 SHOWN LEFT IS JACK AVEN OF THE MANNFORD PIRATES AND RIGHT IS STEPHEN TOLON OF THE BRISTOW PIRATES.
16 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020
PA S TO R PA U L’ S PA S S A G E S by Pastor Paul Ragle
The 2020-21 schOol year ... WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE? I saw a comic online the other day which speaks to my experience of the 2020 pandemic. In the picture, a priest was serving the Lord’s Supper by squirting communion wine into parishioners’ mouths with a water pistol. LOL. Our lives are being challenged many ways during the Covid 19 pandemic. How we shop, play, vacation, work, worship and eat have been greatly affected. Although many churches have returned to in-person worship on Sunday mornings, church services look very different from what they were before the virus began to spread. The requirements of social distancing means that a few of us may be in worship together, but we are missing friends in the church who have had to choose not to be in attendance. Somebody asked me if our congregation is getting back to normal. Not really. Much of our membership does not come to worship because they find themselves at too high a risk for the virus. We miss passing the peace of Christ with our friends each week. However, we are learning to practice our faith and to carry out the mission of Christ in new ways. I celebrate the creativity of church leaders who have stepped forward to help folks connect with the body of Christ. Several parents and grandparents have shared with me their hopes that we will soon return to in-person Sunday school and children’s programming. There are many opinions on what churches ought to be doing during pandemic in these regards. I applaud my pastoral colleagues who have prepared and adapted summer educational curriculum for use in online learning. We have gathered in Zoom meetings to conduct summer church camp and vacation
Bible school. But we long for our special summer church programming. As I write this article, what the 2020-2021 school year is going to look like is far from clear. With Covid 19 numbers in our state rising, we ask some important questions: Will students be able to return to the classroom? Will families get to choose distance learning over in-person learning in the classroom? Will students and faculty be required to add masks to the school dress code? Will there be fall sports? Will college campuses be open or will incoming freshmen have to begin their pursuit of a university degree online or decide to take a year off before they start school? I see one very positive thing happening with education during the pandemic, i.e., more and more families are taking an increasingly active role in planning for their children’s learning. Three wonderful grandchildren live under my roof. Their mother has ultimate authority in making decisions pertaining to their education, but Grammy and Papa get to provide input. Our kids have thrived in the school classroom, but the classroom may not be the safest place for them to be this year. When my kids sheltered at home last spring, they were isolated from friends and teachers. They have missed socializing with other children. I am very pleased with the amount of time they’ve been spending reading good books every day from the library and on their Kindles – my daughter is doing a super job helping them to love to read - but in school they also learn to navigate relationships and society. May we all be given wisdom, appreciation and a love for learning! n
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Cuti es o
ANNO
D UNCING THE 2020
f Th
e Corridor
st e t Con
Remember These Winners? Enter Your CUTIE Today!
2009 Roderick Shields
2010 Ashlyn Morris
2011 Sayler Rackley
2012 Taylor Johnston Lau
2012 Kinley Clovis
2013 Chloe Gross
2014 Brant Young
2019 WIN
Send In Your Ent ry Today!
NER....
2016 Kyson Pettigrew
2017 Jaycie George
2018 Jolee Rae Barrier
CORRIDOR CUTIES - RULES FOR THE CONTEST...
2015 Harrison Allen
Saige Olivia McComb s
• Email a color photo of your “cutie” to The Corridor Magazine, along with your name, child’s name, date of birth, address and your full permission to print the photo of your child. Please email the photo to joe.corridor.magazine@gmail.com. On the subject line of the email please put Corridor Cuties Contest. The photo format needs to be a high resolution JPG or PDF (no photos from online please). • ENTRY DEADLINE: September 15, 2020. • Age: Birth to 18 months. The child must be younger than 18 months on October 1, 2020. • Judges will be an independent panel with no relationship whatsoever to any of the entries. • All contestants must reside in the State of Oklahoma
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IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS The Corridor Magazine would like to recognize all the young men that have been putting in countless hours of rigorous training and hard work to prepare for the
FIRST GAME OF THE YEAR.
In the following pages, you’ll find the schedules for many high school teams along The Corridor. We would love for you to come out and support these athletes in the fall! The Corridor would also like to wish all the players of the teams in this issue good luck and a safe and competitive season.
And all you fans....don’t forget to head out some Friday nights, or the occasional Thursday night, and cheer your team to victory!
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405-258-5122 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 35
My Early Days in Stillwater by GENE STACY
As a youth, in the mid-60s, I spent some growing up time in Stillwater, OK. It’s hard to believe that Stillwater was once a town of only 35,000 with a Police Department of only 35 officers. My late father was one of those officers. Highway 177, which runs east of the Stillwater Creek and behind the grain elevator, is now buzzing with traffic and lined with retail establishments. When I was a boy, that creek was basically the edge of town, filled with wooded areas. My friends and I built forts and played the day away, and occasionally nabbed a squirrel or a rabbit with our slingshots. Those trees are all gone now, and a city has grown. I clearly remember the grand opening of Gibons’s (long before WalMart), the very first large department store located along Highway 51, just east of Hwy 177, in an area that would soon be known as Highland Park. It was a Saturday morning and I rode my bicycle to this brand new absolutely huge store. I had never seen so many different items all under one roof, including, but not limited to, furniture, tools, auto supplies and, best of all, more toys than I had ever seen in one place! Directly across the highway was a Ford dealership where I saw one of the very first Ford GT Mustangs. It would be many years after that first siting that I did actually own such a car. Just a little farther down the street was a “Mom & Pop” grocery store with wooden floors. I visited them on Saturdays to spend my 25¢ allowance on choosing from quite the selection of penny candy. Yes, the candy cost just one penny!
36 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020
A small lumberyard was located on a bit of a hill with a drive sloping down into the area. I loved to take my bike up to the store and then ride roaring down the hill into the street where I experienced my very first brush with death. Fortunately, it was a slow speed accident in which I suffered only a few bruises. My bike also gained a few more scratches. The unforgettable look of terror on the face of the young woman who was driving the car is forever ingrained in my memory. She insisted on loading up my bike to drive me home. Upon our arrival, Mom shared a cup of coffee with her and reassured her that I was fine, and that it had not been her fault at all. As stated earlier, my father was a police officer, and as such, there were a few stern rules to live by. Never cheat, never steal, and above all, if you ever do these things and get caught, never, ever lie about it. My Dad hated it when folks lied, and many years later, I have come to feel the same. In the early sixties, Oklahoma did not have kindergarten or pre-school. A child began school at the age of six going right into the first grade. I still clearly recall my incredibly special first day of school attendance. My first grade teacher’s name was Mrs. Endorf. She was elderly, and had dedicated her entire life to educating young children. She had beautifully pure white hair. The cost of lunch at that time was ten cents – one small dime. I was unaware that my Mother had already pre-paid Mrs. Endorf for my first week of lunches, so when my classmates went to the lunch counter with their
tin trays, I refused to eat, knowing I didn’t have a dime in my pocket. Instead, I went out onto the playground area where Mrs. Endorf brought me a piece of “Texas Toast”. In my opinion, it was the worst most burned up hard slice of bread I had ever tried to eat. Fast forward to second grade ... It was a new neighborhood with a brand new school – Highland Park Elementary. My second grade teacher’s name was Mrs. Bird. And for me it was love at first sight. She was a beautiful young Cherokee Indian with long, beautiful black hair. This teacher was the first love of my life. When she smiled it was if the whole world smiled with her. I became the teacher’s pet, and never once apologized for it. Whenever my Mother wondered why I was late getting home, she would drive up to the school and find me cleaning Mrs. Bird’s chalk erasers outside and helping her clean the classroom. Fast forward now several years – I had just completed my full tour of duty with the United States Marine Corp. I had leave coming and had a very strong desire to return to Stillwater for a visit. I was saddened to learn that my first teacher, Mrs. Endorf, had passed away. But her legacy continued far beyond a normal lifespan. She continues to live in the hearts and souls of my generation, often referred to as the Baby Boomers. My U.S. Marine Corps uniform was freshly cleaned, creased and pressed. My brass and my shoes were polished so that a person could actually see themselves in them and my Sergeant stripes and colors clearly visible. I entered into the Highland Park School and inquired about Mrs. Bird, my former second grade teacher. I was so excited and incredibly pleased to learn that she was
still teaching there and was presently in the teacher’s lounge on a coffee break. Now, nearly 14 years later, I walked into that teacher’s break room. I stood tall and proud in my uniform. Before saying a word, Mrs. Bird, stood up in the back of the room, and actually called me by name! My beloved teacher has long since passed and the school itself has been torn down with a new one having been built up close to Highway 51. Throughout my somewhat colorful, adventurous life, I have come so awfully close to death many times while serving our country in one capacity or another, always wearing a badge, insignia and often carrying a hidden weapon. It was only five years ago, that I once again took an ambulance ride to an emergency room. At that time, the ER doctor advised me that I must change my ways of life in many regards. I told the doctor, “I should have died a hundred times over, and yet I still stand today. I will leave this earth when my work is finished and the good Lord calls me home, and not one minute before.” As for police officers, it was the late, great, and highly respected, Paul Harvey, who once wrote, and I quote, “In nearly two decades of riding with the Chicago Police Department, I have never met a policeman who was paid enough.” And it’s true that my father was never paid enough as a Stillwater Police officer. I would to add a little something to Mr. Harvey’s quote. “I personally, have never met a truly dedicated schoolteacher that was paid enough.” May the good Lord bless and keep you and yours, and may God always bless America! n
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THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 37
NOTES ALONG THE
Corridor
by RICK REILEY
CHOCTAW KEEPER OF THE FLAME
SAMANTHA CRAIN
I’ve spent a few years acquainting myself with the Norman Music Festival that happens every April (in nonpandemic years)! Every year it’s always a fresh new awakening to me of the wonder of musical variety that is available right here in Oklahoma. However, many famed national touring acts also populate the artist roster. It’s a great place for the passionate and youthful. A three day and night oasis of sound reverberating throughout the downtown community that, taken as a whole, must mirror the heartbeat of primitive mankind on the hunt in joyous search of one another and the essential, immediate meaning of life. The music includes some genres I’m familiar with, some I’m only marginally familiar with and some I don’t comprehend at all. It’s a real eye opener for those of us old enough to remember our youth in musical terms and to see the evolution of the species in real time. It’s a different world. And it is ALIVE with enthusiasm! I bring it up now because it’s another live event I missed this year because of the pandemic. But thinking about it brought back a specific memory of hearing Shawnee native Samantha Crain for the first time. Upon arrival there I parked and followed the sound of beautiful music and voice over the loudspeakers cutting through the crowds and the traffic jams to the stage near the old depot. There she was on stage with her band, I was drawn in like a moth to a flame. I’d never heard of her before. At the time, she was in her mid to late 20s. If a Hammond B-3 organ had a human voice, I’d say it’s hers. I wanted to know more and followed her a bit on the digital platforms, saw that she was touring nationally and internationally, and then lost track of her for a while. Samantha Crain has never written expressly for the masses, not for the mainstream. In a recent interview in The Daily Oklahoman with Brandy McDonald she says she
38 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020
began with encouragement from her mother by writing short stories. She didn’t take up the guitar until she was 17 or so as an additional means of storytelling. She has several recordings to her credit but it’s the three most recent that I’m most familiar with are: Under Branch and Thorn and Tree – 2015 (includes some wonderful, lush orchestration) You Had Me at GoodBye – 2017 (More of a pop oriented feel) A Small Death – 2020 - Just released on July 17, A
Small Death is a lovely, sedate, introspective work of art. According to the aforementioned interview, she tells of some difficult moments in her life during the last couple of years being the victim of three car crashes in rapid succession, none of which were her fault, and other misfortunes. She spoke of having to be laid up to recuperate and wondering if she’d ever play guitar again. Her latest work began as a therapeutic means of dealing with the intensity and anxiety of those times and giving voice to the experience. From her website, Samantha Crain is a Choctaw singer, songwriter, poet, producer and musician from Oklahoma. She is a two time Native American Music Award winner and winner of an Indigenous Music Award. Her genre, spanning discography, has been critically acclaimed by media outlets such as Rolling Stone, SPIN, Paste, No Depression, NPR, PRI, the Guardian, PRI, NME, Uncut and others. She has toured extensively over the last 11 years nationally and internationally presenting ambitious orchestrated shows with a band and intimate folk leaning solo performances. She’s toured with First Aid Kit, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lucy Rose, the Avett Brothers and Brandi Carlile among others…. Sampling of lyrics, from Pastime: Falln’ in love was a pastime I fell in love every chance I got… This is one of my favorites, I suppose, because it has a great mid 60’s pop feel to it. And I understand the story. Another favorite is, Holding to the Edge of Night It feels like a holy, layered chant, Echoing in the cathedral of my imagination…….. And this line from High Horse: I know the shame of a great heartache I know the weight of a big mistake… This whole album is a well and fully produced, generous work of art. All written, produced and recorded right here in Oklahoma. Guitar, piano, percussion, strings, horns, all layered impeccably to deliver a memorable sensory experience. In addition to writing and recording, she’s also done work as producer, producing the debut work by Norman’s The Annie Oakleys. As some have said... “Her voice is gorgeously odd — all fulsome, shape-shifting vowels that do indeed billow like fog.” – ROLLING STONE “Ms. Crain is a promising young storyteller with fealty to ragged, country-driven indie-pop and an alluring dark streak.” – NEW YORK TIMES “The richness of Crain’s voice and the striking imagery of her lyrics finds beauty and pathos in the details of down
trodden lives.” – THE GUARDIAN During an interview done a few years ago by Lulu Garcia Navarro on the Weekend Edition Sunday on NPR, Crain was asked why she chose to stay in Oklahoma instead of moving to New York, Atlanta or Austin to further her career. She said that although she felt like with her appearance and beliefs she stuck out like a sore thumb, this was truly her home. Plus this is where her family is, and, of course, the cost of living is far more attractive.
She certainly knows the Oklahoma musicians and the Oklahoma landscape, and she certainly knows how to thread words and music together in a lush tapestry of sound. Even in her native Choctaw language. Another anchoring point could be her Choctaw heritage. She says that so many Choctaw traditions and traditional music have been lost through the years that she wants to create and encourage new traditional music and new traditions to keep her native culture and heritage alive and thriving. She certainly knows the Oklahoma musicians and the Oklahoma landscape, and she certainly knows how to thread words and music together in a lush tapestry of sound. Even in her native Choctaw language. Thus her song Red Sky, Blue Sunset on this new album was conceived and sung in Choctaw. The refrain translated into English says, We were born to change the world, we have. And what have we done?…. A very succinct, interesting and timeless question for us all: “We were born to change the world we have. And what have we done?” There are some links to superbly produced videos on her website and other information as well. For more information visit www.SamanthaCrain.com. Or listen on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon or wherever else you find your favorite music. n
THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020 39
Delilah’s DILEMMAS
Delilah was becoming tired. The rhythm of the CPR compressions to Patty’s chest was growing increasingly slower. She had been at it for nearly fifteen minutes. She wanted to stop, to pass the arduous task to Karon or Joel. But she knew she had to press on. She had to ensure that all attempts to resuscitate Patty had been made, even though she knew at this point her efforts were futile. Patty was gone, and there was no bringing her back to discover the whereabouts of Eli and Dooby. There was no reviving her to save Joel the accusation of murdering her with duct tape. The fact that Delilah almost laughed at that morbid thought proved she was near exhaustion. Had he wrapped the duct tape too tightly around Patty’s chest? Did they even need to confess they had done that? “One, two, three,” Joel counted out all the way to thirty. And then Delilah stopped to give her two breaths. Of course, she’d have to tell Charlie everything. There would be evidence of the tape on Patty’s clothes and on her wrists. How was she going to find Eli and Dooby? Delilah forced the worst-case scenario out of her mind, but only for five counts. Delilah could see why Patty would want Abigail dead. She knew far too much about the organization. If Abigail talked, all was lost. And Eli and Dooby had gone to Washington D. C. to make Abigail talk. Delilah paused a moment as red and blue flashing lights faintly made their way into the house from the driveway. “That’s Charlie,” Delilah said. “He’s turned off his siren. Karon, go meet him at the back door, will you?” Delilah resumed her CPR, and as soon as Charlie and one of his deputies, a tall, lanky, youngish, man with short blonde hair, entered the room with a rush, she asked the sheriff to take over for her. “How long have you been at it?” Charlie asked, advancing into the room. “Since I called you,” Karon said, following Charlie into the room.
40 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2020
by
DIANE BROWN
“That was twenty minutes ago,” Charlie said, kneeling down beside the corpse. “Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five,” Joel counted on. “Yes,” Delilah said, emotion beginning to take hold of her. “And I’m a little tired, Charlie. So, if you could just take over until the EMTs get here.” Charlie took hold of Delilah’s wrist and gently pulled it away from Patty’s chest. He gave her a sad smile, and then just shook his head. Joel had stopped counting. Delilah sat back on her heels, dropped her chin to her chest, and began sobbing. That’s when they heard the ambulance’s siren. The EMTs, unaware that entrance to the house was usually through the back door, had driven the ambulance to the front of the house. Karon scurried to the entry hall, turned on the front porch light, and opened the front door. “Andrew, why don’t you flag the EMTs,” Charlie said to the deputy, then he turned his attention back to Delilah. “By the way, where are Eli and Dooby?” he asked softly as he helped Delilah to her feet. “Charlie, can I see you in the kitchen for just a bit, please?” Delilah asked in hushed tones, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the backs of her hands. Leaving the deputy to gather any necessary evidence, Charlie followed Delilah to the kitchen, where she absentmindedly offered him some iced tea, and he just as idly declined it. Delilah froze. She had no idea where to begin, or how much to tell the Lincoln County Sheriff.
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and Joel ambled into the kitchen. Delilah winced, and then explained everything, leaving no detail untold. “She was nonresponsive when I went back to the living room,” Joel said. “Surely the duct tape wouldn’t’ve killed her.” “Did you tape her mouth?” Charlie asked. “No,” Delilah and Joel said in unison. “Then I doubt the tape had anything to do with her death,” Charlie said. A vision of Joel behind bars flashed through Delilah’s mind, and an irrepressible shiver went over her. Charlie studied Delilah, and then as though he’d read her mind he said. “Don’t put the cart before the horse, Delilah. Let’s wait and see what the coroner says. We’re going to need to notify her next of kin. Do you know who to call?” “Oh, Lord!” Delilah said. “I hadn’t even given that a thought. I can get that for you.” “Not to worry,” Charlie said. “Now, where are you staying the rest of the night?” “What?” Delilah asked, very confused. “Don’t think it’s a good idea to stay here alone, do you?” Charlie said. “If, like you say, there are others who could be out to finish what Patty started . . .” “She can stay at my house in town,” Karon offered. “I can’t leave Joel out here alone!” Delilah exclaimed. Like next of kin, this was a dilemma that hadn’t been considered. Delilah’s hands went to her face and she squeezed as though doing so would force all the thoughts in her head out through her nose or ears. She began pacing.
DESIGN
“Okay,” she finally said, as she and Charlie stood in the middle of the kitchen. “I’m going to start with who that woman is and what she’s done.” Charlie listened intently without any expression of doubt or amusement as Delilah gave him the run down on Patty, George Armstrong, and Abigail, and their criminal activities. When she had finished, Charlie nodded, then frowned. “Abigail? Your cousin, Abigail?” he asked. “Yes,” Delilah said. “So, was Abigail the one who killed Blaize, or was it Patty?” Charlie asked, clearly confused. The conversation abruptly stopped when the gurney was rolled into the entry hall, and one of the EMTs started for the kitchen. “We’ll take her to the morgue,” the EMT said. “Andrew’s already called the coroner.” Charlie gave the man a chin up. “Thanks,” he said. “Neither pulled the trigger, but Patty ordered the hit,” Delilah continued. “Said she had her best man take care of it. “Last Wednesday, Eli and Dooby went to Washington D. C. where they’re holding Abigail,” Delilah continued, her voice very low. “They were going to try to get her to talk. We haven’t heard from them since. They’re not returning our calls. And before she tried killing me tonight, Patty said she had Eli, Dooby and Abigail,” she took a deep breath, “eliminated.” Again, Charlie nodded and frowned. A long stretch of silence filled the room. Finally, Charlie looked at Delilah. “So, what happened to Patty tonight?” he asked, as Karon
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“And no,” Delilah said, cutting off Karon. “He can’t come to town with us. That’s all I need, to come home tomorrow after abandoning the place tonight, only to find everything burned to the ground.” “I have a solution,” Andrew said, having slipped into the room without notice. “We’ll have to confiscate the deceased’s vehicle, correct?” “Yes,” Charlie concurred. “You take the deceased’s vehicle back to town, leave the cruiser, and I’ll stay guard tonight,” Andrew offered. A blank look took possession of Charlie’s face, as he paused to deliberate his deputy’s proposal. Several long moments passed. “Sheriff! Sheriff?” Karon said, snapping her fingers in Charlie’s direction. “Alright, let’s do that,” Charlie said. Later than normal the next morning, Delilah and Karon, who had decided to stay at the ranch, made breakfast while Deputy Andrew folded the blankets he used on the sofa, and Joel made the bed in his old bedroom. Delilah had already called her father, Buford. She had told him everything and asked him to use his connections, a few with questionable morals, to get information about Eli and Dooby. Buford gave her a short list of things he would need, including the specifications about Eli’s airplane. Delilah immediately went through Eli’s dresser drawers and small file cabinet at the bottom of his closet, and found what
Buford needed. She called him back straight away with the information. Assured Delilah and Joel would be alright, Karon left the ranch mid-morning about an hour after the deputy’s departure. And an hour after that Delilah’s cell phone rang. “Daddy?” Delilah said by way of a greeting. “Did you find out anything?” “Yes, I did, Sugar,” Buford replied morosely. “Though I’m not sure what to make of it.” Delilah’s heart sank. “Go on, then,” she said. “Well, evidently a few days back,” Buford began. “Would’ve been Thursday or Friday, three agency men showed up and escorted Abigail out of the facility where she was being detained.” There was a moment of silence while Delilah processed what she’d heard. “O . . . kay,” she finally said, slowly. “And where are they now?” “That’s just it,” Buford said. “No one knows. There was some mix up. The guards or agents, or whatever they were, who were originally tasked with watching her hadn’t been told about any transfer prior to the three guys showing up. But evidently one of them had sufficient credentials to release Abigail into his custody.” “Did you get a description of the three men?” Delilah asked, feeling a twinge of desperation. “Two black men and a white man. That’s it,” Buford said. “The thing is, according to the Senator who got this intel for me, credentials or not, they’ve not been able to determine
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what agency the man works for.” “So, no one could identify them?” Delilah asked. “I mean, surely there was some sort of surveillance, cameras, something.” Buford chuckled humorlessly. “Whoever they were, they were clever,” Buford said. “Their faces were always obscured, coming and going.” “What about his plane?” Delilah asked. “Still at the airport,” Buford said. “And no one there has heard from him. Oh, and their rental car was found abandoned three blocks from where Abigail was detained. Keys in it.” “Oh, Daddy,” Delilah cried. “There’s more,” Buford said. “What?” Delilah pressed. “Look, Sugar,” Buford said with placation. “I don’t know Eli that well. Only what I heard over the years from Nettie Mae. And according to her, he’s sharp as a tac. I DO know Dooby, and that boy’s one of the smartest kids I know. To be honest, I think there’s a reasonable explanation for everything.” “So, what else is there, Daddy?” Delilah asked. There was an uncomfortable stretch of silence. Buford sigh. “All their belongings were found in their hotel room,” he said. “And there’s been no activity on their credit or debit cards.” “They’re dead, aren’t they?” Delilah said, a quiver in her voice. There was no response. “Daddy!?” n
What has happened to Eli and Dooby? Could Patty’s henchman really have “eliminated” them? And speaking of Patty, what caused her death? There are a lot of dilemmas that need answers. Find them in the next installment of Delilah’s Dilemmas in the September issue of the Corridor Magazine.
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