THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE_OCTOBER 2019

Page 1

THE

Priceless

Please Take One!

OCTOBER 2019 / VOLUME XIV / Issue III

Some of the Best

DOWN-HOME-GOOD RESTAURANTS

Along The Corridor...Our

DINING ISSUE

~ Tulsa to Oklahoma City and everywhere in between ~


Serving Cushing with the care and compassion you’ve come to expect.

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LOOKING FORWARD

Not just a magazine...a part of your life!

Next Month:

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Christmas Edition Health & Fitness Edition Love Edition Home Improvement Edition

ON THE COVER

Pictured on this years Dining Guide cover is a photo of ribs from Dan’s BBQ in Davenport, OK. Dan’s is certainly known for these delicious, tender, smoked ribs... and, of course, they look as great as they are! Dan’s is celebrating 40 years of serving families on The Corridor with numerous plates of fine food. The Vandevers are not only locally known, but are very innovative in the restaurant industry. For more information check out the Dan’s BBQ Pit Article on page COVER PHOTO: CRYSTL’S PHOTOGRAPHY 6...and enjoy this Dining Guide issue!

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OUR ADVISORY TEAM: PUBLISHER:

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Kayla Dees

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©2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. All requests for permission and reprints must be made in writing to The Corridor Magazine, at the above address. Advertising claims and the views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publishers or its affiliates.

THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 3


Crossroads Pipeline Services, Inc.

DINING ALONG THE CORRIDOR 5

EDITORIAL by Joe Gooch

6

DAN’S BBQ PIT by Robbie McCommas

www.crpls-inc.com

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STEER INN AND THE KINZIE FAMILY CELEBRATING 50 YEARS by Missy Husted

918-729-8070

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IT’S BETTER ON MAIN STREET by Michelle Brown

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PASTOR PAUL’S PASSAGES by Paul Ragle

18

BOOKOUT’S RESTAURANT by Josh Harrington

22

2019 RESTAURANT DIRECTORY by Kayla Dees

34

KIDS ON THE CORRIDOR by Jeree Milligan

36

BRIDAL FAIR

38

DELILAH’S DILEMMAS by Diane Brown

46

CORRIDOR CUTIES

50

NOTES ON THE CORRIDOR by Rick Reiley

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BEDTIME STORY by Joe Gooch

54 RECIPES by Jeree Milligan

LOG CABIN Gallery Large VarietyStyles & Sizes

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From the EDITOR In 1994 the Lovin’ Spoonfuls said it best in their song that said, “Do you believe in magic in a young girl’s heart?” Remember that I mentioned in my editorial last month that a date would be announced for the return of “The Course of your Life” Bridal Fair that originated in 2012. Place this magical date on your calendar: 2-222020. The Buffalo Rock Golf Golf & Venue, along with Crystl’s Photography and The Corridor Magazine, will be presenting the most beautiful bridal fair, in the most exquisite setting! The Corridor Magazine has been given the honor of promoting this event. As promised in my editorial last month I will keep you informed on the numerous offerings. Check page 37 in this issue for more details. Also, you must checkout The Corridor Cuties on pages 46 & 47. Before you say to your spouse, “Honey I’m hungry!”, check out this October issue. Welcome to my Dining Guide, everyone’s favorite subject! These eateries along The Corridor invite you to come enjoy their offerings. I have furnished their information in this October issue. After reading the reviews from four of The Corridor writers, you will learn about a few of the owners who would

by JOE GOOCH

love to have you come dine with them. As well, you will discover their special techniques and creative menus. The November, December, and January holidays are right around the corner, and I don’t know about you, but I’m going to get my appetite warmed up. As usual I have gained several pounds in trading advertising for food. See what these folks have to say about the topic of food.... “The only time you eat diet food is while you’re waiting on the steak.” ~ Julia Child “I don’t care what you call me, just call me when it’s time to eat.” ~ Joe Gooch “There is no better feeling than a warm pizza box on your lap.” ~ Kevin James “I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to my food.” ~ W. C. Fields “I’m sorry for what I said when I was hungry.” ~ Scott Adams “I love you like a fat kid loves cake.” ~ Scott Adams “You only live once. Lick the bowl!” “Only a fool argues with the cook.”

DINING IN OR DINING OUT find the best furniture and food along the Corridor!

Giorgio's Pizzeria Chandler, OK

THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 5


Pictured left to right is Mike and Annita Vandever, owners, Josh Tipton, Manager, and Carla Baker, waitress.

by ROBBIE McCOMMAS The experience of good barbecue begins with the aroma of hickory smoked meats upon arrival and is confirmed when you’ve taken your first bite. Providing first class taste in meats is a challenge. It seems in the south everyone is a connoisseur of great barbecue. For 40 years, Dan’s Barbecue in Davenport, Oklahoma, has been pleasing the crowd. The family business started in 1979 with John and Alice Vandever when they purchased the restaurant from Dan Thompson. Later, in the 1980s, their son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Anita Vandever, took over. The couple started out as Stroud High School sweethearts, within a few short years became owners of Dan’s. After years of working side by side, they have celebrated 41 years of marriage, raised three daughters and have six grandchildren! Barbecue is noted for a secret rub and sauce. For Dan’s, the sauce recipe began decades ago, with John, and is a favorite among customers. “We’ve kept the sauce the same,” says Mike. “Our ribs are the draw for most people. They’re very good and very tender. We cook them four to six hours.” In addition to ribs, Dan’s offers pulled pork, smoked brisket, smoked bologna, smoked chicken, tender beef chunks, hot links and polish sausage. They emphasize ‘fresh’ when describing their menu. Fresh cut potatoes for fries, fresh homemake sides including cole slaw, po6 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019

PHOTOS by CRYSTL’S PHOTOGRAPHY

tato salad and tabouli. A daily buffet is popular for lunch and supper, as well as weekly specials. For a variety, Dan’s menu includes grilled chicken salad, a burrito platter and a huge chicken fried steak. No time to dine? They also welcome to-go orders. What’s the key to restaurant longevity? The Vandever’s and employees used the words: consistent, stable and friendly over and over. Although, this restaurant’s owners are in the food service business, their next focus is being friendly. Yes, good to customers and good to employees. It is not often, especially nowadays, that an establishment can keep the same employees for decades. How do they accomplish this? “It’s really humbling,” says Anita. “Our employees do their job with a lot of class. We’re very grateful and blessed. We have a lot of pride in what we do, Dan’s BBQ has made our living all these years and we just continue the tradition.” The Vandever’s daughters all took their turns in the establishment. The softball enthusiast girls were lucky to have their dad step away from the restaurant long enough to serve as assistant coach in high school. They pursued college and now are introducing grandchildren to the small town hot spot! “I couldn’t ask for better people to work for,” says 19 year employee Carla Baker, who serves as a waitress. “I’ve never had a day where I thought I wouldn’t want to go to work today. Everyone here is like brothers and


Pictured is the very well-known buffet that Dan’s serves every day. Dan’s is also known for their catfish on their Friday Night Buffet.

sisters to me. We all help one another, all the work just gets done. No questions asked. The food speaks for itself and we love our customers, I feel like they’re my family! You might say, we’re an old school restaurant. I use an old fashion ticket book and hang the order, we’re just simple.” “We all love Dan’s BBQ,” says Chandler resident Jamie Herring, who drove over with her husband and parents. “We’ve been eating here since 1979. It’s nice because it is consistent. Other restaurant’s food depends on who’s doing the cooking. We like the menu variety, especially for a gluten diet. Serving as a waitress Carla has had the opportunity to get acquainted with customers. “Regularly, we have a group that meet here from Oklahoma City and Tulsa. They appreciate the restaurant as a midway meeting place. I have also met a lot of world travelers who are journeying down Historic Route 66. I’ve gotten to know some really interesting people over the years. I think my favorite is the community regulars.” Another employee, manager Josh Tipton, has been involved for 22 years. “I started washing dishes and doing prep cook work at 15 years old.” Eventually, Josh became proficient as cook and caterer. “I love running the smoker. I believe the ribs are our specialty, but really, anything we smoke turns out great! Catering is my favorite, I like to travel and meet people from all over the state.” ‘What has made Dan’s last all these years?’ “That’s easy,” Josh replied with a grin. “Consistency and a pleasant smile goes a long ways. We have regulars that have been coming longer than 40 years. I think Mike said it best, ‘you give people a good meal at a good price and they’ll come back’.” Pictured is waitress Carla Baker holding a tray of Dan’s famous ribs. THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 7


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STEER INN RESTAURANTS and THE KINZIE FAMILY

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

by MISSY HUSTED

Speaking from experience, it is hard to stay in the restaurant business. It’s a lot of hours every week, requires a ton of family sacrifice, and trying to keep the customers happy is a monumental chore. But some people can do it. The Kinzie family has been doing it successfully now for over 50 years. Back in the early 1900s O.D. Kinzie was running a successful dairy and processing business in the Cimarron Valley, which included delivering ice cream, milk, butter and all other items produced by the diary to local restaurants and families. In 1953 while delivering products, O.D.’s son, Oliver, was often harassed by the owner of the Dairy Hut in Cushing about buying the restaurant. Finally one day Oliver asked for a price. After discussing it with the family, the Kinzies bought their first restaurant. The Dairy Hut is now the location of Homestead 10 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019

Family Restaurant on the south side of Main Street in Cushing, and is still owned by the Kinzie family. It was the start of a long line of restaurants to follow. For now, though, we’re going to focus on the Steer Inn, since they will celebrate their 50th year in business this month. In 1969, after losing their lease of the Snackette Drive In, located then where the Taco Bell is today, the Kinzies moved a few blocks east and purchased land to build the first Steer Inn Restaurant. The first rendition of the Cushing icon featured drive up stalls. The inside had booths and phones where customers would review the menu that was on the booth wall, pick up the phone, and place the order in the kitchen. When their meal was ready the phone would ring and they would go to the counter to pick up their meal.


As with any small business, the Kinzies are always evolving, refreshing, and updating the restaurants and menus, while hanging on to some of the customer favorites that bring people back.

Around 1976 Oliver was seeing the need for a place for community groups to meet and hold meetings so he added the Round Up Room to the restaurant on the west end of the building. If you’re looking for a great place for a meeting, birthday party, or reunion of any kind the Round Up Room is still the best place in town to gather. Five generations of Kinzies have worked at Steer Inn. First generation, OD and his son, second generation, Oliver started the restaurant madness. Third generation Kinzies, Kris, Allen, and Kent started working at an early age, doing wherever their father put their hand to on the dairy and at the restaurants. After college, each of the boys took over a Steer Inn because by then, there were three; Kris in Cushing, Allen in Manford, and Kent in Stillwater. Kent married and he and his wife went onto other successful business ventures that did not include the restaurant business. Kris and Allen, along with partners from the fourth generation, are still running the Steer Inn restaurants in Cushing and Mannford along with the original family restaurant, Homestead. From this

generation are Jason, who has a culinary degree from OSU Institute of Technology, his sister Macy, and son-in-law, Blake Hollingshead, who is also a culinary expert from OSU Institute of Technology. This summer, the fifth generation, Jason’s offspring, started washing dishes at Steer Inn. Now, on to the good stuff. The FOOD! The menu has evolved over the years, but a few things have stayed the same. One of the most popular menu items still available from the original menu is called Whole Thing. It is a juicy quarter pound burger served open faced on a bun, smothered in chili, with cheddar jack cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. If that sounds like too much, you can always opt for Half Thing, which gets you exactly the same thing, only half as much. They are also still serving the dessert favorite, Hot Fudge Cake, which is ice cream sandwiched between homemade chocolate cake, smothered in hot fudge and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. If that doesn’t make your mouth water and make you want to head down to Steer Inn right now, I don’t know what will. Steer Inn also offers full service catering. You can request everything from paper bag lunches to full service dinners served on China plates with real silver cutlery. As with any small business, the Kinzies are always evolving, refreshing, and updating the restaurants and menus, while hanging on to some of the customer favorites that bring people back. The month of October they celebrate 50 years in business. As a way to show their appreciation to the Cushing community for their support over the years, they will be offering discounts on some of the original menu items and doing some drawing giveaways. Stop by one of the oldest restaurants on The Corridor today and find your favorite! n THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 11


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by MICHELLE BROWN

PHOTOS by KB PHOTOGRAPHY

It’s Better On Main Street by month MICHELLE BROWN This my Corridor travels put me right in my own town of Agra. I love my little town. Agra is located in the far northeast corner of Lincoln County only a few miles from the county line. Agra is friendly, self-sufficient and colorful. It has a warm, simple and inviting attitude, and is home to approximately 350 people. The population may be small but packs a big punch! The Senior Citizen’s Center and the convenience store are the happening spots. And a few years back we all got excited when a Dollar General store was added. But the best hidden treasure about this peanut-sized town is right on Highway 18, the main street. In fact, it is called Robin’s Main Street Café. Owned and operated by Robin Perry, Main Street Café is not her first experience in the restaurant business. Robin grew up around the restaurant environment as her mother worked for Homestead Café in Cushing most of her working years. Robin, along with her sister, Christine, learned the ins and outs of restaurant business as they helped their mother. Although opening Main Street was a challenge, Robin says it was a familiar one. After previous owners closed the café, Robin seized the opportunity to open it again in February of 2015. Robin, her mom and her sister were the planning team. Robin’s longtime friend, Karen Duncan, has served as the cook since the beginning. They all labored together to create the menu for Robin’s Main Street Café. When you drive through Agra you cannot miss the 14 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019

Café. Located in an old brick building that is centered between the convenience store and the Senior Citizens Center, that building is the cornerstone to Agra history. Around 1904, the town’s first business was housed in that same brick building. The business was a drug and dry goods store. My friend, Sue Cook Chestnut, remembers shopping there years ago and purchasing her son a striped pair of overalls. The south side of the building is painted with a beautiful Bob Palmer mural depicting the booming days gone by of a busier Agra, Oklahoma. During the hours of operation, the tables are full. Although Agra is off the beaten path, people will drive quite a long way to eat the excellent homemade dishes of Main Street. Robin says she is proud to say the café has its regulars and also in and out type of patrons. People as close as Chandler, along with those who drive all the way from Luther and Edmond frequent Main Street. And if you have ever eaten one of Karen’s burgers you know why. They are delicious! In addition to their daily and monthly specials, Main Street serves up Robin’s grandmother’s biscuits for breakfast and later in the day, a juicy ribeye steak so tender you can cut it with a butter knife. On Thursdays Karen will cook you up some buttered chicken fries. On Friday nights bring your appetite and prepare for the all-you-can-eat fried catfish special! Yet the café has seen its share of dark days. May of 2017, Robin received a call exclaiming the café was on fire. As Robin and her husband arrived, their hearts


sank in sadness at the burnt sight. Robin sensitively described the hardship to rebuild. She attributes her son and son in law for their diligent work in cleaning and refurbishing the fire devastation. The granite tables were the only thing salvageable. After 17 long months, and what seemed to be forever to those like my family who enjoy eating there, Main Street Café reopened and is once again a thriving restaurant. During the Christmas season, Main Street is more than a restaurant. While working, Robin witnessed some Agra children in need. She began a special project she calls the Angel Tree. As Robin revealed how the Angel Tree has brought such joy to so many, my heart melted. Every November the Angel Tree starts with a free fundraiser luncheon, open to the public, with a donation box available for those wanting to give. During this time, Robin diligently gathers names. She places the specific needs, such as clothing and shoe size and all kinds of needs, on the back of an angel cut out then places the angel on the café’s tree. As people visit the café, they pick and provide for an angel.

y a delicio

You’ll enjo

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tart to finis

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ooked m us homec

Just one of the delicious dinners from Main St. Café is the fried chicken strips with gravy and golden french fries.

Robin remembers a child who needed socks, “The Angel Tree provided not only socks but even toe socks to make this child smile. Doing something simple like that can make a big difference in someone’s life.” How does Robin get all this accomplished and still serve a great meal? The ladies in town help wrap the gifts. The small town of Agra has that friendly, warm attitude. Over the past few years the Angel Tree has grown, contributing not only to Agra children, but any children in need who are brought to Robin’s attention. In 2018, the Angel Tree provided to 76 angels! Take The Corridor’s advice and treat yourself to a hot home cooked meal at Robin’s Main Street Café. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Tuesday and Wednesday 7am-2pm, Thursday and Friday 7am-8pm and Saturday 7am-2pm. You are certain to be treated like family and have a delightful country drive to your destination! n THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 15


PA S TO R PA U L’ S PA S S A G E S by Pastor Paul Ragle

There was a slow knock at the back door. Pat said, “Paul Jr., you go and see what that somebody wants!”

{

WHY ME, I ASKED... Mama left you in charge

Here we are; October and Halloween is everywhere. Scary movies. Halloween decorations, costumes and candy dominates most stores. Pumpkins everywhere! Pumpkin spice in the air, in muffins, and in our coffee. Moms and dads trying to keep kids from gorging themselves on candy. Churches offering alternatives to Halloween celebrations for fear of fraternizing with evil. Some folks might like to see Halloween go away. But not me. I am a pastor who loves Halloween. The Halloween holiday brings what we fear into the light. A study in Great Britain recently reported that over 40% of adults interviewed for the study were afraid of the dark. More precisely, they fear not being able to see what might be concealed in the darkness. Nyctophobia: an extreme fear of darkness or night. Halloween does not so much celebrate evil or darkness, as it is makes light of the “things that go bump” in the night. Take the jack-o-lantern. We hollow out pumpkins, carving faces into them so we can place a lighted candle inside. The light of the jack-o-lantern illumines the night and proclaims to all that we do not fear the night. At Halloween we decorate the front of our homes with pumpkins, cob webs, spiders, skeletons, bats and fake head stones as a proclamation that these things do not rule us. We live in the light of day, darkness and night have no power over us. I remember being home with my brothers and sisters watching a scary movie on television. I was a first grader. It was a dark night; our parents were not home. My older sister Pat had been left in charge. We stuffed our faces with popcorn as we became enwrapped in the movie’s story line. While we watched, my older brother Warren de16 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019

{

cided to sneak out of the house through the basement with a plan to scare everyone. First, Warren threw handfuls of dried corn against the house windows. The sound immediately grabbed our attention. By the tome Warren drug a garden rake down the siding of the house, we younger siblings had taken shelter in the arms of older sisters. Then Warren began banging his fists against the house howling like a wolf. He ran around every side of our home banging on the doors and siding with a ball bat. All of us siblings inside, were screaming and crying. Big sister Pat gave me instructions, “Junior, go, look out the door and see who’s attacking!” I pulled the door open a sliver, just enough to see a figure standing at the edge of the porch, a rope around its neck. I screamed and slammed the door shut. I buried myself under sofa cushions. There was a slow knock at the back door. Pat said, “Paul Jr., you go and see what that somebody wants!” “Why me?” I asked. “Mama left you in charge!” “Junior, go!” she said. “I’ve got my hands full with your little brothers.” So I went to the back door, but armed myself. Dad’s golf clubs were leaning against the wall by the door. I slid out the seven iron and gripped it in both hands. The knocking grew louder and more frequent. When I opened the door, the figure with the rope around its neck charged inside. I screamed and swung the seven iron with all I had. Fortunately for Warren I only landed a glancing blow off the side of his thick head. Warren lived to tell the tale of how he scared his little brothers. I learned that the Holy One’s light illumines my every night. n


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PHOTOS by JOSH HARRINGTON Pictured is Jeanine and Steve Bookout with their daughter, Mindy Vincent. Bookout’s Restaurant has been a well-known diner in Bristow for many years.

BOOKOUT’S RESTAURANT In Bristow...nestled snugly between Oklahoma City and Tulsa....

by JOSH HARRINGTON If there is one facet of Dixieland-life ingrained in us Okies that we hold closer than anything else, it’s our food. Food is not merely something that we eat for sustenance across the sweeping plains, for it is mostly a reflection of the times, as well as the way family units connect and bond around the dinner table. From a diner cheeseburger, chocolate shake, and fries to the occasional ribeye steak and mashed potato dinner, our individual palates have been seemingly facsimile to our brothers and sisters across the state. With this, however, comes the downfall of the Southern town cuisine. The increasing demand for fast food has rendered small mom and pop restaurants grasping for straws as rural markets are increasingly flooded with fast food franchises. You would be hard-pressed to find a 20-mile radius statewide untainted by golden arches or the smell of that one particular submarine sandwich shop. The very same mind set that bolstered the growth of commercial plazas and shopping centers galore has been a death blow to the communal ideology. 18 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019

Bristow has almost as many chain restaurants as churches, which, for any Bristownian, sounds like trying to count the hairs on your head. Main Street, which shares asphalt with the world-renowned Route 66, is peppered with the harbingers of “fresh”ly-thawed and quickly microwaved hamburger meat. As I recount others’ recollections, I hear stories of Oscar’s Sandwich Shop and their scrumptious chocolate delight, Anchor Drive-In and their cheeseburgers to die for, Coleman’s Rib Joint and their tri-tips, and the Tastee-Freez and how anybody who was anybody would grab an ice cream cone before hitting the drivein with their best girl. In essence, these times were simpler. Good food and good times filled the bustling streets of Bristow. These memories seem romantic to the old timers, who are slowly fading further and further from their years of hard work and sacrifice. Little remains of this bygone era, except for a few mainstays. Allow me to introduce you to one, if you don’t already know of it.


...the steak grill is now open with the recent introduction of their succulent ribeye dinners. Along South Highway 16, heading out towards Slick and Beggs, on an asphalt patch sits a white and red brick building, with a companion smokehouse shack that always seems to pump out the sweet aromatics of freshly smoked meats. At an address of 601 East First Street, this location, off the somewhat beaten track from Route 66, has been home to the family-owned Bookout’s Home Cookin’ and Bar-B-Que---or, as all us Okies strapped for time with an empty stomach would say, Bookout’s---for over a quarter century. Owned by Steve and Jeanine Bookout, they’ve established their cuisine all across Creek County and its surrounding boroughs, pulling in regulars from as far as Cushing and Okemah for their catfish special and delectable barbecue ribs. Serving lunch five days a week and dinner on Thursdays and Fridays, Bookout’s offers many an opportunity to come in and soak in the eats and atmosphere. The wooden walls throughout the restaurant are adorned with photos and paintings depicting the Southern living that our namesake, Bookout, is proud to embrace. On the north wall, opposite the entrance, hangs the “Welcome” greeting spelled out in horseshoes to meet your gaze as you enter; conversely, as you leave with a full belly, above the entry/exit door hangs an invitation, another horseshoe piece, spelling out “Y’all Come Back,” accompanied by a warm “Thank you!” from the entire Bookout clan. The linoleum tile paired with bench seating invites patrons into a world set back in time: a time when you knew your waitress’s name without a nametag, a time where you could specially order a meal without the frustration of unavailability, and a time where you could drink a freshly brewed sweet tea on ice with lemon after a hot summer’s day. Everything out of the kitchen is made from scratch, especially the fruit cobblers, pies, cakes, and delights that are served in styrofoam bowls and covered in plastic wrap, reminiscent to me of my dear grandma sending me home with all the sweets she could fit in my little arms when I was young. Hand-battered and fried catfish is what Ms. Jeanine would call their “specialty,” and who would disagree after a basket full? The crisp cornmeal and its contrast with the tender, sweet meat of locally sourced channels and blues is enough for reviewers across all media to rave on the restaurant’s ability to make an Oklahoma staple that much better. Our palates can also bear witness to some of the most

mouth-watering, hunger-inducing barbecue this side of Memphis and Kansas City. In addition, the steak grill is now open with their recent introduction of their succulent ribeye dinners. The Bookout family, residing in the Bristow locale for generations, has spread their roots to nearby Depew and Stroud, citing their kinship to Stroud’s very own athletic phenoms Kasey, Kevin, and Kyle Bookout. Their contribution as a member of the Bristow communal family is as prestigious as their cuisine; the Bookout family has supported Purple Pirate sports for decades as far back as their three year stint at Fourth and Main as a service station in the mid 1980s. Ultimately, as is the case with many of our local diners, one of the hardest hits to Bookout’s has been the influx of the fast food franchises that fill orders at a price and speed with which small, family-owned businesses can’t compete. The older, regular customer numbers dwindle, but Steve and Jeanine don’t plan on leaving the town without their food for years to come, as they plan to one day pass the family business to their daughter, Mindy Vincent. This little closet community, nestled snugly between OKC and Tulsa, has had as storied a history as many of our fellow Route 66 townships. The hard times were hard, the good times were good, yet one thing stayed the same through it all: we all love us some good grub. To discount the value of a restaurant like Bookout’s in today’s fast-paced, technology driven world is to discount the value of treating yourself. Instant gratification is desired in so many facets of this modern era, so we often forget to stop and appreciate the few extra minutes it takes to have a nice, freshly-made meal at a restaurant where you aren’t an just order number. If you’re ever in Bristow on a weekday, stop in at this little diner. Enjoy the homey, family-oriented climate along Route 66 and enjoy a little detour off the Mother Road, and set aside a day to just breathe in the quaintness that is Bristow’s. n THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 19


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Delilah’s DILEMMAS

Three teenagers sat at the table in the dining room at the Royal Flush Ranch. They were being interviewed for a summer job by Eli, Dooby, and Delilah. The former two had asked pertinent questions related to the ranching business. It was Delilah’s turn. “Who’s your favorite Wizard of Oz character?” she asked. The three boys blinked. Dooby and Eli turned their heads and gave Delilah a shocked look. Damon leaned into his friend, Dylan. “Dude, is that a trick question?” he asked. Dylan shrugged and shook his head. “The lion,” Noah offered without reservation. “Tinman?” Dylan asked, as though he were testing the questioner for the correct answer. “If you don’t mind me asking,” Damon began. “Why that question?” “Let me guess,” Delilah said with a knowing grin. “Scarecrow.” A smile inched across Damon’s face. He nodded. “So, the job will be Monday through Friday,” Dooby said, shaking Delilah’s bizarre question from his mind. “Thursday,” Delilah interjected. “Monday through Thursday.” Dooby and Eli gave Delilah a confused look. “They’re teenagers,” Delilah said. “It’s summer. Let the kids have SOME fun.” “Okay,” Eli said. “Monday through Thursday.” “What are the hours?” Damon asked. “That’ll be tricky,” Dooby replied. “It could be anywhere from six to ten hours a day, depending on the project. And as far as what time you start each day, we’ll leave that up to you. We like to start early because it’s cooler in the morning.” “And what about the pay?” Damon inquired. “Twelve an hour,” Dooby said. He looked at Delilah. “Right?” “Right,” Delilah concurred. “When are y’all out of school?” Eli asked. “Next week,” Noah said. “When did you want us 38 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019

by

DIANE BROWN

to start?” “Uh,” Eli said, looking at Dooby and Delilah for an answer. They really hadn’t talked about that. And the plan was to hire only one young man, not all three. “How ‘bout the Tuesday after Memorial Day?” Dooby suggested. Everyone nodded agreement. Dooby collected the contact information for the three boys, and after handshakes all around, the boys departed. “What was that Wizard of Oz business?” Dooby asked on a laugh. Eli and Dooby were sitting at the banquette in the kitchen, while Delilah was gathering the ingredients for Hungarian Goulash. “Well,” Delilah said excitedly, placing the chopped onions in a skillet with olive oil and turning up the heat. “People who choose the scarecrow are usually thinkers. People who choose the tinman are typically all about feelings.” “And the Lion?” Eli asked with a skeptical smirk. Delilah shrugged. “Believe it or not, nine out ten lions are Geminis,” she said. “Where did you come up with that nonsense?” Dooby scoffed. Delilah spun around and glared at Dooby. “Your mother,” she declared. Dooby barked out a raucous laugh. “Yeah, that sounds like Mom,” he said. In addition to being a brilliant accountant, Dooby’s mother was a highly respected and gifted psychic. For years, Vonda Kelly had successfully advised notable and notorious Georgians, while keeping their books in tip-top order. It was rumored that several, high profile, native Georgian, celebrities would fly into Macon from Hollywood, just to have Vonda do a psychic reading. “Go ahead and laugh,” Delilah said, as Eli


joined in the laughter. “But did you notice that Damon was the one who had all the questions? Thinker.” Delilah tapped her temple with her finger, and then stirred the sautéing onions. She removed the beef cubes from the packaging, and sprinkled the meat with paprika, salt, and black pepper. “And Dylan,” Delilah continued, while peeling cloves of garlic to crush and add to the onions. “Dylan was clearly concerned about having the right answer. Feelings.” She pointed to her heart. “What about Noah?” Eli asked. “Don’t encourage her,” Dooby interjected. “Without hesitation and bold as brass, his answer was the lion,” Delilah said, scooping the onion, garlic mixture from the pan, and placing the mixture in a bowl. “Courage. I’d bet ten dollars he’s a Gemini.” Delilah poured a bit more olive oil into the skillet. After allowing a few seconds for the oil to heat, Delilah placed the seasoned beef cubes in the hot oil to sear the meat. “So, which one do you want to hire?” Dooby asked, again with a hint of a chuckle. “The Lion, the Scarecrow, or the Tinman?” Eli laughed heartily, right along with Dooby, who thought his own joke worthy. “Funny,” Delilah said sarcastically, though she couldn’t help but smile. And then she added, “Obviously my choice is the Lion. But I’m a Gemini.” “Speaking of that, sort of,” Dooby said. “What do you want for your birthday?” Without hesitation and bold as brass, she replied, “I want an arbor. In the front yard. I’ll show you where later.”

“What kind of arbor?” Dooby inquired. “Oh, I’ve already done some sketches,” Delilah said. “Of course you have,” Dooby said. He rose from the banquette, and headed toward the back door, shaking his head. “Hey, where you going?” Delilah asked, opening a can of tomato paste, and spooning it over the meat. “We need to talk about which one of those kids we’re going to hire.” Dooby stopped; his hand poised on the door knob. “Let’s start off with all three,” Eli offered. “Got my vote,” Dooby said. “How long before supper?” “At least an hour,” Delilah replied. Dooby went out the back door, promising to be cleaned-up when he returned for supper. In the meantime, Eli excused himself, and went to the living room. Delilah had a feeling she knew where Eli was headed. She had noticed Eli’s increasing preoccupation with research of some sort; stealing away blocks of time not otherwise engaged in ranch business, or leisure time activities. He had not shared his obsession with her, and she had not inquired. The time had come to alter that paradigm. She lowered the heat and covered the skillet with a lid, and proceeded to the living room, where she found Eli, once again, engrossed in the screen of his laptop. “What are you doing?” Delilah asked, stepping up behind Eli. “Huh?” Eli said, slightly startled. “Oh. Well,” He hesitated a moment, took a deep breath, and shook his head slightly. He rubbed the stubble on his chin; an

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unconscious habit he had whenever he was deep in thought. Normally, Delilah would prompt him. But this time, she opted to let Eli continue at his own pace. “I know I should be content with Abigail’s apprehension,” Eli finally said. “But I won’t be completely satisfied until we’ve nailed the one responsible for shooting you and killing Blaize.” He sighed, and slumped with mental exhaustion. “I think Blaize was getting close to discovering the mole in the agency,” he continued. “And I think the mole and the shooter are one and the same.” “And you think the mole was colluding with Abigail?” Delilah asked. A ghost of smile flashed across Eli’s face. He nodded faintly. “More than that,” he said, his voice low with a trace of alarm. “I think the mole is the head of the operation.” “What?” Delilah said. “I thought Abigail,” “I think we’re meant to think it’s Abigail,” Eli interrupted. About that time, the back door squeaked open, and Joel called out Delilah and Eli’s names. They responded, and moments later Joel had joined Delilah and Eli in the living room. Joel got a recap of the interviews, and when there seeme little else to say, Joel went upstairs for a shower. Delilah returned to the kitchen, and Eli resumed his computer searches. An hour later, Delilah, Eli, Dooby, and Joel sat at the banquette feasting on Hungarian Goulash, broccoli salad and rolls. “We have four horses that need shod,” Joel informed the small group. “I’ll call Kash, and see if he can get out here next week,”

Delilah said. “I’ll be at Karon’s tonight,” Dooby announced. “Is there a ballgame on tonight?” Joel asked. “’Cause there’s a special on the Nathional Geographic channel I’d like to watch.” “You have a television at the trailer!” Dooby exclaimed. “I know, but I’d rather see it on the big TV,” Joel said with an endearing smile. “Delilah, explain to me again what happened when you and Blaize were shot,” Eli said out of the blue. He had been pensively silent during the entire meal. Dooby slowly lowered the fork of food that had been half-way to his mouth. Joel set his fork down, and pushed away from the table. They looked at Delilah warily. “Well,” Delilah began, looking off in the distance, as though thin air held the recollection. “We had stopped at the fork in the creek. We were having a . . . conversation.” “Which direction were you facing?” Eli asked. “Uh,” Delilah said. “We were both facing Parkland Road. I was explaining that we needed to clear the brush along the fence line. She was just staring off toward the road. She asked me a question. And then she asked me a question.” Delilah took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. She was picturing it in her head. “When I answered her,” Delilah went on. “Her eyes went wide, and she lunged for me, at the same time the shot was fired. Her arms went around my waist, and we fell to the ground. “I thought she was upset about the answer, at first. But then I realized, when we were laying there on the ground, that she had seen something, because she told me they were still there.”

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“And she didn’t say who it was?” Eli asked. “No,” Delilah said. “I really don’t think she saw who it was, only that someone was there, and I assumed she saw the shotgun, perhaps.” “Have you got some new ideas?” Dooby asked. “Maybe,” Eli replied. “Joel, you said you were in the house when the Cushing Police Department called and left a message on the answering machine, that Marietta’s ex had been released from jail,” Eli said. “Yeah,” Joel said. “Were there any other calls?” Eli asked. “I don’t think so,” Delilah said. “Not that I know of,” Dooby said at the same time. “The question is, how could the shooter have known, not only that the two of you would be riding the fence, but also, WHEN?” Eli pondered. “We discussed it at breakfast that morning,” Dooby offered. Eli shook his head. “Wait,” Joel said. “There was another call that day.” Everyone looked at Joel.

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Eli asked with agitation. “Honestly, I just remembered,” Joel said defensively. “I guess I didn’t think it was important at the time.” “Well, who was it?” Eli pressed.

Yes, who indeed?

WHO WAS THE SHOOTER?

Will Eli finally have the answer he’s been searching for? The revelation just may be in the November installment of

Delilah’s Dilemmas in The Corridor Magazine.

KEEP UP WITH DELILAH AND ALL THE HAPPENINGS ALONG THE CORRIDOR!

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32 S. Main St. / Kellyville, OK Roger and Teresa Tuttle Estate

VEHICLES & TRAILER: ‘71 GMC 2-ton Septic Tank truck, good 350 engine & transmission (throw out bearing out) & battery, utility bed for Dodge or Ford, 10’ utility trailer, 16’ utility trailer (needs new wood), ‘98 Dodge Durango 4x4 new tag. TOOLS & EQUIPMENT: Ridged tripod pipe threader, assorted pipe fittings & pipe wet vacs, old plumbing tools, wrenches, etc. KITCHEN: Frigidaire side by side refrigerator w/water & ice in door, rotisserie crockpots, tupperware, sno cone maker, Frankoma pottery, pots, pans, dishes FURNITURE: Jacuzzi tub, bar table & chairs, marble top w/metal frame, dining set with 4 chairs baker’s rack (2), computer cabinet, white armoire, trundle bed (white metal, twin mattress (2), end table, wall buffet, misc chairs, shelves, etc.

Yard Furniture: 12’ picnic table lamps ANTIQUES: Very old antique rocker, antique queen metal bed frame, antique school desk MISCELLANEOUS: Exercise equipment - eliptical, HP printer, light fixtures, bicycles, seasonal decor, western prints, Joe Bector Indian paintings, southwestern rugs, weight scales, material and crafting supplies, baskets, lamps, radio, stereo speakers, books, vacuums, assortment of plastic totes

17 S. Main St. & 02 E. Buffalo St. Kellyville, OK Helen Krause Estate

b ROCK BUILDING / 16’ Ceilings / Zoned Commercial ALL PORTABLE BUILDINGS ON SKIDS: 20’ x 8’6” sun station (plumbed), 14 x 20 log building w/ 3’ x 20’ porch and loft at each end, 6 x 8 metal building, 10’ x 20 wood building, 12 x 24 building EQUIPMENT: John Deere riding lawn mower. FURNITURE: Outside tables and chairs, lift chair, multiple desks (different sizes), China cabinet, harvest table cabinets KITCHEN: Microwave, lots of Frankoma pottery, pressure cooker (2) meat grinder, Pro-Com gas stoves, small refrigerator, freezers (2) TOOLS: Painting ladder, old propane tank, air tank, gas cans, Weed Eater, Dolys belt sander, nails/screws, bolt bends with bolts, metal saw horses, caulkCharlsie Hummel / 918-519-3510 $1000 Down (With Approval Letter) Day of Auction on Real Estate For Financing Approval Call Patti Vuocolo 918-809-8450 TERMS: CASH / CHECK CREDIT CARD-3%

ing guns, new John Deere thermometer, scaffolds ANTIQUES: Old radio, old teacher desk, old school desk, old oil can, antique lawyer shelves, church pew MISCELLANEOUS: Vacuum, lots of books, holiday decor, jewelry boxes, travel jewelry case, photo albums, sombreros, frames, easels and tripods, pictures/ wall art, glass, Western art, candies, exercise trampoline, body express stepper, yard lights, step stools, western floor rugs, genuine Navajo rugs, copper tub, feed tubs, ironing board, tote boxes, wheel barrows, wash tub with stand, dehumidifiers, bug light, multiple fans, drop lights, coolers, large star with lights, new ladies bicycle (never used), bikes (2), longhorn with silver show saddle, inside A/C units (2), paper cutter

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Cuti

ANNO

D U N C I N G T H E 2 01 9

t s e t es o on C f Th e Corridor

WINNER! 2009 Roderick Shields

2010 Ashlyn Morris

2015 Harrison Allen

2011 Sayler Rackley

2016 Kyson Pettigrew

2012 Taylor Johnston Lau

2017 Jaycie George

2012 Kinley Clovis

2013 Chloe Gross

2014 Brant Young

2018 JoLee Barrier

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Saige Olivia McCombs

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Cuties of The Corridor 2019 Contestants

KELI DeMOSS ETT

REMINGTON BARN

DANNIE SCOTT GEO

RGE

SEKAIA ROSE JAMISON RYLEIGH FAYE JON

JANIYAH HARRIS

ES

SAIGE OLIVIA McCOMBS ASPYN KAY KRLIN

Thank s to all ou r contest ants!


FOR SALE

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Stillwater 80 | 80 ± acres | $236,000

Located just north of Mehan with easy convenient access to Stillwater and Cushing. Consisting mostly of great lush pasture with two ponds, this piece can easily be crossfenced with one pond on the south half and one on the north half for all your livestock needs. An older barn is nestled in the trees on the south side. With gravel road on the east and the north, you have several options to build your dream home.

Diamond in the Rough | 160 ± acres | $987,500

Located just a little over a mile south of NW Expressway with endless opportunities for development. The property also has some of the best hunting/recreational ground for miles. Big timber, crop fields, creek, and ponds...it has it all.


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NOTES ALONG THE

Corridor

by RICK REILEY

TYLER SIEMS

Stillwater’s Singing Bicycle Man I first heard of Tyler Siems through a few mutual friends and saw a few videos of him on YouTube, including an interview on KUSH radio. I was impressed. I asked him about his early life and he offered this: “My father is a pastor in a small denomination so we moved around a bit when I was young. We lived in Hydro, Oklahoma for a few years which was a fun town for a 10 year old kid...it was like Mayberry. We rode our bikes all over town all summer and wandered around on the dirt roads, exploring the countryside, fishing and shooting model rockets into the sky.” When I read that I had to stop and reminisce about my old childhood which was very Mayberry-like to me as well. I imagine many of us in rural Oklahoma can relate to that. (Unlike Siems, I gave up the bicycle long ago while he continues to ride…) He is from a large family. With his father being a pastor, Siems learned singing in front of an audience at an early age. His paternal grandparents were a big influence on his musical direction because they were the most musical of his family and family sing-alongs and jam sessions were common and regular. . His parents didn’t listen to much music in the house so old gospel music from church and the classic country his grandfather listened to was his basic training in music. (Can you think of better basic training ground?) In his youth, he and his two older sisters would sing at 50 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019

crowded gospel competitions. He says because of that early experience stage fright was never an issue for him. He didn’t take up the guitar until his freshman year of college during Christmas break. He was sick for a time that year and had trouble sleeping so took up the guitar as a means of coping. The first song he learned to sing and play all the way through was ‘Delicate’ by Damien Rice, the Irish singer/songwriter.. While he has written many songs he has yet to get them properly recorded. He’s played on other artists recording sessions but hasn’t felt the time was quite right yet for his own recordings. I trust that will be remedied


soon because he has a lot to offer. These opening lines of ‘Empty Bottles’ had me hooked at the outset. “This old house we made our home, floors scarred by bassinets and chairs….” It’s a sad song that he says is about the destructive side of alcoholism that seems to be so prevalent across the state. A once beautiful family home filled with fine memories, coming undone, slowly over time, now filled with empty bottles. Many young songwriters are drawn to the sad side of the street and stay there. Others walk the happy, hopeful side and some walk both sides of the streets with equal measure. Siems can be happy and hopeful, too. Just after ‘Empty Bottles’, I listened to his tune, ‘Drive All Night’ and was smitten again with this opening verse: ‘It seems to me the longer we’ve been talking The more we were meant to be together So let’s get in the car and drive all night To the Waffle House in Chapel Heights And talk about our future over coffee, And we’ll drive all night, We’ll drive all night…’

music over the years. I asked what he’d been listening to lately. “I’ve been really into jazz lately, specifically a record from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers called “Moanin’” from 1958. It’s an incredible bit of music that blends a progressive avant garde sound with an accessibility that is hard to match in a jazz recording. I listen to Willie Nelson and Jim Croce constantly and would consider them to be my greatest musical influences these days.” He plays in and around Stillwater and has performed at Modella’s Gallery, Zanotti’s Wine Bar, Iron Monk, Willie’s, College Bar, The Commune and George’s Stables. He’s performed with Giakob Lee and Isaac McClung recently and he’s also shared the stage with Tres Hombres, Shandee Allen, Haydn Harris and Nick Gedra as well. Siems is also an avid cyclist and works in the bicycle industry at District Bicycles in Stillwater. He’s proud of the fact they sponsor one of the largest gravel races in the country, the Land Run 100 each March. RR: Until we can catch a live performance, where can we hear your music? TS: I’ve got a few recordings out on YouTube, but hope to have a record out within the next year. Well I guess that’s going to have to be good enough for now. If you’d like to know more, check out those few videos on YouTube and follow him on Instagram (Tyler Siems, @getwide) where, he says, “You will mostly see photos of bikes, but I also announce my live shows there, too.” Or you might even drop by the bicycle shop and ask for the guitar man. Or Tyler Siems, the Singing Cyclist. I’m sure he’s got a sense of humor. Tell him I sent you.

It begins in a soft, sweet, conversational tone, and slides into a hard driving, heart-driven chorus. There is power here that fuels the imagination and perhaps rekindles memories in some of us from long ago when we were in the passionate throes of finding ourselves and our own true loves. His voice reminds me a little of Jeff Buckley. Precise, measured delivery. Perfect balance, every note right where it’s meant to be. He has a voice that has a mesmerizing quality about it. Choir practice paid off. He notes Willie Nelson and Hank Williams as big influences along with Jim Croce, David Rawlings, David Ramirez, and the Milk Carton Kids. As for Oklahoma influences, he lists John Fullbright (who he had the opportunity to open for a few years ago), Chris Firey, a Tulsa-area player that he played with a lot in his early songwriting years, and Stillwater locals, Hayden Harris, John Homer and Tanner Bryan are also on the list. He says they’ve also taught him a lot about THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 51


BEDTIME

ST OR I E S

by JOE GOOCH

EDITOR’S NOTE... Recently my thirty-seven year old daughter called me from Florida to tell me how much she enjoyed reading my stories in “The Corridor”. I know, I know, its my daughter. Her request was simple, “Dad, it would be

really neat if you would write some of the bedtime stories you told us kids when we were young. I could read them to my sons Sam and Stroud, allowing them to know their grandfather better.” I thought, what a great idea!

JOE, If That’s You, Please Come Out! Unfortunately in my late twenties I spent a couple of years divorced, but fortunately I had visitation of my two sons. So every Friday, as soon as I picked up Tony who was seven and Brian who was five, it was off to my mother’s for all the hunting and fishing we could cram into the weekend. The boys, now forty-six and forty-four, still hunt and fish and they became more than novice fishermen. Brian caught a five pound bass at the age of six. It wasn’t just the outdoors the boys enjoyed; they had numerous cousins to play with, along with all the fried chicken, sandwiches, pancakes, and apple pie their grandma would cook for them. This story takes place out in the country with my

sister and her family who lived next door to my mother. John and Marion had four children between the ages of eleven and eighteen and attended the Stroud Christian Church. In the mid 70’s the church had a very strong youth ministry with over thirty children participating in many activities. Due to having so many children attending church they had recently hired a newlywed youth minister. John explained to them that every October he hooked a flatbed trailer to the tractor and took the kids on a hayride and weenie roast. John told the youth minister he would really like to make this year special… one the kids would never forget.

BEDTIME STORY #3 ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

ARTWORK by SHARON FLATT Saturday afternoon when the boys and I returned from fishing, John was waiting for us and told my boys how much fun they were going to have that evening taking a hayride which got the boys all “pumped up”. He took me to the side to explain he needed some help and asked, “What can we do tonight to make this event fun and a little scary?” I replied, “I have some ideas; be sure to go down the road past the old cemetery and then down the road past my uncle’s old abandoned house.” After giving my plans a lot of thought, I called my nephew Mike and asked him to come over to his grandmothers just before dark. Upon his arrival, we took off for the small cemetery that was nearly hidden by all the timber. Mike hid his pickup behind some trees as we waited for all the kids on the hayride. It was a perfect night with a full moon that was very fitting. The moonlight also made

52 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019


it very easy to see all our surroundings. After waiting several minutes we could hear the tractor approaching. As they arrived, John parked the tractor and trailer and killed the engine. Mike was amazing and gave an academy award winning performance with a howl that sounded identical to a coyote. Even with the howling John coaxed all of them off the trailer to approach the cemetery fence. The children were so scared that several were clinging and grasping John’s arms very tightly. The moment they stopped at the fence I jumped up with a white sheet over me and took off running through the cemetery; this was not one of my smarter moves. I made it only half way toward the kids before I tripped and fell over a tombstone; it couldn’t have worked out more perfectly. I (unknowing to the kids) fell flat on my face as the sheet drifted very slowly over the top of me. You talk about some scared kids!; they nearly ripped John’s arms off getting back on the trailer, screaming “Let’s

go! Let’s go!” John started the tractor and continued down the road. After they left, Mike and I hopped in his pickup and went to the old abandoned house, again hiding the pickup out of sight. Mike took his position behind the old house while I went inside and took a seat near a window, making myself somewhat visible. I turned on a flashlight so the house would look as if someone actually lived there. When John arrived, with the kids along with the youth minister and his wife, he parked fairly close to the house. I gruffly said, “You people get out of here and leave me alone.” Just as I finished, Mike shot a shotgun up in the air; you can only imagine how scared everyone was. After I again said “You people get out of here”, my oldest son Tony said “I think that’s my dad”. The youth minister’s wife turned to Tony and asked, “What is your dad’s name”? She had never been so scared in her life as she said, “Joe, if that’s you, please come out.” What made this outing so good was that the kids could not figure out who was doing all this because all of the older kids were on the hayride. For several months when John and all the elders of the church would pass the youth minister’s wife they would simply say “Joe, if that’s you, please come out”!

GOODNIGHT KIDS...

IT’S TIME TO GO TO SLEEP. THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 53


54 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019


THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2019 55


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