Dude - August 2017

®

DUDE

AUGUST 2017 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / OWNER Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Amanda Grist CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Sarah Phillips-Burger Marla Cantrell Jade Graves Dwain Hebda Megan Lankford Tonya McCoy Jessica Sowards Stoney Stamper James Stefiuk

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays PROOFREADER Charity Chambers PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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INSIDE

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16 26 38 48

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WHERE HOPE LIVES

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Amanda Grist - 479.719.7416 Amanda@DoSouthMagazine.com

You have an opportunity to make the lives of some of our neighbors a whole lot better. We’ll tell you how when we show you around Fort Smith’s Riverview Hope Campus.

Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500

THE SUMMERTIME HUES

Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com

Nikki is just twelve, but you’d never know that by looking at her artwork. Even more amazing? Everything she knows she taught herself.

©2017 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to Do South® or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893

SOYBEAN FRITTERS WITH SOYBEAN CILANTRO PURÉE Oh. My. Word. These Soybean Fritters are so good!

We’ll show you how to make this dish that’s destined to become a summertime favorite.

BEST JUNK EVER! Over Labor Day weekend, you’ll want to be in Van Buren where the Main Street will become a paradise for those who love vintage, antiques, repurposed, and one of a kind treasures. We’ve got everything you need to know about Downtown Junk Fest!

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116

Cover Image: Annette Shaff

FOLLOW US Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110, Fort Smith, AR, 72903. Single issues are available upon request. Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.

letter from the editor

R

Recently, I heard someone say, “You only have

Our managing editor, Marla Cantrell, spent some

eighteen summers with your kids.” I’d just

time in a salt room, an experience you have

come back from vacation with my family,

to read about on page 44. Writer Stoney

and I was looking at the photos we’d

Stamper stripped to his boots and shorts to

taken on the beach. That sentence was

make his wife, April, smile again, and his

riveting. I looked at the pictures and

story on page 34 will leave you in stitches.

realized another summer was coming to an end and I wasn’t ready to let it go.

When looking for the perfect summer-

Time passes so quickly that I could feel it

time recipe, we discovered our best friend

sifting through my fingers like the sand.

was soybeans! You must try the Soybean Fritters, created by the masterminds at Tusk

On the plus side, we made memories that will

& Trotter Brasserie in Bentonville, on page 38.

last a lifetime. At the beach, we ate too much, we played hard (if you’ve never played the game Spike Ball you need to check it out), and we fell asleep to the sound of ocean waves.

Your heart will melt when you read Jessica Sowards’ essay, All the Pears, on page 22. Her touching story of her son Ezra, their pet pig Journey, and the lesson of resurrected dreams will take your breath away.

And now, like many of you, we’re scrambling to get ready for a new school year. Which means getting up earlier, planning

Writer Tonya McCoy discovered an amazing artist who’s yet to

what we’ll be wearing the night before, spending time at the

sit through one art class but is winning competitions left and

kitchen table getting homework done, and packing lunches –

right. Even more amazing? She’s only twelve years old! Read

Every. Dang. Day. I learn so much each year (I’m now a wizard

her story, The Summertime Hues, on page 26.

at science projects and Arkansas history!), and my respect for all those great teachers grows deeper and deeper.

It’s exciting to get to showcase the wonderful people and places that make this world a better place to live. It’s one of the

In this issue, we’ve gathered resources for parents in our Back

best parts of my job, and I’m thankful for it every day. I’m also

to School special section, which begins on page 54. Get to

thankful for summers like this one, times when I get to hang

know our local experts who are devoted to helping our commu-

out with my family, enjoy our life together, and get a few days

nity learn and grow.

to put my toes in the sand.

We also spent some time with the new director for the River-

We all get just eighteen summers of our kids’ childhoods! It’s

view Hope Campus, which will open in October, serving our

not enough, but I plan to make the most of every one of them.

neighbors who need the support of a loving community. Find

I’m sure you feel exactly the same way!

out how you can get involved on page 16.

~Catherine

Follow Do South® Magazine

To reserve this free space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@DoSouthMagazine.com.

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Want Results? Choose Do South® Magazine! images Jade Graves Photography

Through my medical practice, I help people improve their appearance. Whether subtle or dramatic, those changes help them to feel better about themselves. That same positive, uplifting tone that is at the heart of what I do is the tone of Do South®. The articles are well-written and upbeat; the photography is superb. I have been a regular advertiser since Do South's® inception, and it has been important to the building of my practice.

~ Ann K. Passmore, M.D., F.A.C.S., Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Board-Certified

479.782.1500 | dosouthmagazine.com catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

Dr. Ann Passmore trusts Do South® Magazine to promote her business and meet her advertising goals. We are proud to support businesses like hers, that work every day to make our community a healthier, better place to live and work. At Do South® Magazine, our goal is to promote businesses like yours, making sure our readers know what you have to offer. Call Do South® today to see how we can help grow your business through effective, targeted advertising.

DDOOSSOOUUTTHHMMAAGGAAZZI N I NEE. C . COOMM

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advertiserSPOTLIGHT

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PASSMORE PLASTIC SURGERY ANN K. PASSMORE, M.D., F.A.C.S., COSMETIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, BOARD-CERTIFIED

3017 South 70th Street Fort Smith, AR 72903 passmoreplasticsurgery.com 479.274.6600

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN PRACTICE?

I returned to Fort Smith - my hometown - twenty years ago to start the Department of Plastic Surgery at Cooper Clinic.

WHAT SERVICES ARE OFFERED AT PASSMORE PLASTIC SURGERY?

Our services are truly too numerous to list, but you can learn more at passmoreplasticsurgery.com.

Cosmetic procedures range from surgery for eyes, face, breast, and tummy to non-surgical treatments such as Ultherapy, Vanquish Fat Reduction, and fillers/injectables. Other procedures range from skin cancer removal to the correction of conditions caused by birth defects and accidents.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS IN YOUR FIELD?

One exciting, new advancement is the PiQo4 laser which provides faster, more effective tattoo removal. I will be introducing this in my practice very soon.

HOW SHOULD A PLASTIC SURGEON BE SELECTED?

Surprisingly, any physician in this state, with or without specialized training, can perform plastic surgery. That’s why, to get the best results, it’s important to select someone who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This certification has stringent criteria. It cannot be purchased; it must be earned.

WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING PLASTIC SURGERY?

They should come in for a consultation. Internet research can be helpful, although often misleading. My staff and I have the experience and knowledge to be your best resource.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

WHAT ARE SOME NON-SURGICAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WANTING A MORE YOUTHFUL APPEARANCE?

It all starts with good skincare basics including the affordable, highly effective TheraDerm products available in my office. To lift and tighten skin, we offer Ultherapy which uses ultrasound energy, as well as fillers/injectables such as Botox® and Juvederm® for the treatment of lines and wrinkles.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LATEST TREATMENTS AVAILABLE FOR SPOT REDUCTION OF FAT?

Some office procedures for spot reduction of fat can be disappointing with contour abnormalities; they are simply ineffective. In my office, I utilize the FDA approved Vanquish Fat Reduction System. This latest breakthrough in non-invasive fat removal delivers radio frequency energy into targeted areas of fat with very successful results. Of course, dietary management and exercise are integral.

ARE THERE SAVINGS AVAILABLE FOR COSMETIC TREATMENTS?

Special discounts on selected surgical and non-surgical therapies and products are posted monthly at passmoreplasticsurgery.com. And in August, in celebration of my 20th anniversary as a plastic surgeon, we are offering a whole slew of wonderful specials.

WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS OR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF YOUR PRACTICE?

I am a full-time mom as well as a full-time plastic surgeon. I enjoy an active lifestyle and keeping up with my son. I love my Belgian draft horses and dogs.

Working out at the gym, playing the piano, and swimming are other hobbies that give me pleasure.

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calendar

AUGUST TH

Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com

some images courtesy vendors and Arkansas Dept. of Parks & Tourism

5, 12, 19, 26

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RAM Saturdays Fort Smith fsram.org

Every Saturday in August, from noon to 5pm, participants of all ages can make original works of art for free at the Regional Art Museum in Fort Smith. See website for details.

Tontitown Grape Festival Tontitown tontitowngrapefestival.com Some of the best homemade spaghetti, rolls, and fried chicken you’ll ever eat, plus free entertainment, carnival rides, arts and crafts. You can also enter the raffle for a chance to win a new truck.

See website for details.

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Petropolitan TH

Petropolitan Fort Smith kittiesandkanines.com Live music by After 5 Jazz, auctions, raffles, a full dinner, a bar and prizes, all to benefit Kitties and Kanines Vet Clinic. Petropolitan begins at 6pm at Hardscrabble Country Club.

See website for tickets.

11, 12 T H Bridal Show Little Rock arkansasbridalcommunity.com The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Bridal Show features more than 200 vendors. Giveaways, seminars, and games, plus the runway fashion show. From 12:30-5pm. See website for pricing.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Fiber Dyeing Van Buren art-ed.org Two 1-day workshops on fiber dyeing will be taught by Jane Hartfield at the Van Buren Center for Art & Education. On Friday, students will learn ice dyeing on cotton fabrics. Saturday’s class teaches silk scarf dyeing. See website for details.

calendar

THETOPTENTHETOPTEN 11-13 T H

From 8am until 1pm, the Boys Shelter is hosting its car show and silent auction at the Fort Smith Pavilion.

Prizes, raffles, and tons of fun. See website for details.

Multisport Festival Eureka Springs eurekaspringssportsfestival.com This 3-day festival includes a sprint-distance triathlon on Friday afternoon, road bike rides on Saturday morning and running races on Sunday. See website for details.

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18-20

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Mountains, Music, and Motorcycles Mountain View mountainsmusicmotorcycles.com

Music by Ultra Suede, dancing, games, and so much more at Teal Night in Tahiti, at the Fort Smith Convention Center.

Hosted by the River Valley Ovarian Alliance. See website for details.

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Poker runs, bike show, games, car show, free concerts at the Mountain View Town Square. Biker church service on Sunday.

See website for details.

19 Car Show & Silent Auction Fort Smith fortsmithboysshelter.org

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Teal Night in Tahiti Fort Smith rivervalleyoca.com

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Dickson Street Slide Fayetteville dicksonstreetslide.com Slip and slide down a 1,000 foot water slide, or take your little ones to the Kid Zone! Proceeds support Soldier On Service Dogs' mission to provide quality trained service dogs to local veterans living with PTSD and/or traumatic brain injury. See website for details.

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poetry

The Porch Swing LINEs Sarah Phillips-Burger

As I write this, I am sitting in the place I love the most: my porch swing. I write here, read here, listen to music or my favorite podcast here, sit with my husband and my children here. Mostly, I think here. As I think, I listen to the gentle squeaking of the metal chain. Swing forward, squeak on the right. Swing back, squeak on the left. It is a regular rhythm that reminds me to breathe.

Squeak Squeak Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Below me to my right, just off the porch, is my flower garden. This year I planted snapdragons of all different colors. Pink, white, red and yellow. My favorite is a pink and orange mixture that reminds me of the sunsets I can see to my left. After the first few blossoms came and went I thought perhaps they were done for the year. They weren’t growing and the old blossoms seemed to spread their death to the rest of the plants. An earnest desire to have a green thumb and a quick Google search taught me that the old blossoms, the ones that had their day in the sun, needed to be cut away. Once that was done, the plants grew bigger than I ever thought they could with enough flowers to keep the bumblebees busy for weeks on end.

To my left, just out of reach of the swing, is a small wooden table with a turquoise painted top and white legs. My daughter Kyleigh and I found it at an antique shop downtown. There, we met one of the owners, a tall woman who saw a kindred spirit in Kyleigh. Being over six feet tall at the age of thirteen has left my daughter feeling different from everyone else, a difference that is impossible to hide.

“I bet you hate it,” the owner said. Kyleigh rolled her eyes and nodded. “It gets better.

People stop asking you if you play sports and actually notice how beautiful you are. You will feel much more comfortable in your own skin. I promise.”

Kyleigh looked uncomfortable at first, I think because this stranger seemed to know exactly how she felt, but then she noticed how the woman was dressed. She wasn’t hiding her body and, in fact, was wearing a top that showed off her curves, skinny jeans and high heels. Kyleigh smiled and said, “OK.”

I hear my neighbor’s dog barking and I turn to my right. Jake has always been a barker. Jake has also always been starved for attention. He is kept outside all of the time with hardly any interaction DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

poetry

with his owners except for the occasional, “Jake, shut up!” They would probably be surprised to know how many people, complete strangers, stop to give him love. There are the regulars, the bike rider that stops, dismounts, takes off his backpack and goes to the lowest part of the chest high, chain link fence to give the big black lab a series of hugs and kisses. Then there is the man that drives by almost daily in his work truck slowly enough to toss Milk Bones out the passenger side window and yell, “Good boy,” as Jake catches them. “I just feel sorry for him,” he confessed to me one day when he saw me watching.

Then there are the countless others walking by who stop to give him a scratch or a french fry or just a little talk. I have a feeling Jake loves them all.

In front of me is what I have deemed “the prettiest little tree in Fort Smith.” It is an Eastern Redbud, and while the buds are red before they bloom in the spring, the flowers that follow are the most intense violet. If you stand close enough you will not only see but also hear the thousands of bees that visit. The branches on it grow every which way, finding any clear path toward the sun. A lot of people groom these trees into an egg shape, but I love the organic, random, messiness of their growth. This past summer a storm blew through taking with it one of the main branches of my tree.

There is now a large, empty space on the top right side and a big scar in the center that is nothing more than a reminder of what once was. But the scar is now smooth and the tree will no doubt fill its own void. Branches will grow in places that before seemed impossible.

Squeak Squeak Letting go of the things that hold you back.

Squeak Squeak Being different, but the same. There is always someone who will understand you.

Squeak Squeak The kindness in love is a beautiful thing to witness.

Squeak Squeak The scars we get from living life and all of the possibilities that come from healing.

Squeak Squeak Breathe in.

Breathe out.

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shop

Squeeze every last drop of summer fun! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Inspirational Home Décor

SUNSHINE SHOP AT MERCY FORT SMITH 479.314.6079

Tom Ford Sunglasses

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY

Oticon Opn, the first Internet of Things (IoT) hearing aid, communicates directly with health and safety-related technologies.

CENTER FOR HEARING 479.785.3277

Summertime Brews, Koozies, and Beer Pong Kit

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

479.452.2020

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shop

Shop local for some of our favorite finds. We’re in love with these summer sips, home décor, skincare essentials, stunning jewelry, gorgeous sunglasses and even state-of-the-art hearing aid technology!

Stephen Webster White Kites Diamond Bangle by Hearts on Fire, 18kt White Gold, 2.35cts.

SkinMedica® Lytera® 2.0 Skincare System for optimal skin evening, rejuvenation, UV and infrared protection

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS

FORT SMITH MEDICAL & BEINEMAN AESTHETICS / BROW BAR

479.452.2140

479.434.3131 / 479.434.5680

Summertime Home Décor

JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT SPARKS HEALTH

Q Carbonated Cocktail Mixers in a Variety of Flavors

479.441.4221

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604

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entertainment

Into the Water

By Paula Hawkins | Riverhead Books, 386 pages | $28 review Marla Cantrell

After reading Paula Hawkins’ Girl on a Train, the runaway

Beckford is a small town, and gossip flows swiftly. Some of the

hit that sold 20 million copies in 2015 and was made into

most disturbing stories come from the town psychic, an old woman

a movie the following year, I was eager to get my hands on

with a disreputable past who claims the drowning victims still talk

Into the Water.

to her. She is ridiculed by and large, but finally, Nel’s estranged sister, Jules, begins to listen. She’s looking for any answer that will

This thriller is set in Beckford, an eerie river town in Britain, and

tell her what happened to her sister. And as she discovers more

the site of several drownings of local women over the years,

about who her sister was in the years when they didn’t speak, it

many of which are widely believed to be suicides. Nel Abbott,

becomes evident that Nel did not take her own life. Before the

a local writer, photographer, and mom to teenage Lena is

murder is solved, Jules’ niece Lena goes missing.

working on a book about the deaths when she becomes the latest drowning victim. After her body is discovered, there are

If the storyline sounds complicated, please know that this is

two major schools of thought: either she’d accidentally fallen

just the tip of the iceberg. The novel starts with a prologue that

after drinking too much, or she’d killed herself.

doesn’t make sense until you’ve gotten further into the book.

Plus, the novel is narrated by eleven characters. Eleven! Since I

The tragedy comes shortly after Nel’s daughter Lena’s best

read the book in just a few days, I was able to keep the characters

friend, Katie, filled her backpack with rocks and walked into

straight for the most part, but it did feel like work occasionally.

the river for the last time. Katie’s death shattered her family and friends, and now her mother walks the trail near the river

Having said that, it is worth the read. Hawkins is a talented writer,

daily, carrying her sorrow like a burden. All that ruminating

and the tension builds as secret after secret is unearthed. The

makes her realize she didn’t know her daughter as well as she

biggest surprise, other than the identity of the killer, was that it was

thought, that it’s impossible to really know anyone other than

so different from Girl on a Train, which had its twists but whose

yourself. A former officer, elderly and respected, frequents

plot was easy to follow. This one takes a little more concentration,

the same area, tending an abandoned cottage and dealing

but the momentum will keep you reading. If you’re looking for a

with the realization that his mind is slipping.

book to take on vacation, pack Into the Water. Just keep it as far ashore as you can. Trust me, you’ll feel better that way.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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16

community

WHERE HOPE LIVES words Marla Cantrell images courtesy Riverview Hope Campus

O

On any given night in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as many as 100 of our

At the time of this interview, Chris, who’s from Cheyenne, Wyoming,

neighbors won’t have a bed to call their own. They sleep on the

had been in Arkansas only three weeks. His work with the homeless

streets, behind dumpsters, in tents that do little to protect them from

and underserved began there six years ago, and when he talked about

the extremes of Mother Nature. Their dreams are likely for things we

the lives that organization touched, his face brightened. As much as

take for granted—a car that waits in the driveway, a TV that jumps to

those successes mean to him, his focus is now Fort Smith, and to the

life when we push a button, a refrigerator that puffs cold air across an

coming winter that will threaten those living on the streets. He said,

ample supply of food.

simply, “This year will be different.”

In modest motels that rent by the week, more of our neighbors stay,

Those five words encompass the hope that is swelling in our commu-

spending much of what they earn for the privilege of a roof above

nity. “I think of the campus as a one-stop shop: employment,

their heads. When they look to the future, they probably see more

education, housing, and health. For example, the Fort Smith Adult

of the same: enough money for their small room but no hope for

Education Center will be holding classes here. The Fort Smith Housing

anything better.

Authority will come by a few days a week to help our clients fill out applications for housing,” Chris said.

Chris Joannides, the executive director of Riverview Hope Campus, a project of the Old Fort Homeless Coalition, recently described the crush

The dining hall that holds approximately 200 will serve three meals a

of poverty, the blight of homelessness. He sat at his desk, his fingers

day to anyone who’s hungry. There will be showers, a dormitory for

steepled, elbows resting on the desk top. On the opposite wall, a marker

those eighteen and older, with seventy-five beds, a library/study area,

board as big as a window was filled with ideas, and with names of orga-

lockers where residents can keep their belongings, a place to get a

nizations that might help when the campus at 301 South E Street opens

haircut from stylists who will volunteer, a meeting hall for things like

in October. The 40,000-square foot facility, designed by Architecture

church services, even kennels for residents who have dogs.

Plus, is housed in an old factory renovated for this purpose.

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community

When they leave here, their basic needs have been taken care of for a while so they can concentrate on the future. We’re not giving anyone a handout, we’re giving them a hand up. I’d also like to create work for those at the campus. For example, if there’s graffiti that needs to be removed around town, some of our residents could do that, and it would be cost effective for whoever needs it done. Trash needs to be picked up. There are different ways for the community to come together to make this work."

We’re not giving anyone a handout, we’re giving them a hand up.

“We know that some of the problems are addiction or mental illness,” Chris said. “For instance, you might need medication for a Already, a local dentist has donated a dentist’s chair, and Chris is busy

mental condition, but since you lost your job, you can’t afford to get

signing up volunteers in that field to provide basic services. The same

your prescriptions, and you spiral down. Becoming homeless could

is true for mental health care, with Western Arkansas Guidance and

happen to you or me. Most of us are about two paychecks from

Counseling Center offering certain services.

being in serious financial trouble. Bad timing, bad luck, losing your job, it can happen. And eighty-five percent of the people we’ll be

And as of August 1, the new Mercy Clinic–Hope Campus is open on

serving grew up here. You went to school with them, or worked with

site, and will serve those utilizing the campus, as well as the general

them at some point.”

public. The clinic accepts most insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, cash payments, and will also offer financial assistance in several forms,

Putting all this together seems a lot like scooping up sand a handful

including payment plans.

at a time, trying to pour it into a bottle with a small neck. Chris said it’s more like compartmentalizing, taking on one task at a time.

When someone seeks help at Hope Campus, they’ll be asked to

Like lining up volunteers, such as finding people to cook and serve

fill out paperwork and meet with a caseworker, who will learn

meals. The ingredients will be provided—the River Valley Regional

their history and come up with a personalized plan to address their

Food Bank has stepped in to help—but there will be a need for

needs. The resident will then get settled in, assigned a bed and a

groups, churches, and families to volunteer to cook from the

locker. As long as they’re progressing, which could mean working

provided recipes.

on crafting a résumé, for example, they’ll be allowed to stay. “My experience is that folks are usually back up and running at between

Donations are needed as well. Surprisingly, a critical need is duct

ninety and 120 days. Think about the person who’d been renting a

tape. When residents arrive, the tape is put on their bag, their name

hotel room by the week. They come here, and now all the money

written in permanent marker. Then, they can leave the bags in their

they’re earning is going to a savings account. In three or four

locker while going out to look for work, or going to work if they

months, now they have money for rent and deposits for utilities.

have a job already. As for how they’ll get from place to place, Chris

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community

says Champ Hinton Enterprises has donated a van. Toilet paper is another big need, as are socks, underwear, T-shirts, bottled water, and monetary donations.

This month, Chris is hitting the streets, spreading the good news to the homeless community. “I love these people,” he said, and then told a story about a man named Ken, who’d been homeless two years before he came to the shelter in Cheyenne. After staying there, attending AA meetings, he became the shelter’s receptionist and eventually moved to a home of his own. The talk turned again to addiction, and Chris said, “I know more than I want about addiction.”

Chris’ personal account begins years ago when drugs and alcohol ruled his life. “I worked hard, and I played hard. I had a brain that said more, more, more,” he said. Ten years ago, he got clean. For twenty years, he’d been in the new car business with his dad, and they had approximately 100 employees. The plan was for him to take over when his dad retired. But going through his battle made Chris question his purpose. He told his father that he felt a calling to help those who faced similar challenges, and he told Chris, “Go live your dream.”

While getting his master’s degree in social work, Chris interned at the shelter in Cheyenne, a position that transitioned to a full-time job. “I fell in love with the homeless. When you see someone have hope again, it’s the best thing ever.” As he said this, his phone rang.

Someone on the other end of the line was looking for a little hope.

Turns out, they’d called the right person.

To donate or volunteer at Riverview Hope Campus, or to learn more about their services, visit riverviewhopecampus.org.

Local Statistics (provided by Riverview Hope Campus)

• In January 2017, 168 people, 37 of whom

were veterans, were homeless in Fort Smith.

• Of that number, 88 were not sheltered.

• 26.9% of Fort Smith residents earn an income

that is below the poverty level. The national average is 14.7%.

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20

pets

Adopt Some Love F

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M

Cherrie

Halloween

F

M

Dexter

F

Leslie

Einar

Tootsie

Sebastian County Humane Society 3800 Kelley Hwy., Fort Smith | 479.783.4395 |

| SebastianCountyHumaneSociety.org

Each month, Do SouthÂŽ donates this page to local and regional non-profit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

garden

Words Megan Lankford, Botanical Garden of the Ozarks Left image Cole Fennel Photography

August in the Garden THE DIRT:

In the past, Bermuda grass has been the bane of my existence. As long as I have been gardening, this grass has been creeping its way into my garden beds. If you have Bermuda, you know that in August this rogue of a grass is growing like the weed it is! Over the years, through trial and error and help from other Bermuda warriors, I have found various techniques to keep it in check. It takes time and dedication, but the battle can be won!

TIPS:

YOU CAN PLANT:

Trying to make a new garden bed but Bermuda is creeping everywhere? Of course, there’s always the chemical route, but if you don’t want to go down that road, there are other options. Begin your new garden by digging a trench that outlines your new garden space. The trench should be at least 6” deep and wide. If you can make it 8” to 10” deep, that’s even better. Fill this with sand. Now when the Bermuda tries to creep into your garden, you can just pull it out of the sand!

Direct Sow: Peas,

Next, lay down two to four layers of cardboard where your new garden space will be. Don’t leave any space where light can get through! Overlap each piece of cardboard by 3”. Furniture stores are a great place to get large pieces of cardboard. Get cardboard without dyes. Just get the plain stuff with writing on it only, no pictures or glossy sides.

Lastly, cover the cardboard with 4" to 6" inches of mulch (hardwood, pine bark, straw, etc.) and leave this area for 6 to 8 months. It takes patience to use this technique, but trust me it is worth the wait. Plus when you go to plant, you’ve already mulched! Just pull back the mulch, punch through the cardboard and plant. If you see Bermuda pop up in the middle of your bed, pull it as deep down on the roots as possible, then cover that section with a new piece of cardboard.

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Radish, Spinach, Squash, Parsnip, Cilantro, and Parsley Sow Indoors: Cabbage, Collards, Bok Choi, Kale, Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Fennel, and Dill

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All the Pears Words & Image Jessica Sowards

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people people taste

Tonight, my son Ezra ate a pear.

slurped up Ezra's damaged pear seeds. She chomped happily and then sniffed for more, walking away when she was sure

As I stood over the charcoal grill cooking dinner, he sat on the

that all was left was seedless, dusty dirt.

back porch steps and ate a pear. He had asked me to cut it into slices so he could easily share it with Journey, our pet pig. So I

One single, very pregnant moment of realization hung in the

did. And he sat on the steps sharing with her. He'd eat a slice,

air. And then Ezra began to cry. He cries with as much passion

she'd eat a slice. Then, with a shout, he found the seeds.

as he dreams, with as much tenacity as he tries to see his ideas into fruition. He cried and he cried. And I held him for a while,

Mom! I can plant these! I can dig and plant these and make

and just let him lose the idea that a wonderful pear tree of his

more pears!

own would grow out of The Digging Spot. And when I felt he had had the proper moment to mourn his idea of things, I told

My muscles hurt this evening from the time spent clearing my

him what I knew.

garden plot today. Our greenhouse is bursting forth with life.

I felt proud of his idea. I knew it was, in itself, the fruit of the

We have a pear tree. Did you know that?

seeds I'd planted in him, but then he held out his sticky little hand. His sweet hand, the one that I held for the first time

He didn't know. Of course, he didn’t. He was just a baby when

almost exactly four years ago. In it, I saw three small, black

we planted it, three years ago when we first moved onto our

seeds, all badly damaged by the knife that sliced the pear, the

farm. And though it's grown to stand a few feet taller than me,

knife that simply thought of the fruit as a snack, not a vessel

it hasn't reached a point of bearing fruit. He wanted to see it,

of promise.

so we took a walk through the gate, back to the yard where the chickens free range, and I showed him.

Oh, Ezra. I'm sorry, honey. Those seeds can't grow. See, they are damaged.

He laughed. With the stickiness of pear still clinging to his hands, he covered his smiling mouth and laughed.

He wouldn't hear me. He's passionate, you see. Persistent and borderline bullheaded, with all the zeal one must have to

I can't believe it! I didn't even know! I didn't even know this

change the world. He dismissed my wisdom as petty concern

tree was a pear tree.

and pulled on his boots. I knew where he would go, and he did. Straight to The Digging Spot, a dusty hole the boys have

I laughed with him. We talked about what we would do with all

emptied and filled more times than I know. With the pig hot

our pears. How we would make jam and share them with the

on his heels, he ran towards his goal in the way small boys do,

animals, even with the silly pig. Then he spotted the broody hen

all the while talking about how nice it would be to have a pear

leading her trail of chicks into the coop and ran to see her. And

tree of his own.

I was left by myself, standing at the pear tree.

We can pick pears all the time, every day. We can eat pears and

The first time I remember hearing God was in a steak house

not even have to go inside. We can even climb my pear tree and

bathroom at one a.m. on a Saturday. I was eighteen, working a

eat pears while we climb. Mom, you can even make pear jam.

job I hated, and on that particular night, I'd landed the noxious

We will have all the pears.

task of cleaning the women's restroom. It seemed that night had produced an especially awful mess to clean. Each stall was

We will have all the pears.

worse than the last. Trash on the floor. Clogged toilets. Overflowing trash bins.

I could see the certainty on his face as he knelt at The Digging Spot. He swiped at the loose dust and dropped the seeds with

When I got to the last stall, I wanted to cry. I was tired and

as much expectancy as I've ever seen anyone plant anything.

felt like throwing up. Trying to steel myself for whatever filth

And then, without a single moment of warning, Journey the pig

laid behind the stall door, I leaned my head against it. And I

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prayed. I was just finding God then. Raised in church but never having really known Him, I was just learning to talk to Him. And in that bathroom at one a.m., I said something to God without even thinking it through.

If you really love me, let this stall not be so bad.

Immediately, I repented. I knew better. I'd learned in church, don't test God. You can't say stuff like "If you really love me."

I told Him I was sorry.

I don't mean it. I know You love me. I'm sorry. You sent Your son.

You love me, I know. Your love for me has nothing to do with the mess in this nasty bathroom.

Tonight, beside a pear tree that was planted three years ago, I watched my son laugh at the provision that had already been

And I swung open the stall door.

made for him. So much like I had laughed that night in the clean bathroom stall. Except this time, I had the view of the parent.

It was clean.

Completely clean.

Freshly bleached.

He's too young to know the power of the analogy that just

Toilet scrubbed.

took place.

Trash empty with a fresh bag and all.

Why? Because I had already cleaned it.

Of course, the spiritual picture painted in my sweet Ezra tonight

I was so tired I'd forgotten.

would be obvious to anyone looking for it. The son unwilling to listen to the voice of his mother's wisdom, like we are so

I stood in the doorway of the clean stall, half shocked and wholly

often when wisdom instructs us. The damaged seed, like our

wooed by a God, Who was showing me His complexity for the

futile efforts to do things without God. The unfit ground, The

first time. He was showing me that He could use any means to

Digging Spot, that old place that is easy to dig in because the

answer prayers. Sometimes, the answer would be right in front

brokenness of the ground, but fruitless for the same reason.

of me, sometimes He would do it through my own weakness,

The dreams dropped before the swine, the swine consuming a

but all the time, it would point back to Him and His glory.

dream not out of malice but because it is, after all, a pig.

Like a lightbulb coming on, I realized that He knew my prayers

The voice of God is there. Clear as day if our eyes are open,

and requests before I even asked. But He did want me to ask. He

and it's there every day in one way or another. He is speaking.

wanted my real heart and my real thoughts, not some churchy

Concerning Himself with our concerns.

script. He even wanted me to say the wrong things, as long as

Moving on our dreams.

I was talking to Him. And as the realization washed over me., I

Speaking to our hearts.

laughed. Standing in the bathroom at one a.m., I laughed with

In backyards and bathrooms.

God at myself, and I laughed at His goodness.

Before we even ask.

Follow Jessica @thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com.

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Nikki Palucis

words Tonya McCoy images Marla Cantrell

“Shhh-shh, shhh-shh.” That’s the sound Dominique Palucis’ mom

Bugle Boy.” She listens to jazz or classical while painting. Nikki

hears when her daughter’s pencil touches canvas. Dominique, who

dances as she works. She paints at night because that’s when she

goes by Nikki, is twelve years old and her age surprises everyone

feels most creative.

who sees her art.

Her mother Sylvia says, “She's going to ruin her eyes, I keep telling Nikki and her mother are in the kitchen, at their home in Ratcliff,

her. She paints in the dark.” Her stepfather John Drewry laughs,

Arkansas, on a summer evening after school in August 2016. Reds,

“Oh, that’s an old wives’ tale.”

purples, greens and various hues dropped from her brush, splotch her once-white apron. Her earphones are on, and she’s listening

Nikki’s subject is the late actress Marilyn Monroe. Nikki has chosen

to the Andrews Sisters’ song from the fifties, “Boogie Woogie

her because she’s beautiful and always smiling. She thinks to

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herself, Marilyn's life couldn’t have been that great all the time.

She wonders what she might look like with a serious expression, so that's what she sketches. After Nikki draws her face, she has another creative idea. She adds light shades of pink, blue, green and yellow to her face.

At first, her mom isn't so sure of the non-traditional take on Marilyn, particularly the colors, “I said, ‘What are you doing?’”

Sylvia thinks perhaps her daughter has made a mistake, but Nikki replies with a smile, “No, that’s art, Mommy.” This is her quickest work yet; she finishes in only four hours.

Last September, Nikki decided to enter her Marilyn piece at the Home Economics Exhibit of the South Franklin County Fair. Most county fairs have this competition and an artist can enter one work of art for each category. The categories are divided by the medium the artist uses – by charcoal pencil or acrylic paint, for example.

The names on the pieces are covered so the judging is unbiased.

Along with her Marilyn, Nikki entered a black and white painting of singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett, which she’d worked on for about a month, the longest she’s taken on any project. To her surprise, they both won first-place ribbons along with three others: a sketch of characters from her favorite book Little Women, a drawing that depicts a girl with a bird, and a cat painted on a grid. “I didn’t think they were good because there were other paintings better than mine. I thought, I’m not good, I’m not going to win.”

He stepfather John says, “She’s very critical of herself. And I tell her she’s the only one that sees a mistake. I don’t see it, nobody else sees it, but she knows if one line is off one hundredth of an inch.”

Nikki then entered the Crawford County Fair. Sylvia says the judges tried to guess the artist’s age by looking at Nikki’s work, and they thought she must be at least seventeen. They were surprised to learn that someone so young showed such skill, and made her promise to enter again. Nikki won blue ribbons and top awards for her Marilyn, Lyle Lovett, and four other entries.

From there, Nikki wanted to try her luck on a larger scale at the Arkansas Oklahoma State Fair, in Fort Smith. She missed pre-registration, so she was only allowed to enter her Marilyn Monroe.

After the judges were finished, Nikki and her mom couldn't spot her painting anywhere. Sylvia remembers saying, "Oh Nikki, I don’t think you won, because it’s not here. We were just so disapDOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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pointed, and then Nikki said, 'Mommy, Marilyn's right there. It’s the grand prize.'" It won two Grand Champion awards.

Then the Arkansas State Fair in Little Rock allowed her to enter the Marilyn painting and eight other works. This time her Marilyn received a first-place ribbon instead of the top prize. However, her drawing of the girl and the bird, and her charcoal drawing of her school mascot, an Indian, both won Best in Show. She also received ribbons for several other entries in various categories.

What makes all this impressive is she's never had one art lesson.

She taught herself through trial and error and an occasional YouTube video when she couldn't quite figure out a technique.

She uses everything from pencils and pens to charcoal and paints.

She enjoys using a palette knife which is a versatile tool resembling a butter knife. Nikki uses it to paint thick or thin, or even to scrape paint from the canvas. She knows how to add shadow, create depth, and even how to blur colors to show movement.

Sylvia made sure that Nikki attended good private schools, paid for through the benefits she received from her late husband. But

Sylvia says Nikki's interest in art began when she was three, when

Sylvia knew that Nikki would have better opportunities in America,

she tried to copy a picture of The Little Mermaid from a placemat.

so when Nikki was ten, Sylvia moved her to the states.

This was when she lived 8,000 miles and half a world away in the Philippines. Nikki spent most of her childhood there. When Nikki

Here in Arkansas, she's already enjoyed some opportunities thanks

was just a baby her birth mother gave her up for adoption, leaving

to her art. Over the summer she painted a mural for the Charleston

her at a clinic in Manila. Her mother only asked that they find a

Public Library and displayed her works in an art show.

loving family for Nikki, and luckily the doctors did. Sylvia Palucis, who also lived on the main island, and her late husband Edward

Nikki doesn't know what the future holds, but she wants to try

Palucis, adopted Nikki. She was their fourth adopted child.

sculpting one day. And she wants to become an architect so she can design and build her own dream home. She may be a little

Sadly, Nikki’s adopted father Edward became ill and passed away

shy, but her paintings give her a voice and she's full of creativity,

in 2006 when Nikki was only two. Sylvia says that Nikki called him

and she's not afraid to try. Her stepfather says it's "God-given

Dad for the first time the night before he passed away. She says

talent." Nikki can't quite explain how she does what she does

hearing those words from Nikki made him so happy. Edward told

best: "While I paint, I just, I don’t know what to put on that

Sylvia before passing, “I wish I could still be alive to take Nikki to

canvas, and I just start thinking, and I put something there, and

her first day of school when she goes to nursery school.”

then it just comes out.”

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Rolling in the Rock Words and images Dwain Hebda

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A

About twenty skaters are here at Arkansas Skatium in west Little Rock for the regular Wednesday night practice of CARD, the Central Arkansas Roller Derby team. It’s an environment that defies the sport’s rough-hewn reputation;

collisions

evoke

smiles, wipeouts produce cheers and encouragement.

Amid the assorted body types, skating abilities and experience levels, what all these athletes have in common is a palpable self-confidence, personified as Levitica Byington thunders by.

At thirty-six, there are two things that have dominated her time on this earth — the United States Air Force and roller derby — as she’s been doing both for about half her life. Most of the time the pursuits reside peacefully, side by side. Both require

nese league. “Women there are very different than us, so for a

controlled aggression; both have earned her a family of unfailing

man to (collide with) me, it was really hard. Then when I knocked

comrades and given her outlets for her natural leadership skills.

them down they were like, ‘Did that just happen?’”

But when push came to rolling shove a few years ago, and roller

As she says this, another skater zips by, slowing just enough so

derby and military service stood eye-to-eye, incredibly it was Uncle

that you can read the sticker plastered to the side of her blue

Sam who blinked. “The military didn’t want me to get hurt. Other-

helmet. It reads, “FEMALES ARE STRONG AS HELL.”

wise, they couldn’t deploy me,” she says as a broad smile inches across her face. “I had to sign a form in order to do this.”

Roller derby is a purely American invention, born in the 1920s as a team speed skating competition. In the 1930s physical contact

The Air Force had little to worry about. Levitica – aka Leviticus

got written into the rules, a key element of the sport’s runaway

Maximus when she’s skating – is a bend-but-don’t-break kind of

popularity for the next forty years. The sport all but disappeared

athlete who despite being one of the most experienced skaters

in the 1970s only to resurface stronger than ever in the 2000s.

on the floor, won’t even get off the bench without a helmet

Men’s clubs do exist, but the vast majority of teams in the U.S.

when her skates are on.

today are women’s, boosted by the reality show Roller Girls that drove waves of skaters to their local roller rinks.

Yes, she’s been nipped by the injury bug of late with a recent ankle sprain, but invariably it’s the other skater who gets the

“I was introduced to roller derby through Roller Girls,” says Daisy

worst of the hip checks, jostling and collisions that are a legal

Fever, a dog groomer by day who cheerfully refused to share her

part of the game. In her skating career, she’s laid out competitors

real name for publication. “It was the girls that were, may I say,

in multiple states and while stationed in Japan. “We would play

super badass. They just looked really fierce and awesome and

the men and try to teach them what to do,” she says of the Japa-

strong and hardcore, and they were on skates, and they were

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hitting each other, and they loved it. That was my initial, like, ‘I

Previous versions were also prone to myriad gimmicks to gain

have to do this right now,’ moment.”

fans, from thuggery bordering on pro wrestling cartoonishness to upping the sex appeal. “They really cleaned it up. This

The object of the game, in its simplest terms, is a single skater

sport has changed so much since I joined,” Levitica says. “In the

known as a jammer earning points by passing the opposing team’s

beginning, it was tulle skirts and the makeup and the glitter.

skaters on the track. Skating in a pack, the other skaters, called

Then they went, 'Wait a minute. We're athletes. You can't wear

pivots and blockers, try to impede the opposing jammer from

that crap.’”

getting through while also creating lanes for their own jammer.

Perhaps the biggest change in the sport today is the diversity Beyond those basic rules, and the use of quad roller skates,

that’s represented. Women come from all walks of life to skate

today’s game has little in common with past iterations. The

and while there are plenty of tattoos and piercings to go around,

high-banked tracks many people think of are largely a thing of

it’s not a bunch of lumbering biker chicks looking to brawl.

the past, as flat tracks allow more facilities (rinks, gymnasiums,

Finesse, strategy and pure athleticism win games; the nose rings

community centers) to offer roller derby without the expense of

and tattoo sleeves are just these women being themselves.

a special set-up.

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“When I was a figure skater I never fit the mold because I was so much taller and broader,” says Kasey Miller, aka KC/DC. “I should have been playing hockey instead of ice skating but it was the ‘80s and girls didn't do that sort of thing, especially a five-year-old girl.”

Kasey found roller derby as a way to be more active after moving to Central Arkansas from Virginia with her work. On the track, the statuesque brunette looks like an intimidating growler; up close she’s a chirpy Catholic campus minister who happens to have a taste for contact. “There's a place for everyone,” she says. “We have people here who have never done an athletic thing in their life and they have turned into amazing athletes. Or people who have struggled with issues with their body, eating disorders or confidence who got up and sang the national anthem in front of everybody.”

We have people here who have never done an athletic thing in their life and they have turned into amazing athletes. Or people who have struggled with issues with their body, eating disorders or confidence who got up and sang the national anthem in front of everybody.

At rink-side two elementary schoolgirls complete a coloring sheet while mom hammers her way through practice. The youngsters glance up only sporadically; unlike many adults, their mother’s chosen recreation doesn’t faze them in the least. Girls can do anything after all, so what’s the big deal. In a sport built around

Kasey hasn’t passed all her preliminary tests that qualify her to join a team yet; in fact, there are certain drills in practice she’s

strength and attitude, it’s this attitude of strength the women of CARD ultimately seek in themselves and invest in one another.

not allowed to do until she learns the finer points of hitting and being hit. But even though she has yet to make a roster, the activity has paid enormous dividends. “It kind of allows me to stretch certain muscles that maybe don't get stretched in the office. Having a ministerial role, I’m being more of a servant, supporting and pushing others,” she says. “Here, I have other people pushing me out front, empowering me. So a lot of things I've learned in derby have helped me empower and encourage my students and vice versa. It helps me be more fully myself.”

The day’s guest coach – a skater from Georgia – barks out the next drill, involving skating laps while negotiating around and over low cones to improve maneuverability and balance. The experienced skaters zip through the course and skid to a hard, screeching stop. KC/DC’s pace is more deliberate but is set to the music of half a dozen teammates cheering her on.

Central Arkansas Roller Derby practices on Monday and Wednesday.

Daisy, the single mother of two boys, says even in a contact

Arkansas Skatium

sport there’s far more that binds than divides. “The fact that

1311 South Bowman Road, Little Rock

we're all women doesn’t mean we catfight because we don't.

We really don't,” she says. “We're all here for the same

Games take place at the Conway Expo Center and Fair-

thing, we all want the same thing out of it and I think that we

grounds. For more information, visit cearderby.com.

always keep that as our biggest focus. If there’s an argument or drama, we put a stop to it. I think ultimately we see the

Closer to home, check out River Valley Roller Girls

broader picture.”

on Facebook.

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Shirtless in Stamperville

Words Stoney Stamper images courtesy April Stamper

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I

I can feel the tall wisps of bahiagrass grazing across the naked calves

April had asked me a dozen times to do these pictures for her, but I

of my legs. It's been raining this afternoon, so it is miserably muggy,

just couldn't make myself do it. For the last decade, I've been a bit of

but thankfully I'm not heavily dressed. In fact, I'm fairly scantily clad.

a fitness fanatic. I watch my weight and exercise daily. But a couple

I'm standing in the middle of our tall, green pastures wearing a pair

of years ago, I had a pretty significant back injury that required

of denim Daisy Dukes, orange-topped cowboy boots, a red kerchief

surgery, and since then, it’s been really difficult, if not nearly impos-

around my neck and my trusty cowboy hat. No shirt. I repeat, no

sible, to stay in shape. So, there was no way in the world I was

shirt. And my shorty shorts just barely cover my flat, barely-there

going to let all the followers of The Daddy Diaries see me in next to

alabaster behind. I squat down in the grass and give a mirthful, far

nothing. "No. No, no, no," I said over and over."I'm not doing it."

looking gaze, looking off into the sunset, pondering life. There's the

But then one day, I came home from work, and she was playing

distinct click click click of a camera only a few feet away. Behind the

dirty. She was crying. She was upset and sad because of some-

lens of that camera stands my beau-

thing that had happened that day. She

tiful wife. She's grinning from ear to

knows I can't stand to see her cry. She

ear, giving direction as though I were

had a supremely unfair advantage. In

a Victoria's Secret runway model. "Ok,

my despair, I looked over at our dresser

now bend at your hips and put your

where her briefcase sat, with the lens

arms up on that fence. Good. Perfect.

of her camera just peeking out the top.

Ok, now pick up that saddle and start

I knew what I had to do. As much as I

walking away from me. Great. That's

hated it, I knew that I could fix this. But I

perfect." Then, as the game finale, our

was going to have to swallow my pride

miniature horse Dink comes walking

and make a huge sacrifice. With much

by. It’s like a sign from God himself. I

hesitation in my voice, I said, "So, are

throw a leg over his back, and since he

you still wanting to do those pictures of

was so short, both my feet are on the

me? Ya know, those dudeoir photos?"

ground as I straddle him. Again, I look off into the sunset, like a cattle boss

Her head sprung up at me with

driving cows across the deserts of West

a glisten in her eye. But not from

Texas, headed for the plains. Except, ya

sadness this time. Oh no. It was pure

know, I'm almost naked, and sitting on

joy. "Yes!" I said, "OK. Well, I guess,

a miniature horse.

what do you want me to wear?"

She said, "Stay right there!" When

Ok, let me back up a tad and explain

she came back, she had a large pair

exactly how I found myself in this partic-

of scissors, which certainly gave me

ular predicament. It wasn't by choice, I

pause. I said, "What are you going to

assure you. In fact, I was completely and totally against this from

do with those?" She replied, "I'm cutting those jeans!"

the very beginning. My wife, April, had seen this new fad beginning among middle-aged men with what has become known as

And right there, with me still wearing them, she cut my ninety-dollar

"the dad bod." In the spirit of women's "boudoir" photos, which

jeans into booty shorts. I've never been more nervous for someone

are sexy pictures (generally of females) taken for their significant

to use a pair of scissors in my whole life. Next, the older girls, Abby

other, these pictures would become known as "dudeoir" photos.

and Emma, saw their dad walking out of the house in nothing but

Men, usually bearded men with big bellies, dress in short cut-off

booty shorts, boots, and a cowboy hat. Oh, and we can't forget

shorts, or perhaps just a pair of underwear, along with work boots

the kerchief. This obviously brought on some pretty puzzled looks

or cowboy boots, a hard hat or a cowboy hat, and not much else.

and disgusted stares. "What are you guys doing?" asked Abby.

It's all in good fun, of course. But even for a man, such as myself,

"Nothing to see here. Go in the house. Close the curtains. Turn

I'm still a tad insecure for all the world to see my pudgy, pasty beer

on a movie and forget we are out here. Do. Not. Look out here."

belly hanging over a pair of short denim shorts.

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to see what was about to happen. I was beginning to get anxious. I could feel myself chickening out. But this was for April. I had to do it for her. She's a photographer after all, and the smart money says that when she shares these pictures, they're going to go viral. So, I gritted my teeth, and I posed. I posed as hard as I could pose. I gave her everything I had. The sexy look. The faraway look. The crooked, sexy smile that she likes so much. I went through the whole bag of tricks. I was embarrassed. A tad humiliated because I'm quite certain that our neighbors were watching. But something else happened.

I looked at April, and she was smiling. She was smiling! She had forgotten about whatever had happened earlier in the day. I had pulled her out of her funk, with some cut off jean shorts, a minimal amount of physical effort and a whole bunch of humility.

The thought of this whole situation made me cringe. It made me feel sick at my stomach. But in the whole scheme of things, if that's all that I've got to do to make my girl happy, well hey,

People tend to ask, "What would you do for love?" But for April,

I'll do it every day and twice on Tuesdays. Going to have to buy

what WOULDN'T I do? The answer is, I'd do just about anything

some outfits though. Can't keep the same outfit every day.

those big brown eyes asked of me.

Stoney Stamper is the author of the popular parenting blog, The Daddy Diaries. He and his wife April have three daughters: Abby, Emma and Gracee. Originally from northeast Oklahoma, the Stampers now live in Tyler, Texas. For your daily dose of The Daddy Diaries, visit Stoney on Facebook or on his website, thedaddydiaries.net.

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recipe

Soybean Fritters with Soybean Cilantro Puree words Marla Cantrell

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recipe taste

In May, the award-winning Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie, located in Bentonville, Arkansas, came up with a scrumptious recipe for Soybean Fritters with Soybean Cilantro Purée. The dish was created for the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board’s Kitchen | Fields Table Tour.

Tusk & Trotter was one of six Arkansas restaurants selected to participate in the Table Tour. Each of the chosen restaurants was asked to come up with a unique recipe, serve it for a month, and help make diners aware of the contributions of soybean farmers in the state and the ingenious ways the vegetable can be added to our diets.

The Soybean Fritters were so popular, Tusk & Trotter kept them on the menu permanently!

Soybean Fritters INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • •

3 cups flour 1 cup baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 ½ cups milk 3 Tablespoons butter, melted 32 ounces soybeans (edamame),

pulsed in a food processor

(Soybeans can be fresh or frozen, and are available

at local grocery stores and farmers’ markets.)

•

1/3 cup vegetable oil

METHOD Mix together all ingredients except soybeans. Fold in soybeans after they have been processed in the food processor, and mix well. Pour vegetable oil into pan and fry until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on top of purée.

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recipe

Soybean Cilantro Puree INGREDIENTS • • • • •

32 ounces soybeans (edamame) 2 bunches cilantro 2 garlic cloves 4 jalapeños, seeded and chopped 4 Tablespoons lime juice

METHOD Combine all ingredients (with water, salt, and pepper to taste) and purée smooth. Start with 1 Tablespoon of water and add more as needed.

Mulberry, Arkansas is the edamame capital of the U.S. Around 2,000 acres of edamame are produced by Arkansas farmers.

This edamame is consumed by U.S. consumers as well as exported to Asian markets.

To see Tusk & Trotter ’s complete menu, visit tuskandtrotter.com.

For more on Arkansas’ soybeans, visit themiraclebean.com.

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taste

INGREDIENTS Makes four • 2 cups pink lemonade • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice • 1/4 cup triple sec • 1 cup tequila • Lemon wedge (rim glasses) • Coarse salt (rim glasses) • 4 lemon slices (garnish)

Lovely Señorita image James Stefiuk

• Basil or mint sprigs (garnish) • 2 cups ice

METHOD Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of four glasses, then swirl glass rims through salt. Combine pink lemonade, lemon juice, triple sec, and tequila in a mixing tin. Shake to combine. Add ice to glasses and pour mixture over ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and either mint or basil. Enjoy!

Please drink responsibly.

Never drink and drive.

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44

travel

Just Breathe words Marla Cantrell images Marla Cantrell and Lowell Therapeutic Massage Center

O

On a mild summer day, just after a clutch of storms had moved

part because their salt comes from the Punjab region of Pakistan,

through the area, I drove to Lowell, Arkansas to spend about

less than 200 miles from the Himalayas.

an hour sitting in a room lined with 5 tons of pink Himalayan salt. Five hundred and seventeen chiseled bricks, eight pounds

The Salt Room is housed inside the Lowell Therapeutic Massage

each, lined the walls. The lighting in the room was soft and

Center. When I arrived, owners Pamela Scott and Pansy Burke

orangey pink, the kind you might hope for if you were a woman

were waiting. As they talked about the benefits of salt therapy,

of a certain age meeting someone you hadn’t seen in a decade

they all but glowed with enthusiasm. While their evidence

or two. The only furniture was two zero gravity lounge chairs,

is anecdotal, it is impressive. The two shared stories about

similar to those you might have on your deck. On the floor,

a woman in her sixties who bought fifteen forty-five minute

more salt formed a gravelly beach, and twenty-seven salt

sessions. Before she’d finished the last one, the staff at the bank

lamps, from a mere six pounds to a hefty two hundred and

she uses began asking her why she looked so much younger.

twenty-five, stood watch.

Certain clients who have skin issues like eczema, and lung problems such as seasonal allergies, asthma or COPD swear by

I had been hearing about this salt room for a few months,

the treatment as well. “Exposure to the salt opens airways and

following the business’s page on Facebook. The name, Arkansas’

helps the body eliminate toxins,” Pansy said.

Only Authentic Pink Himalayan Salt Room, drew me in. If there were only one of anything in Arkansas, I’d probably jump through

Pam chimed in, “And I don’t snore anymore!” she said, claiming

hoops to see it. They like to use the word “authentic” at least in

that the proof of the statement came from her family, who’d

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travel taste

noticed the quieter evenings. “And I’ll wake up in the same position I was in when I went to bed, because that’s what the room does, it totally relaxes you, so you don’t toss and turn in the night.”

According to Pam and Pansy, part of the reason for the relaxation is the negative ions the salt releases. The beach, for example, makes nearly everyone destress, due to the sea water that’s filled with salt, which is ripe with negative ions. In our daily life, we’re bombarded with positive ions, in the cellphones that rarely leave our hands, the computers that fill our workday, the TVs that fill our nights. The theory is that forty-five minutes in the salt room helps restore balance.

Pam and Pansy aren’t the first people to believe in salt’s benefits. Hippocrates was said to have used salt therapy in ancient Greece. In 1843, Felix Bochkowsky, a doctor in Poland, wrote a book about the benefits of breathing salty air. He’d witnessed the robust health of salt miners. In deep contrast, he’d seen the waning health of coal and metal miners in the area who were plagued with respiratory illnesses.

While my lungs are fine, my stress level is sometimes high, and I wondered what my experience would be. I stepped out of my shoes and into the room, which is approximately nine feet by twelve feet. I could smell the essential oil that floated through the entire building. I sat in one of the lounge chairs and kicked back.

I listened to the sound system that played ocean waves, birds chirping, and soft music. I’m not sure what I expected, possibly something bigger, or maybe a room where salt hung like stalactites from the ceiling. The word “cave” came to mind, due in part to my research on Poland before my interview.

But as I sat there, I decided it couldn’t have been more perfect.

After a bit, it was hard to hold my eyes open. Pansy said people describe the experience of being there as “a big hug.” And Pam said sitting there surrounded by salt causes a “time warp,” so that you’re shocked when your forty-five minutes are up. Both these observations turned out to be true. I could feel my body relax, the worries of the day dropping like a weight from a great height.

I had not expected anything as profound as this. Even in meditation, I can typically feel the muscles of my neck strung tight, my hands unwillingly making fists, even as I will myself to concentrate on my breath, the moment, the act of being present.

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travel

Lately, I’ve been practicing mindfulness, which I’ll admit in the

I scrunched up my nose. Mindfulness is one thing. Licking a wall

beginning I saw as a New Agey word that meant little. But early

is unthinkable for me.

this year, I attended a class that clarified it. In one session, we each took a raisin from its small box, held it in our hands, consid-

On the drive home, I hit rush hour and sat in a line of cars

ered where it had been, the road it had traveled to get to us. One

for a while. I don’t like waiting at all, but that day it didn’t

woman said, “I can see it as a grape, the sunlight on it!”

bother me. I felt the looseness of my joints, the unwinding of my muscles. I have no medical evidence that the salt room was

She sounded a little evangelical about it. OK, at that moment,

the cause; it’s all anecdotal as I said before, but I will say that

I maybe thought I’d signed up for the wrong class, but then I

for the long drive home and on into the night, I felt new again,

wondered if she was onto something I had become too jaded

and an easiness that made me notice the goodness of my life.

to see. The raisin had been a grape, resplendent in the sun, and now it was a raisin that would be eaten as soon as the teacher

Pansy and Pam claim that forty-five minutes in the salt room is

finished her lesson.

like spending three days on the beach. I haven’t seen the beach in two years, so I can’t be sure. But I do know that sitting with

As I sat in the lounge chair in the salt room, I let my thoughts go

the salt restored something that had been depleted. Which felt

for a small while. I breathed in, and the air felt clean and new. I

like a tiny miracle that day, which still feels like a miracle as I

noticed that my shoulders were not as close to my ears as they

look back and remember what it was like.

usually are. I looked at the salty bricks around me, swirled with pink and orange, and thought about their trip from Pakistan, 8,000 miles away.

Arkansas’ Only Authentic Himalayan Salt Room 320 North Bloomington, Suite F1

When Pam knocked on the door, it felt like a jolt. Time sort of

Lowell, AR - 479.387.4358

does stand still. She laughed and told me the story of a place in

Find them on Facebook. Dress comfortably.

Texas where they have a Himalayan salt wall that you can lick.

Pansy Burke and Pamela Scott

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entertainment

Best Junk Ever!

Van Buren Downtown Junk Fest Labor Day Weekend, September 2-3 9am–6pm | Free to attend downtownjunkfestvb@gmail.com A lot has been going on in downtown Van Buren, Arkansas in recent months. Freedom Park, next to the Old Frisco Train Station, opened on June 30, with its splash pad, pavilions, and amphitheater. On Thursday nights, shops stay open for Living Local Late-Night Shopping.

Vendors set up on the sidewalks as well, musicians play, at certain times, artists display their work, and families stroll the historic street.

And now, a new festival is being added to the list of attractions. Downtown Junk Fest takes place over Labor Day weekend, September 2-3, from 9am-6pm. If you love vintage, repurposed items, you’re going to have a great time browsing, shopping, and finding that one-of-a-kind treasure from more than 100 vendors.

Do South® spoke with organizers Ken Robison and Mark Shaffer, owners of Metro Gallery, and Lindsey Brown about Downtown Junk Fest, to find out more about what you can expect when you show up to shop!

SPONSORS:

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entertainment taste

WHERE WILL DOWNTOWN JUNK FEST TAKE PLACE? The Junk

HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE THE

Fest will take place on Main Street starting at Third Street going

FESTIVAL RUN SMOOTHLY? This event is growing quickly, and

up to Eighth Street. Main Street will be full of Junk Fest vendors,

many have signed up to help. We have a range of volunteers

food trucks, and all the local shops will be open.

from the Merchants on Main Street to the local ROTC. There will be more than fifty helpers, and we welcome more. It will

CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WILL BE AVAIL-

be a great weekend.

ABLE? More than 100 vendors will be offering rustic, vintage, repurposed, farmhouse, shabby chic, antiques, salvaged items,

WHAT KIND OF TURNOUT DO YOU EXPECT? Judging by the

and boutique clothing. Our headline sponsor is Wasted in Fort

response on social media and word of mouth, we expect a

Smith. Owner Angie Littleton is our largest vendor and will have her

huge turnout. Other successful Junk Fest events in Arkansas

signature repurposed/reclaimed items available. Beth Templeton,

and surrounding states see 20,000 or more. We’re not charging

owner of Belle Starr Antiques, will have a variety of vintage and

admission, so bring the whole family and make some memories!

antique items. Van Buren’s vintage shop, Key Lime Crush, will be on hand with great finds. Firefly Boutique and Gifts, and other

DO YOU THINK THIS WILL BECOME AN ANNUAL EVENT? That’s

vendors will host a variety of boutique clothing. Also, there will be

our goal! People love Downtown Van Buren because of its

lots of unique items, home décor and furniture.

beautiful historic buildings and meeting the friendly people from the area. The street is continually growing, and many

ANY FOOD TRUCKS? There will be approximately ten food

more shops and restaurants are opening this year. Junk Fest is

trucks with additional food items along Main Street.

a great fit for our community.

WHAT ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT? We’ll have three locations

WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS THAT WEEKEND? This event is a

with live entertainment. The main stage, in front of Van Buren’s

rain or shine event. Most Junk Fests are outdoors, and vendors

historic courthouse, will host a variety of bands such as Justin

come prepared for the weather. Rain or shine, bring your

Edwards Band, and Larry B and the Cradle Rockers, just to name a

umbrellas; they are perfect for shade.

few. Many more artists will be performing in Blanche Moore Park and the new Freedom Park. Music will begin each morning and

HOW EXCITED ARE YOU ABOUT THE GROWTH IN DOWN-

continue throughout the evening. Saturday night at 7pm, on the

TOWN VAN BUREN? What’s happening in Historic Downtown

main stage, we will have the drawing to win a brand new 2017

Van Buren is simply amazing, and just goes to show that when

Chevy Camaro. Tickets will be available up until drawing, and all

The Old Town Merchants Association (TOTMA) partners with

profits will benefit the Center for Arts and Education Building Fund

other organizations like Van Buren Originals (VBO) and Adver-

sponsored by Metro Gallery, Marrlin Transit, and Rhodes Chevrolet.

tising & Promotion Commission (A&P), great things can happen.

With the support of Mayor Freeman and the City Council, it’s

WHO IS PUTTING THE FESTIVAL ON? The Old Town Merchants

easy to see why Van Buren is quickly becoming a destination

Association is the presenter of the first annual Downtown Junk

not to miss. Main Street with Freedom Park at one end and the

Fest with the help of many local volunteers and sponsors.

upcoming new location of the Center for Art and Education building at the other, make great bookends to all the new stores

HOW DIFFICULT WAS DOWNTOWN JUNK FEST TO PUT

and restaurants that we have, and those that are soon to open.

TOGETHER? Ken, Mark, and Lindsey have been working to orga-

Future beautification projects include permanent mini parklets,

nize an event like this for Van Buren for quite some time. Their

and historic building information stations along each block.

first step was presenting the idea to The Old Town Merchants Association, and then to the Van Buren Mayor and City Council.

At each level, members gave unanimous approval, and from there, sponsors from Van Buren and Fort Smith came on board to make this a successful event. Our thought has always been that small places can do big things when we all work together.

Vendor and food truck applications are still available.

Find applications on the Van Buren Downtown Junk Fest Facebook page. Email downtownjunkfestvb@gmail.com or call/text 479.414.3320 or 479.806.4540.

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southern fiction

Prodigal Summer FICTION Marla Cantrell

T

The rain that morning made everything worse. Afterward,

snuck out of our mamas’ houses. On that trip to Tennessee, a

steam rose from the road that whipped by my house, from the

different kind of heat that had risen, had traveled through me,

gravel that made up my driveway, from the metal roof on my

had made us both forget our manners for an entire weekend.

garden shed.

I turned the longneck up, drank the bitter beer, and said, “It’s

“Global warming,” Travis said, pointing at the sky that was still

August in Arkansas. Nothing global about it. It gets hot, cold

the gray of old ladies’ hair. Earlier, he’d driven by, seen me in

air rolls in, the thunder rolls.” I didn’t know a thimbleful of

the yard, sweat-ridden, pushing my rickety mower across the

facts about climate change, but something made me want

still-wet grass. He’d honked at me, and I’d caught a glimpse

to poke at Travis, made me want to see the color rise to his

of him, the realization of who he was made me shaky with

cheeks and watch his brow furrow. Water beaded on the

something, maybe desire, maybe a little hurt, I’m not sure.

outside of the amber bottle. I drank, then held the bottle

Then, he’d gone to the Quickie Pickie and come back with a six

against my cheek, the shock of cold slowing down my racing

pack and a smile. Now, I was sitting on my screened-in porch

heart for a second.

with him, remembering a trip we’d taken back when we’d

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southern fiction

Travis looked away, disgruntled maybe, I don’t know. He had

“I hope you’re not waiting for me to contradict you.”

blond hair and blond eyelashes. He had gladiator arms and farm-hand thighs that strained against the fabric of his jeans.

“I’m back now,” Travis said. “Been back for almost a week. I’ve

“I didn’t stop by to argue with you, Twyla,” he said, and then

been trying to get up the nerve to call you, and when I saw you in

looked at me. He leaned back in the wicker rocker, and the

your yard, the sight of you hit me like a meteor. I could almost see

chair creaked. “You still think about Memphis?” he asked.

you standing on the sidewalk in front of your house waiting for me the night we left for Memphis, your backpack slung over your

There were puddles in my yard, and in those puddles, newly cut

shoulder. That top you wore was made of white lace. The jeans

blades of grass gathered in odd patterns that reminded me of

you wore,” he said, and then he whistled. “You looked like a girl

woven baskets. “No,” I said, “I do not,” and Travis smiled at me,

from a movie.”

showed his teeth, straight as soldiers in a row, perfect.

The wind picked up, blowing the weeping willow that stood a The hair on his tanned arms was nearly red, strawberry blond, I

few yards from the porch. When the tree swayed, it looked as

guess you’d say. He didn’t have a tattoo on him, not since I’d last

if it was doing a hula dance. “Mama’s opinion of me changed

checked anyway, back when we were nineteen, but I stared at

after that,” I said.

the spot where I thought he needed one, there on his right bicep where the muscle strained the sleeve of his T-shirt. I had a tattoo

Travis looked at his feet, and I changed the subject. “Grandpa’s

that read, It’s Always Something, inked across my right hip bone.

house had a tin roof. The house sounded like a drum when it

It was what my grandpa used to say at times of disappointment,

rained.” I pointed to the porch’s ceiling. “It sounded better than

when his pickup broke down, when he couldn’t pay the light bill,

this. Rain on a tin roof is enough to still your mind. I stayed at his

when my grandma up and left with Grandpa’s second-cousin who

house for a whole year after he died just for the nights when the

owned his house trailer outright.

storms blew in, just for a break from all that thinking.”

I got the tattoo the day of his funeral three years ago, after the

“Broke my heart to hear about your grandpa,” Travis said. “But

service officiated by a preacher who didn’t appreciate Grandpa,

life and death, Twyla. Nobody can stop either one.”

who couldn’t understand the complexity of a man who was equal “He was a good man,” I said, my voice rising the way it does when

parts saint and sinner.

my heart’s hurting. “Kept his promises. Didn’t run to and fro. He Travis stretched his legs. “I hope that’s not true.” He opened a

understood obligations.”

second beer, tossed the cap on the small table that rested between us, took one sip and then abandoned it. I pushed a lock of damp

“Salt of the earth,” Travis said, then picked up the beer cap from

hair from my forehead, wiped my face with the tail of my shirt.

the table and flipped it like a quarter. “When I was a kid,” he said, “me and my brothers used to play in the rain. Mama’d have a fit.

Another inning of rain started. “That was ten years ago,” I said

All that mud. We’d come back from the pasture covered in it, and

and shrugged. “Ancient history.”

she’d fuss something awful. We’d strip down on the front porch.

She’d hose us down before she’d let us inside.”

“Best weekend of my life,” Travis said.

“How’s your mama doing?” I asked, and Travis laughed. “Ornery “Wasn’t good enough to keep us together. Wasn’t good enough

as ever. Has a man friend in Ozark who has an RV. She’s gone

to keep you from moving across the country for years and years

more than she’s home.”

and years,” I said, and my hand went to my neck, a nervous habit I’ve had for as long as I can remember.

I raised my arm and sniffed, hoping Travis wouldn’t notice. I smelled of sweat and lavender scented lotion. I’d read a story,

“I was a fool.”

years ago, about men in war, and how they’d ask their women

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southern fiction

not to bathe after they learned they were finally coming home.

ate barbeque and loved it. You carried a sack full of change in

Something about the scent marked those women as theirs. I

case we ran out of money.”

still remembered the way Travis smelled, lying on his belly, me on my back, his arm across my waist. He smelled like honey

A warning too late is still a warning, that’s what I thought in the

and the fields where he worked gathering hay. His hair was

wake of the thunder. But I couldn’t ignore the quickening inside

silk. The memory made me want to reach out and run my

me, the rush of something lost returning. A million stories have

fingers through his shock of hair, and I felt heat rise to my face.

been written about prodigals coming home again, the doors of home flung open, a feast prepared.

My phone rang. I picked it up and glanced at it. There was a guy I was seeing, kind of half-heartedly, and he’d call when-

“Come inside,” I said, my voice insistent. And that’s when he

ever he was bored, whenever he thought I was dismal enough

surprised me. “No,” Travis said. “Not now. Not yet. I’m going

to let him come over. Travis looked at my hand, at the name

home. If you’ll let me, I’ll be back at seven, and I’ll take you out

‘Jimmy’ lighting up the phone’s screen. I hit the ‘ignore’ button

on the town. Whatever you want to do, that’s what we’ll do.”

and laid the phone down.

In my bedroom, I surveyed my closet. I looked good in red, The ceiling fan was unbalanced and made a whomping sound

that much I knew, and I pulled out the dress I’d worn to a New

as its blades circled. Travis rose, his muscles shifting as he

Year’s Eve party a few years back. In the shower, I washed my

stood. He took my hand, and I let him, and then he opened

hair slowly, deliberately, and left the conditioner on an extra

the screen door and led me onto the steps.

two minutes.

The rain felt tropical, warm, exotic. Travis asked me to sit, and

Dressing that night felt like a ceremony. Eyeliner, lipliner, blush.

when I did, he unlaced my tennis shoes and slipped them off

I put them on carefully, and I surveyed my face as if it were

my feet. He tugged off my socks, and then he sat beside me

someone else’s. At seven exactly, Travis knocked on my door.

and took off his shoes.

I’d put my hair up, but before I answered my door, I pulled one curl free, letting it drop beside my ear, beside my earring that

We stepped onto the grass. The downpour soaked my shirt,

flashed gold when it caught the light from the vanity.

my shorts, my hair. Travis found a puddle and jumped in it, the water ricocheting around him. I found another puddle and did

“You still think about Memphis?” Travis had asked just hours

the same. My neighbor, Isabelle, who’s sixty and worries as a

before. The answer was yes, I thought about Memphis. I

hobby, opened her kitchen window, and yelled, “There’s still a

thought about standing on the sidewalk in this one-horse town

storm warning, y’all. You could get killed out there!”

waiting for the man I loved. When I’d gotten in his car, when he’d put his hand on my knee, everything around became royal.

Travis laughed, and Isabelle slammed her window shut. As if by

Even the traffic light in town had seemed like three gemstones

design, lightning hit, far away, but still close enough to make

stacked one on top of the other.

me jump. Thunder followed, a warning too late for anyone in the lightning’s path.

Travis knocked a second time. When I opened the door, he caught his breath, smoothed the fabric of his slacks, smiled. He

In three steps, Travis was at my side, wrapping his arms around

helped me into his truck, taking my hand as he did it, and even

me. “In Memphis,” he said, “you wore strawberry lip gloss.

before he asked me where I wanted to go, I think he knew we

You sent me a postcard that got home before I did. You didn’t

were heading to Memphis.

like Beale Street, but you loved the way the moon looked from the balcony of our room. You tried grits and hated them. You

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BACK TO SCHOOL

BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL FEATURE This is the time of year when we get to start over.

We head out to buy school clothes and supplies.

We start setting our alarms to get ready for those early mornings, and we gather all the information we need to make sure our children have the best school year yet. Our Do South® experts have done a lot of the work for you! In this section, they'll tell you about educational opportunities, ways to save while their young, fun activities to keep them busy, the importance of manners, and where to go for

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your children's dental needs.

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1stlutheran.com We provide a Christ-centered, excellent academic education for students in PK through sixth grade. All students get unique opportunities to supplement their education through S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) programs, such as our dynamic fine arts, music, drama and new Robotics Club for all age groups. To meet our families' needs, we also provide before and after school care programs. 1st Lutheran School keeps "Christ at the Center of All We Do" by providing biblically-based religion classes and chapel services, emphasizing a Christian worldview for our families and students.

479.782.2041 First National Bank of Fort Smith has been excited to see what’s next since 1872 when the bank was founded. And we’re excited to see what’s next for today’s kids. As proud supporters of the communities we serve, we’re also proud of the next generation of leaders across all walks of life and professions. We hope to make a positive impact on our kids through our financial literacy program, Dollars and Sense, for area elementary schools, and through the Step Up Speak Out child abuse prevention initiative.

Online or in person, we’re here to help.

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FLAME GYMNASTICS ACADEMY 5912 South 28th Street, Fort Smith 479.646.1616 | flamefs.com | DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

Celebrating 32 Years!

Developing Mind, Body & Spirit since 1985!

Flame Gymnastics is the leader in Gymnastics and Tumbling instruction in the River Valley. We offer over 20,000 sq. ft. of gymnastics fun and fitness. The finest equipment and the most experienced instructors ensure your child will learn and enjoy their gymnastics experience!

Love competition? Flame has produced 35 State Champion Teams, and more than 600 Individual and All Around State Champions! Call us today, and start your child on the road to fun and fitness!

Gym Hours Monday - Thursday: 10a - 7:30p Friday: 10a-6:30p Saturday: 10a – 12p

Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9a-8p Wednesday: 9a-7:30p Friday: 9a - 6:30p

We Offer: Urban Gymnastics Classes Girl's & Boy’s Recreational Gymnastics USAG Level 3-10 Competitive Girls Teams USAG Level 4-10 Competitive Boys Teams

Mom N’ Tot, Preschool & Tiny Tot Gymnastics Swim Lessons with Jayne Jacobson and Daniel Beam Birthday & Splash Bash Swim Parties Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Tumbling Classes

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479.646.1616

fortsmithjuniorcotillion.com Register for the 25th season of Fort Smith Junior Cotillion,

Flame offers recreational Gymnastics, USA Gymnastics Junior

which is open to students in fourth through eighth grades.

Olympic competitive teams (Levels 3 - 10), and Tiny Tot and

Our goal is to prepare your child for a successful and happy life

Preschool gymnastics classes. There’s also Mom N Tot gymnas-

by adding to their self-esteem and confidence. We do this by

tics classes—loved by moms and kiddos alike, tumbling classes,

teaching social skills, etiquette, table manners, leadership, and

and even Urban Gymnastic classes! During the summer,

dance. FSJC is a fun way for boys and girls to learn to interact

kids nine months old to twelve years old can learn to swim

with each other socially, learn valuable etiquette and manners,

(beginners, advanced beginners, intermediate and advanced

and learn fun dances that will provide a lifetime of entertain-

swimmers)! We also offer amazing birthday party packages. If

ment. Event information and registration details can be found

your child is ages four through twelve, plan their next birthday

at fortsmithjuniorcotillion.com.

party with us, for a party they’ll never forget!

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thefriddlesmile.com At Friddle Dentistry, we provide a laid back, family-oriented

jbu.edu/fortsmith

atmosphere that is conducive to treating children. We begin

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seeing children as soon as they get their first teeth, and can provide cleanings and other preventive services as well as

The John Brown University Fort Smith Center offers bach-

restorative work as needed. Our digital radiographs emit the

elor’s degree completion programs in business, liberal arts,

lowest possible radiation to patients, and we are a metal-free

and psychology, as well as master’s degrees in business, coun-

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seling, and education. Programs are designed for working

restorations. We also provide orthodontic treatment and

adults, with classes held online or in the evening. Additionally,

mouth guards needed for sports activities.

the JBU CARE Clinic provides low-cost counseling services to the community.

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uafs.edu Students who choose the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith come from all walks of life, but they all have one thing in common: they know the value of a solid education. When you earn your college degree from UAFS, your education goes

DO SOUTH MAGAZINE

far beyond the hours spent in class. At UAFS you will study a curriculum based on the strongest academic principles, prepare for your future using the latest methods in your chosen field, and connect with employers through internships and cooperative learning programs.

vbsd.us The Van Buren School District is thrilled to welcome back its students and staff for 2017-18! We are looking forward to an exciting new school year and the opportunity to invest in your child. VBSD offers a wealth of college and career programs, as well as STEM education, and access to the latest technology.

We are also known for our award-winning fine arts programs and wide range of extracurricular activities. Be sure to keep up with all the latest District news by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. #PointerPride

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