Friday, August 29, 2008

Wagon Days Flashbacks


By CHRIS MILLSPAUGH

I was sitting in "Flashback Park" across from the Clarion Inn on Main Street the other day when Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia stopped by and said, "Hey, what's the story on Wagon Days this year?"

Normally, I'm not alarmed when my heroes from the netherworld appear from time to time, but why would they care about Wagon Days and why now? I'll tell you why. It's because it's the 50th anniversary and everyone should care. Never mind that we are so weary of tourists that we're having dark thoughts about their demi ... Hey! We need these people for our economy. What are you hollering about?

I asked one of these out-of-towners, "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting ready for Wagon Days."

"How are you doing that?"

"I'm saving up money so that I can give it to you guys."

"I like that. I really do. How much do you figure you'll drop?"

"I don't know. Gas, restaurants, drinks, souvenirs, those damn ducks ... probably five, six hundred bucks."

"That's it? We didn't even have it last year!

"What do you think I should spend?"

"Well, at least 12, 15 hundred for starts. We're hurtin', pal!"

"Well, I haven't had an easy year either."

"Yeah? Well, what about my friends here, Janis, Jimi, Jerry? You think it's easy for them being out of the mainstream?"

"They're dead!"

"What, they don't have rights?"

"Not at Wagon Days. It's not about them. It's about me and my family coming up here and shelling out money to see the events.

"When you're right, you're right."

"Get them a 'Dead Pool' float."

"All right. I'll call the organizers, Heather and Ellen."

"When did Wagon Days start?"

"In 1958."

"Why? To celebrate the history of the Wood River Valley?"

"No. We wanted to get people up here to shell out some money on events. We were flat broke in '58."

"You mean ...?

"That's right. History repeats itself. Now, you wanna buy a chance on a duck?"

Nice talkin' to you...




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