The last week of November and the night all bags broke loose
We’ve reached the end of another month. November. It’s one of my top 12 favorite months of the year. Probably because it’s so ‘fally’ outside, leaves changing, cooler temperatures, the start of fire pit season, oh, it’s my birthday month. Yes, 11/23…(that’s Tuesday for those keeping up and reading this in a timely manner as all should..) Not much attention given to birthdays anymore these days. Had a good blowout on my 40th, but I figure til I hit the B.I.G. “50” it’ll be calm celebrations amongst a small group of friends, or maybe alone doing something epic-ish on a bike or something that gets my blood flowing pretty aggressively …you know, to remind myself, I’m not old and still a boss (minus brief lapses of intelligence involving bouncy houses and/or gym floors…) So, that’ likely what I’m going to do Tuesday. I’m thinking a good ride, Devils Den maybe Lake Fort Smith. If the weather cooperates that is, being all Arkansas and all. I do look forward to, now, the 2nd time to ring in a birthday alcohol-free (that’s 1 year 4 months alcohol-free for those keeping up and reading in a timely manner as all should.) Ya, I’m pretty proud about that. It still occupies a considerable amount of headspace, the whole not drinking thing, and I figure it’ll be that way likely for life. Who’s to say. Day at a time. I will be taking some time off work. I hit the ground running as “Director of Fun” and HOLY SCHNICKEYS IT’S BEEN A BLAST, but imma pause a second and be thankful and 42 and maybe a killer (of a deer!) and just take a few days to …. to …. ______. Ah, ya, that looks nice. BUT, back at it week after to WELCOME IN CHRISTMAS 2021 OFFICIALLY!!! This makes me happy. (Are you ALWAYS happy, Rham??) –Not taking questions right now. Wait til the words are over, or better yet, ask me in person. Much more fun that way plus you can ready body language –but, be warned I can read it too, in all languages, in fact, and just the other day was certified in reading body language fluently in PIG LATIN so don’t try any sneaky stuff. I’m not really sure what that means, but what’s a Captain Log / Rham Rhambling without a good ole fashioned DE-rail on a whim. WHIM! BAM! DONE!

This might be fun. Let’s see. Last night. It was a lovely evening inside the Collection Room to celebrate the Officers of First National Bank of Fort Smith, a bank that is a founding member of the Loving Fort Smith Out Loud club, so, naturally, I was there. That and my boss encouraged me to attend. He knew who would be there and felt I would make a good edition, and also be on-call to make sure the ship sailed smoothly, and any waves were met swift with force to then offset any sort of disturbance on the deck… MISSION ACCEPTED. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. The story lies behind the scenes, as they say, and this is one such story. A show only witness by a handful in grocery stores convenient stores, and that darn stop light…gets me every time. …sigh. Once upon a time….

You sure you’re in? You can bail now if you want– (Beth P, you still with me? Nah, I bet you bailed.) Okay, last chance…

….the time was right. The moon was full. The air had that fall-like crisp one has to stand and ponder whether to grab a light jacket, or a medium-light jacket (#firstwolrdprobz) … It was a “just a sport coat and a smile” kind of night for me… Oh yes and pants and shirt and tie and shoes and what-not, and it was the what-not, that shall lead us down this path into the how this night, when no one was lookin’ (although I hope there’s some footage somewhere from security cameras..) just how this night played out, and how the west was won….Okay, I think I may have over sold this whole thing. The event went off like a hitch. Surrounded by a great group of folks who were honored for their service to FNB and to their Fort Smith community….good stuff. The fact that I had to make a run to the store just 17 minutes prior to the event starting to purchase coke, sprite, pineapple juice, club soda and limes, to then frantically bag my own groceries at 10Box using their state-of-the-art plastic bag system that I’m certain was created by angry people–angry people hoping to pass on that anger in the form of little white plastic bags oh so delicate to tear apart, forcing one to lick their fingers to be able to open the bag (don’t lick your fingers folks. You’re in a grocery store and everyone is gross…..at least Purell ’em first.. I know, the taste..) but once you do pry apart the plastic and begin to stuff your bags, you know in your heart that you cant put everything into one bag because the quality of these particular plastic bags do not have the integrity one should expect in such times in which we live, and certainly with the window of time in which I am working, so therefore I must continue the plastic bag open with my (NOT LICKED) fingers so to double even triple bag my items to avoid the……tell ya what, gonna skip ahead a little here. Save you some time. Has no relevance to how the night ended, so…  Bags broke halfway from the the store to the truck, 9 club sodas went one direction, the pineapple juice very conveniently rolled under a small compact car just far enough for me to have to lay flat on my stomach (wearing a suit and tie …’member??) and snag it, retrieve the rest, left the parking lot, racing back to the Bakery District with 7 minutes to spare.

I had won. I had forgotten the case of coke and sprite at a store too far to return and make the 6PM start time so I did what any good Director of Fun would do in such a time… went to the closest gas station, bought a case of coke, a case of sprite, with a return trip of 5:59PM. …..Now I had won. Nice night. I was tired by the end, but ready to rise and shine this morning to recall the night all hell broke loose…I mean bags. All bags broke loose.

Things to do light up the area (yep, Christmas light reference keep up.) Creekmore Park will be lit, no doubt, and that’s close to home, walking distance in fact. Choo Choo Merry Christmas. A number of events to be privy too including the Clayton House Gaslight Gala that’s always a fun time. More holiday related THINGS TO DO, Fort Smith, are listed below. I’ve missed some. Many. Don’t let me get away with that. Email me anything I can include, [email protected] and I shall. Have a great weekend -Love Fort Smith Out Loud, in fact ALL OF IT…and YES…OUT LOUD!