February 2017 – Page 4

February 7, 2017 Vic Socotra

Let’s Get Ready (For School)

It was a Thursday afternoon at Willow. Big Jim and Liz-with-an-S and the irrepressible Jasper were attempting to manage the crowd at the Amen Corner. Jon-wiithout and John-with were enjoying drinks next to Old Jim, and Long Hair Mike was chatting up Jarhead Ray as they immersed themselves in the wonderful world of post-work at […]

February 6, 2017 Vic Socotra

Unrecalled

Calling on old memories, sometimes They come, sometimes they don’t, In certain special cases, They simply won’t, The images they carried, From all the unremarkable Days, remain buried… copyright J.P.N. | Poetry, Etc., From Kanagawa, South of Tokyo, Japan www.carllafong.blogspot.jp

February 5, 2017 Vic Socotra

Our Suburb

Windowed boxes of wood and brick, Islands in oceans of short green grass, Populated anonymously, with cars Changing as the decades pass, Silent, orderly, subdivided, subdued, Tree-lined dream of the middle class… copyright J.P.N. | Poetry, Etc., From Kanagawa, South of Tokyo, Japan www.carllafong.blogspot.jp

February 5, 2017 Vic Socotra

The Day After

(Saying farewell at Arlington National Cemetery) It was April 16th, the Day After the funeral. The pictures had been posted, the toasts were raised at the wake at Willow. The haunting sound of the highland pipes covered the retreat of hundreds of officers and Sailors from the grave site. Mac’s earthly remains were given over […]

February 5, 2017 Vic Socotra

Life and Island Times:Three Immigrant Gringos

Life and Island Times: Three Immigrant Gringos After traversing the Pacific Coast Highway to Los Osos, they were treated to a home cooked dinner and visit with Augustus’s sister in law Flo and her extended family. There was much discussion about politics and the economy but none about what the riders had seen or experienced. […]

February 4, 2017 Vic Socotra

Desotos

(Boomer takes that critical first Happy Hour order. Photo Socotra). The people and employees at Willow seem to blend together into an ersatz, if quite real, family. When things were going well at the restaurant, all was right with the world. When there was a shake-up in the personnel line-up behind the bar, it was […]

February 4, 2017 Vic Socotra

Life and Island Times: Down in Monterey

The next day and half were off days. Rex’s wife wanted to see him and visit Napa valley and Steve was rejoining the group. This revised their travel schedule. So after much wine and rest was had, “three days of understanding” were on tap down in Monterey. It was easy for Marlow and Steve to […]

February 4, 2017 Vic Socotra

Hugging A Tree

The bark is rough against my face My arms, too short, to wrap around The girth of the god of this forest place, Me, a few decades’-worth of meat And fat, the tree has seen hundreds Of seasons, through cold and heat, Twisted by winds, it has grown Into a giant, and I, embrace its […]

February 3, 2017 Vic Socotra

Way Down Yonder (In Vietnam)

(Boomer behind the bar at the Amen Corner. Photo Socotra). Willow was bustling, and it was with good reason. The last Friday night of the month was the fabulous Buffalo Night, in which Tracy O’Grady re-creates the most famous sandwich to ever come out of Buffalo, New York: the astonishing ‘Beef on Weck.’ BOW is […]

February 3, 2017 Vic Socotra

Life and Island Times: Hell’s Anvil

The Pacific coast’s volcanic mountains were this day’s west coast riding focus. The first eight miles along their southward US97 trek was a long winding four lane hill climb up from their Columbia River valley floor motel at Biggs Junction to the high plains of north-central Oregon’s wheat belt. Once on the plain they could […]

Month: February 2017