A Story Teller

Five months ago, at the Spanish Colonial Art Market at the Fort restaurant, I met a lady and an hour later we were still talking. She was born on the Zuni Reservation and even though she is now "Americanized" she has kept up with her Zuni tribe. I mentioned to her that we have a group at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community called Young At Heart and maybe she could come talk to us and tell us about the Zuni's.

I invited her to go to Black Hawk with the group and I noticed that in between gambling she worked on a shawl for an upcoming Pow Wow. She mentioned that the different colors of the shawls represent different seasons, much like priests wearing different colored vestments.

Our Entertainment Chairperson, contacted the lady and on February 18, 2020. she will come to do a presentation of her life; from living on the reservation until now.  I called her and spoke with her and was amazed at the topics she could talk about. Pottery, Code Talkers, Indian Bread, Jewelry, Weaving and Pow-Wows. We laughed when I said, "Those are all great topics!" and she responded with "Sure, but it would take five hours and not the hour allotted." Her main topic will center on religion. Since the theme for the dinner will be Honoring America, she will also talk about the Code Talkers. Even though her father and uncle were from the Zuni tribe, they lived very close to the Navajo Nation and  knew the Navajo language. After training they also became code talkers.

She is retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and continues to give presentations about her life to schools, government agencies, and groups like ours.

From our Newsletter: She will shower you with stories from her upbringing and how her spirituality was enhanced by the knowledge that was passed on to her from both her Zuni an Catholic religions.

"Since here is nothing so well
worth as having friends,
never lose a chance 
to make them."
Francesco Guicciardini

Fuming At My Garbage Disposal Company

About two months ago I was informed that my trash company had been sold and that the new company would keep everything basically the same. A few weeks later I received an e-mail telling me that my pick up day would change to Wednesday instead of my regular day of Friday. Then I received a message on my phone letting me know that Wednesday, February 5, would be the first Wednesday pick up. In the mail, I got a letter telling me the same thing and to have my trash out before seven in the morning.

I noticed that when my bill came it was three dollars more than I normally pay. That bothered me but I went ahead and paid it. A couple of more notices informing me that Wednesday the 5th of February would be my first pick up under the new schedule.

My trash bags went out on Tuesday night but it was not picked up on Wednesday. Thursday morning I called the company and all they had was a recording that eventually transferred me to the operator and for 40 minutes I waited. Thank goodness for celular phones because I continued doing other things as I waited for someone to answer the phone. I finally cancelled the call and got on the computer. I was able to find their professional looking ad and was able to write my complaint letting the company know my trash had not been picked up. They responded in a note that someone would get back to me. Friday my trash was still on the curb and no one had notified me as to when it would get picked up.

By this time I was getting angry. I wrote a letter to the company, informing them about their non-service and I asked for a refund of the money I had paid. Saturday morning I called my bank and since the check had not come through, I stopped payment. I gathered the three bags of snow covered trash from the curb (since it had been snowing) and the trash is back in my garage. So far I have not heard one word from Waste Connection. I read some of the reviews and they were all bad with the "You never know if your trash will be picked up or not," being a common complaint.. 

On Monday I will contact another company and hopefully my trash will be picked up in a timely manner!

"I know a man who doesn't pay

to have his trash taken out.

How does he get rid of trash?

He gift wraps it and puts it

into an unlocked car!"

Henny Youngman

Four Hours That Felt Like Two

Today I met two friends to watch the Opera of Porgy and Bess at the AMC Theater in Westminster. The opera is from a novel by DuBose Heyward written in 1925. The opera, by George Gershwin came out, with an all negro cast, in 1935. The only two songs I recognized were Summer Time and I Got Plenty of Nothing. Most of the story is sung by terrific voices with few speaking parts.

Porgy is a cripple who falls in love with Bess but she is with a gangster type named Crown. Sportin' Life, is a drug dealer and tempts Bess. In the first act, Crown kills a man and goes into hiding. Bess and Porgy become friends but on a picnic to an island, Crown shows up and makes Bess stay with him. When she returns Porgy tells her he will take care of her. She warns him that Crown will come for her and Porgy tells her he will protect her.

When Crown arrives, there is a fight between the handicapped Porgy and Crown but Porgy ends up killing Crown. When Porgy is taken away to identify the body, Sportin' Life tells Bess that Porgy will never return, gives her some drugs and she goes off with Sportin' Life to New York. When Porgy returns, he is broken hearted and the ending comes with Porgy going to look for Bess. We never know if he finds her!

The amazing set is huge and it turns slowly around to change the scene. The translucent curtain helps to set the different moods. The opera is four hours long yet it felt like two. A lot of action, dancing and singing kept my attention throughout the whole opera. The words scrolling along the bottom of the screen helped me keep track of what everyone was singing!

I looked to see who played in previous Porgy and Bess Operas and Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and
Sidney Poitier were the only names I recognized. I had seen the movie many years ago and was surprised how much of the story I had forgotten. It seems to me that what I saw in the past was a movie with some singing and not like an opera.

The Metropolitan Opera is on the screen with the inside of the huge theater filled by viewers and we were an extension of those persons sitting at the actual opera house.

 Porgy and Bess taking a bow.

"Summer time and the livin' is easy

fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high.

Your daddy's rich

and your mama's good-looking

so hush little baby,

don't you cry."
George Gershwin