Volume 12: The Further Saga of Alemany '66:
As revealed by The Shadow
and with minor assistance from F.J. Bonaccorso
Subtitle: The Volcano, She's A Gonna Blow!
Second Subtitle: Oh, what a work of art?
Shadow's Special Dedication
To Maureen from big sister Chris Belle Monroe,
To Linda from husband John Preble,
To Kathy Gordon from St. Ferdinand classmates,
Three winners against cancer
With love from all of Alemany ‘66
______________________________________________________
As revealed by The Shadow
and with minor assistance from F.J. Bonaccorso
Subtitle: The Volcano, She's A Gonna Blow!
Second Subtitle: Oh, what a work of art?
Shadow's Special Dedication
To Maureen from big sister Chris Belle Monroe,
To Linda from husband John Preble,
To Kathy Gordon from St. Ferdinand classmates,
Three winners against cancer
With love from all of Alemany ‘66
______________________________________________________
A lava bed on the slope of a smoking volcano.
The time machine known as The Monarch is lying on its side, partially smashed. Steam is leaking from the machine. A door on the upper side of the ship opens, two arms emerge and a dazed Kathy Gordon leaps off the machine.
Kathy: It's a sunny day, come out everyone.
One by one, all nine time travelers emerge, no one having more than minor scratches. They gaze around at lava slopes with scattered trees and shrubs growing among weathered basalt formations.
Art Fonseca: Not a great landing. Welcome to the Cretaceous everyone.
Alan Shows: (Sporting a Band-Aid over his left eye) Anyone else need a Band-Aid?
Frank B: We better look over The Monarch. Our transportation home looks a bit worse for wear. There seems to be something familiar about the shape of that volcano cone.
John Barreiro: This is spectacular scenery. I am going to work. (Off he goes taking photos of the landscape and the crashed time machine.)
Chris Gilmore: Oh look there is a teeny, tiny dinosaur.
Bill Danaher: Where?
Chris: It ran under that rock. (Chris and Bill go off to catch it).
Frank: (Shouting and looking chagrinned) May I have everyone's attention before you all scatter over all tarnation. (Everyone is focused on Frank). We are not in the Cretaceous!
Dave Nehen: What makes you say that?
Frank: For one I saw another teeny, tiny "dinosaur" and it's a very modern era lizard know as a skink. Second reason, if you look over there on that shrub you will see a common blackbird which did not evolve until millions of years after the Cretaceous. Third reason, I recognize that volcanic cone. It's Mt. Vesuvius. I visited it in 1976. Vesuvius is a much younger formation than Cretaceous. I repeat, we are not in the Cretaceous, and we are not in Texas. We are in Italy.
Pat Dolan: So we know where we are. And it is way off course from southern Texas. But what year is it?
(Suddenly a prolonged earthquake of about 3.8 Richter shakes the ground and then a large burst of smoke and ash belches out of the volcano).
Dave: Oh my goodness, I sure hope it's not 79 AD.
Art: Why? What happened in 79 AD?
Frank: That's when Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii, Herculaneum, and a few other Roman towns. I believe you can just make out Pompeii down by the sea, there (pointing a finger).
The volcanic activity subsides somewhat. A noise is heard lower down the slope and sounding like wagon wheels. All the time travelers run down the slope to get a view of what is making the noise. And they see.....
Winter Park, Colorado.
There goes X-Games Qualifier Linda Haney Pearcy showing her best form while flying high over the half-pipe.
Linda Haney Pearcy, the woman that replaced Olympic Champ Hannah Teter on the USA team for this International Cup has won the gold medal at Winter Park. Haney Pearcy performed her specialty trick, the Alemany Quad QuadTwisel for the first time in competition and landed it perfectly. Linda perfected the move long ago on her skateboard in 11th grade at the Alemany Quad after school. She explained, "It's a quad quad because it has four revolutions and was first performed by me on a quadrangle. I sure prefer landing on snow rather than concrete." Haney Pearcy easily led the Gold-Silver sweep for the USA. By winning at Winter Park, Linda has qualified for the X-Games at the Matterhorn. Her coach, Mary Langan Doyle announced to the world that Linda would up the ante for the other girls at the X-Games by adding a Quintuple Broeski to her routine. No one, man or woman, has ever landed a quintuple revolution trick in the history of half-pipe. This competition may draw a crowd of 500,000 spectators since it will be held the same day as the much anticipated Ski Box Derby International Championship. If you do not already have a room booked for Zermatt you may as well stay home and watch the finals of Dancing with the Stars where it will be warm and cozy.
A happy Linda with her gold medal at the awards ceremony.
World Champ Haney Pearcy with Coach Langan Doyle contemplating
Execution of the first ever Quintuple Broeski on a restful day in Ireland.
The Paris-Dakar Rally in the Sahara Desert.
Al Vicuna: Please pass me a Red Bull out of the cooler, Father Art.
Father Art Holquin: Here you go Al. Just keep your eyes on the road.
Al: What road are you talking about Art?
Art: That was a joke, Al.
Al Vicuna and his relief driver, Father Art Holquin, out ahead of the pack somewhere in Mauretania and headed for Dakar.
Art: I sure am glad we are almost to Dakar, Al. I really do need to get back to Capistrano and get ready for the dedication of the new basilica.
Al: And you know that I will be there for that Art. Right after I finish winning Dancing with the Stars. Say father, are those swallows ever late in returning to Capistrano?
Art: No Al, every year that I have been at the mission the swallows always return on St. Joseph's Day.
Al: That is so amazing!
Art: Watch out for that on coming bus, Al.
Al: Where? (swerving and fishtailing through the dunes) Would you cut out with the jokes already, Father? Say a prayer for us instead; we don’t need any more flats.
And there they go, passing the lead motorcycles. How can Al and Art lose with Red Bull and Molidor's Sockerooni Sauce as fuel and as sponsors?
Jungfrau, Switzerland.
Rex Olliff: (Shaking hands with Mary Ganssle Johnson) Beautiful day for a race, Mary.
Mary: Yes, it certainly is your majesty. And the course is well groomed. The snow is smooth. Are we agreed that we will run the time trial with both teams starting on the gong. First box over the line wins.
Rex: Agreed on all points. Of course it's a more technical course here with more turns than the Matterhorn, but not as steep. Still, it will be a good test to see how we stand against each other.
Mary: Mighty smart on your part bringing Marilyn Gadomski to drive your box. You have any information on the Nepalese and their new ski box, the Golden Hammer?
Rex: They are still in Nepal and not coming to Europe until a few days before the Matterhorn race. They are a mystery. But I do know that Liechtenstein has a new team planning to enter the derby.
(Crews are bringing the Swedish Silver Bullet to the starting area. A team of dogs mushed by David Surges is pulling the Red Baron to the start).
Snowzilla: Alaska snowman has neighbors fumingSat Jan 6, 7:53 AM ET story by Patricia Richards Atnip.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska
Snowzilla may be a smash hit with shutterbugs, but the towering snowman has detractors closer to home. Some neighbors of the two-story high snowman say they're fed up with the hordes of gawkers clogging their street.
When you get 20 people out there in their cars, the whole street comes to a stop and nobody can get through, said Majorie Padour Smith. Snowzilla is visible from the front window of her winter cottage. They just stand out there, in the middle of the road, talking about a snowman. Harrumph! I come here to Alaska for a change of scenery from Gadsden, Alabama, and this is what I get. What is really weird is that I went to high school with the two guys that built this monster. They haven't changed a bit.
Marjorie's neighbor, Thomas Padilla, supervised construction of the original Snowzilla last year. Through the Internet, it became a media sensation, drawing crowds of visitors and TV crews from as far as Japan and Russia before it melts in the spring. This year, Padilla along with high school classmate, Raul Perez, resurrected the snowman and its giant hat. Snowzilla is made from tomato cartons, a corncob pipe, and beer-bottle eyes. At 22 feet, the new Snowzilla is six feet taller than last year's predecessor.
When you get 20 people out there in their cars, the whole street comes to a stop and nobody can get through, said Majorie Padour Smith. Snowzilla is visible from the front window of her winter cottage. They just stand out there, in the middle of the road, talking about a snowman. Harrumph! I come here to Alaska for a change of scenery from Gadsden, Alabama, and this is what I get. What is really weird is that I went to high school with the two guys that built this monster. They haven't changed a bit.
Marjorie's neighbor, Thomas Padilla, supervised construction of the original Snowzilla last year. Through the Internet, it became a media sensation, drawing crowds of visitors and TV crews from as far as Japan and Russia before it melts in the spring. This year, Padilla along with high school classmate, Raul Perez, resurrected the snowman and its giant hat. Snowzilla is made from tomato cartons, a corncob pipe, and beer-bottle eyes. At 22 feet, the new Snowzilla is six feet taller than last year's predecessor.
Slopes of rumbling Mt Vesuvius.
Alan Shows: It's a Roman centurion driving a chariot like there was no tomorrow.
John Barreiro: Madre de Dios, the chariot didn't make that curve and has spilled the man into the gorge.
Kathy Gordon: We need to help him. Let's go everybody.
Alan: Bill, get the medical kit and follow us.
(Seven people are huddled around an unconscious Roman soldier, Christina Marie and Art are calming the frightened horses, Bill Danaher is running to them with the medical kit).
Frank: When he arouses, how will we communicate - my broken Italo-Spanglish, or what?
Alan: I can try my Latin. It's been a long time since Latin IV at Alemany, but I think I can communicate with him. Dave, hold this compression bandage here with pressure. Tim, you better have a look, he lost a couple of teeth. There is bleeding from the mouth. He's going to need your dentistry skills.
The Pearly Gate, Heaven.
Two angels are standing at the gate looking down toward Earth.
Angel Paul Frysak: It looks bad down there.
Angel Paula Carrabelli: It does look bad, but you know we cannot intervene.
Paul: I know, but we can't just let them be trapped in the past with Mt. Vesuvius about to explode. They are our classmates!
Paula: Maybe we should talk to the boss.
Paul: We have to do something. Here comes the boss now.
Archangel Father Thomas Weber: Mr. Frysak, what are you doing here, choir practice is starting. Sister Rosemary and Sister Roseanne are waiting for you.
Paul: But Father.....
Father Weber: Don't say another word. You are supposed to be an example to the new arrivals. Now go without another word.
Paula: Please go, Paul. I will keep watch on our special friends and let you know if things get worse. (Angel Paul flies off to choir practice).
6 PM, ABC News Room, Washington, D.C.
And now the news, this is Bernard VanVlymen reporting from Washington.
Bernie: President Bush will deliver his State of the Union Address tonight.....blah, blah, blah.
Following a commercial break for Gieg's Gold Label Tequila and the new limited edition of Gieg's Picante' Tequila......
Bernie: Fortune Magazine reported today that Oscar Rivera, Jr. became the world's first trillionaire. And that is after taxes. There is a mystery about how Rivera came by all his recent wealth. However, investigative reporter, Mary Chris Checkie Kincaid reports from Los Angeles.
Mary Chris: Bernie, at the same time that Oscar has acquired vast riches, three of the previously richest men in the world all filed for bankruptcy in the space of one week.
Bill Gates is now stocking shelves at WalMart to makes ends meet. Donald Trump was vending those hot giant pretzels on the streets of New York until James Coultas, owner of Coultas Gooey-filled Pretzels, walked up to him and said, "Your fired". And Rupert Murdock is believed living with aborigines in the Outback of central Australia and living off the land. Could these all be connected? We don't know for sure, but Trump was heard by Coultas to mumble, "Why did I ever play high stakes poker with Oscar."
Bernie: Interesting perspective Mary Chris. That's all we have time for tonight. I'm Bernard VanVlymen. I will be back at 10 PM with the Late Night News. May all your news be good news.
Administration Section, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
In the outer office of the Museum Director, two well-dressed women sit admiring the paintings on oak panel walls.
Executive Secretary Susan Gibbons Shirk announces, "The Director will see you now".
The huge wooden door is opened and the two ladies walk into a plush carpeted and huge office furnished in Chippendale. Across the room, the Director smiles warmly and waves her Secretary out. As soon as the door closes, the three woman rush to together laughing and taking turns hugging, jumping, giggles galore.
Christi Brecht Moore: Look at you, Mutt, you are radiant, and nice power pants suit.
Christine Belle Monroe: Well I have to look the part, Jeff. I deal with a lot of the rich and powerful people every day here. Mostly I am involved in fundraising and administrative stuff. I wish there was more time for art.
Chris Carney Stoddard: Mutt and Jeff back together again! It's a long way from 1st Grade at St. Elizabeth's together. Oh my God, is that a Breughel on the wall behind your desk? And over there you have a Vermeer? Oh, what a work of art! Chris, can I get close to the Breughel?
C. Belle: Yes, it is "Latona and the Lycian Peasants" by Jan Breughel the Elder painted around 1605. Our Master's Gallery is being refurbished and the museum had to put it somewhere for a time. Isn't it incredible? Do you know the story of the painting, Chris?
Chris C.: No, please tell us.
C. Belle: Latona is begging the peasants working around the pool for water. She is dying of thirst having been chased to Lycia by the goddess Juno. Juno was angry that Latona became pregnant from her husband, Jupiter. But the peasants, encouraged by Juno, make the water undrinkable. Enraged, Latona curses them, condemning them to live forever in the fouled water. Now look closely at the peasants in the water. Some already have been turned to frogs, even though they still wear the clothes and do the work of people.
C. Brecht: It's so subtle, the tiny figures amid the powerful giant landscape. I am speechless.
C. Carney: But Christine, how did you manage the move from retired art teacher to director of one of the most prestigious museums in the world?
C. Belle: I just sent in my resume and letter of application on a whim. Of course my reference letters included the Lt. Governor of California, The King of Sweden, and the world's richest man (Wink!). I think you know all of them from Alemany. I guess that might have helped some. Hey do you guys remember the time we heard Dick Dale and the Deltones live at the Rendevouz Ballroom?
Christi: Yeah, we sure were wild back then. And don't say I was the gang leader. You both helped us get in enough trouble too on the boardwalk at night.
Chris B. Girls, would you like to have coffee here first or see some of the museum?
C. Carney: Oh please, let's go see some art. Can you show us The Night Watch?
C. Belle: Of course we can see it. Oh, and girls, I have a surprise. I have opera tickets for tonight in the Queen's Box. My treat.
C. Brecht: Christine, you shouldn't have done that. It must have cost you a fortune.
C. Belle: Don't be silly; the tickets are complimentary to the Museum. Rank has its privilege. The opera is La Boehme, with Cheryl Evanson singing on the 111th year anniversary of its first performance. She is touring all the great opera houses, Paris, La Scala, and Vienna. Next month she will perform at the site where Puccini debuted his opera with Arturo Toscanini conducting in 1896.
C. Carney: And where is that?
C. Belle: Why, Torino, of course.
C. Brecht: What a coincidence, Chris and I will be skiing near Torino next month. It's the final stop on our grand tour of Europe. Why don't we all meet there and see the opera again together? Maybe Cheryl will let us take her out to dinner afterwards.
C. Belle: You have a deal. This time you buy the tickets, Christi.
And so Chris and Chris and Christi walked through the Reijksmuseum amid Dutch Masters and are reunited again. (Isn't it incredible what The Shadow Knows?)
Alan Shows: It's a Roman centurion driving a chariot like there was no tomorrow.
John Barreiro: Madre de Dios, the chariot didn't make that curve and has spilled the man into the gorge.
Kathy Gordon: We need to help him. Let's go everybody.
Alan: Bill, get the medical kit and follow us.
(Seven people are huddled around an unconscious Roman soldier, Christina Marie and Art are calming the frightened horses, Bill Danaher is running to them with the medical kit).
Frank: When he arouses, how will we communicate - my broken Italo-Spanglish, or what?
Alan: I can try my Latin. It's been a long time since Latin IV at Alemany, but I think I can communicate with him. Dave, hold this compression bandage here with pressure. Tim, you better have a look, he lost a couple of teeth. There is bleeding from the mouth. He's going to need your dentistry skills.
The Pearly Gate, Heaven.
Two angels are standing at the gate looking down toward Earth.
Angel Paul Frysak: It looks bad down there.
Angel Paula Carrabelli: It does look bad, but you know we cannot intervene.
Paul: I know, but we can't just let them be trapped in the past with Mt. Vesuvius about to explode. They are our classmates!
Paula: Maybe we should talk to the boss.
Paul: We have to do something. Here comes the boss now.
Archangel Father Thomas Weber: Mr. Frysak, what are you doing here, choir practice is starting. Sister Rosemary and Sister Roseanne are waiting for you.
Paul: But Father.....
Father Weber: Don't say another word. You are supposed to be an example to the new arrivals. Now go without another word.
Paula: Please go, Paul. I will keep watch on our special friends and let you know if things get worse. (Angel Paul flies off to choir practice).
6 PM, ABC News Room, Washington, D.C.
And now the news, this is Bernard VanVlymen reporting from Washington.
Bernie: President Bush will deliver his State of the Union Address tonight.....blah, blah, blah.
Following a commercial break for Gieg's Gold Label Tequila and the new limited edition of Gieg's Picante' Tequila......
Bernie: Fortune Magazine reported today that Oscar Rivera, Jr. became the world's first trillionaire. And that is after taxes. There is a mystery about how Rivera came by all his recent wealth. However, investigative reporter, Mary Chris Checkie Kincaid reports from Los Angeles.
Mary Chris: Bernie, at the same time that Oscar has acquired vast riches, three of the previously richest men in the world all filed for bankruptcy in the space of one week.
Bill Gates is now stocking shelves at WalMart to makes ends meet. Donald Trump was vending those hot giant pretzels on the streets of New York until James Coultas, owner of Coultas Gooey-filled Pretzels, walked up to him and said, "Your fired". And Rupert Murdock is believed living with aborigines in the Outback of central Australia and living off the land. Could these all be connected? We don't know for sure, but Trump was heard by Coultas to mumble, "Why did I ever play high stakes poker with Oscar."
Bernie: Interesting perspective Mary Chris. That's all we have time for tonight. I'm Bernard VanVlymen. I will be back at 10 PM with the Late Night News. May all your news be good news.
Administration Section, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
In the outer office of the Museum Director, two well-dressed women sit admiring the paintings on oak panel walls.
Executive Secretary Susan Gibbons Shirk announces, "The Director will see you now".
The huge wooden door is opened and the two ladies walk into a plush carpeted and huge office furnished in Chippendale. Across the room, the Director smiles warmly and waves her Secretary out. As soon as the door closes, the three woman rush to together laughing and taking turns hugging, jumping, giggles galore.
Christi Brecht Moore: Look at you, Mutt, you are radiant, and nice power pants suit.
Christine Belle Monroe: Well I have to look the part, Jeff. I deal with a lot of the rich and powerful people every day here. Mostly I am involved in fundraising and administrative stuff. I wish there was more time for art.
Chris Carney Stoddard: Mutt and Jeff back together again! It's a long way from 1st Grade at St. Elizabeth's together. Oh my God, is that a Breughel on the wall behind your desk? And over there you have a Vermeer? Oh, what a work of art! Chris, can I get close to the Breughel?
C. Belle: Yes, it is "Latona and the Lycian Peasants" by Jan Breughel the Elder painted around 1605. Our Master's Gallery is being refurbished and the museum had to put it somewhere for a time. Isn't it incredible? Do you know the story of the painting, Chris?
Chris C.: No, please tell us.
C. Belle: Latona is begging the peasants working around the pool for water. She is dying of thirst having been chased to Lycia by the goddess Juno. Juno was angry that Latona became pregnant from her husband, Jupiter. But the peasants, encouraged by Juno, make the water undrinkable. Enraged, Latona curses them, condemning them to live forever in the fouled water. Now look closely at the peasants in the water. Some already have been turned to frogs, even though they still wear the clothes and do the work of people.
C. Brecht: It's so subtle, the tiny figures amid the powerful giant landscape. I am speechless.
C. Carney: But Christine, how did you manage the move from retired art teacher to director of one of the most prestigious museums in the world?
C. Belle: I just sent in my resume and letter of application on a whim. Of course my reference letters included the Lt. Governor of California, The King of Sweden, and the world's richest man (Wink!). I think you know all of them from Alemany. I guess that might have helped some. Hey do you guys remember the time we heard Dick Dale and the Deltones live at the Rendevouz Ballroom?
Christi: Yeah, we sure were wild back then. And don't say I was the gang leader. You both helped us get in enough trouble too on the boardwalk at night.
Chris B. Girls, would you like to have coffee here first or see some of the museum?
C. Carney: Oh please, let's go see some art. Can you show us The Night Watch?
C. Belle: Of course we can see it. Oh, and girls, I have a surprise. I have opera tickets for tonight in the Queen's Box. My treat.
C. Brecht: Christine, you shouldn't have done that. It must have cost you a fortune.
C. Belle: Don't be silly; the tickets are complimentary to the Museum. Rank has its privilege. The opera is La Boehme, with Cheryl Evanson singing on the 111th year anniversary of its first performance. She is touring all the great opera houses, Paris, La Scala, and Vienna. Next month she will perform at the site where Puccini debuted his opera with Arturo Toscanini conducting in 1896.
C. Carney: And where is that?
C. Belle: Why, Torino, of course.
C. Brecht: What a coincidence, Chris and I will be skiing near Torino next month. It's the final stop on our grand tour of Europe. Why don't we all meet there and see the opera again together? Maybe Cheryl will let us take her out to dinner afterwards.
C. Belle: You have a deal. This time you buy the tickets, Christi.
And so Chris and Chris and Christi walked through the Reijksmuseum amid Dutch Masters and are reunited again. (Isn't it incredible what The Shadow Knows?)
Mutt and Jeff with Chris Carney admire a painting. The Night Watch is behind them. They do look like a group that could have caused trouble at Balboa Island. Why they are wearing nametags? Must be a security thing.
The Night Watch by Rembrant van Rijm. It was time you clowns got some culture. Look closely at the lower right near the dog in the shadows to the left of the drum. You can see the stain where Jay Pelzer spilt his coffee in 1975. I know. Bob Johnson and I posted bail for Jay
Mt. Vesuvius (with Latin-English translations to facilitate brevity)
Alan Shows: Sip some water, Centurion. Remain calm, we are friends
Roman Centurion: Thank you, stranger. I must get back in my chariot. I must warn Gaius Plinius Secundus in Misenum that Vesuvius will erupt. He must evacuate as many as possible from the coast with his fleet.
Alan: You believe the eruption will be significant.
Centurion: Yes. The earthquakes already have broken many aqueduct lines that I was inspecting. I know that volcano and it never has acted like that in my life or the life of my father.
Alan: Tell me, friend, we are distant travelers from beyond the Pillars of Hercules and Mare Oceanus, what is the name of your Caesar?
Centurion: Vespasian is Caesar. And my name is Marcus Attilius. I am engineer in charge of the Aqua Augusta like my father before me.
Alan, Frank, and Dave knowing their Roman history all gasp. Horror on their faces!!!
Frank: Then this is the real deal. Vespasian was emperor in August 79 AD, during the great eruption. We are all doomed (volcano rumbles loudly) unless we get to Misenum and onto boats.
Ok, here is our plan. Alan and Tim ride with Marcus Attilius aboard his chariot to Misenum. Pat, you take the gyro up and fly to Misenum. You can carry Kathy in a net below you. The rest of us have to jog behind and make the best time possible. We all need to see Gaius Secundus.
John Barrerio: Who exactly is Gaius Secundus?
Dave Nehen: He is commonly known as Pliny the Elder. At this time he would be the Roman Admiral in charge of the Western Fleet stationed at Misenum. He made a noble effort to record observations of the eruption while at sea and to evacuate many people from the coastal towns. He saved thousands of lives in 79 AD. We can explain more later. Everyone get moving.
(Alan and Tim jump onto the rolling chariot and they are off. Small bits of pumice are falling from the sky and the fumes are becoming worse.)
{To be continued}
Special Notice: Dreamed of climbing Mt. Everest? Diving in a submersible to the depths of the sea bottom? Dunking on Kobe Bryant? Finding a cure for Alzheimer's? Lead guitar with the Eagles? We might even have space on the time machine for visiting the past. If you attended Alemany any time between 1962 and 1966, are a fan, and have not entered the story yet, you can write The Shadow in care of bonafrank@yahoo.com and let him know your fantasy wish. Know a fantasy wish of an Alemany friend. You also can let us know. We might be able to tell your story through our eyes. No promises but we try to please.
No comments:
Post a Comment