Nov
30
2009
You don’t have to go very far to find inspirations for some outrageous adventures — chances are they’re right there in your favorite books and television programs!
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Every Wednesday night, Gray & Nameless took turns reading to each other.
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They especially liked books with pictures. They often pretended they were part of the pictures in the books.
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After a while, they realized they were very hungry! Gray suggest they go out for Thai food, since Nameless had never tried it before.
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Not sure what was the best way to get to the restaurant, Gray & Nameless asked their neighborhood fireman, Lt. Mike. Mike suggested they take the MUNI bus.
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Nameless gave Gray a boost so she could look out the window of the bus. “Wow, you can see so much from up here!”
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At the Thai restaurant, Gray & Nameless had to pass through a pretty garden to get to their table.
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“Ooh, let’s start with some hot tea!”
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The brown rice & veggies was very good…
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…but the red curry eggplant was especially tasty — AND SPICY!!!
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From the album: “Chapter 4.5: A Typical Night In San Francisco (a mini adventure)” by The Saga of Gray & Nameless “May we have more water, please? The Sriracha sauce was much hotter than we expected!”
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Nameless was so grateful to Gray for introducing him to Thai food, he picked up the tab!
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When Gray & Nameless got home, they were delighted to find their favorite program on TV: An Adventure Documentary!
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They got to see ships…
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and swamps…
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and crazy sunsets…
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and plains…
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and the ocean…
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and the desert…
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Gray & Nameless were so tired after such a full, fun evening, they fell asleep in front of the TV. Maybe it was all that Thai food right before bed…
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…but the strange dreams began almost immediately. They were swimming with a big goldfish…
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The goldfish wanted to play hide-and-seek!
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“Where could such a big goldfish hide, Gray?”
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The funny thing was, the big goldfish could see Gray & Nameless the whole time!
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The goldfish reminded Nameless of something he’d seen earlier that day…
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…when suddenly, Gray & Nameless found themselves in a most surreal world.
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Things didn’t quite make sense in the surreal world… but that’s what made it fun!
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It was so exciting, Gray & Nameless need to lie down for a catnap.
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When they woke up, they were part of the surreal world too!
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And then a big gust of wind that looked just like a hand blew in a snowstorm…
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…and it blew Gray & Nameless all the way into a snow-covered land! They found shelter in a hidden cave.
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They met a beautiful Snow Princess, and asked her what was the best way for them to get home.
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She told Gray & Nameless they’d have to go through the Mystical Snow Portal, and offered to lead them to it.
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She told them of the legendary Snow Dragon that protects the Portal. “No one has ever seen him, but they say he eats Pups & Princesses!”
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Suddenly, the snow dragon appeared out of nowhere! Gray & Nameless & The Princess were indeed terrified!
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But then the Snow Dragon only looked terrifying. He told a very funny joke…
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…and everyone laughed so hard they fell down!
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The next thing they knew, Gray & Nameless woke up tangled in their living room rug. Which was odd, because the last thing they remembered was dozing off on the chair in front of the TV…
no comments | tags: aquarium, dali, documentary, fish, pbs, thai | posted in The Saga of Gray & Nameless
Nov
11
2009
He didn't like to talk about the war. But he thought about it all the time.
He wrote “18” on the soles of his shoes, so that when they asked when he was enlisting, “Are you over eighteen?”, he didn’t have to lie. He was really seventeen. That’s what boys did then, to defend their country in WWII — and not lie in order to do so.
He was in the 82nd Airborne. One of those guys who was dropped behind enemy lines (see “A Bridge Too Far”), one of the few who survived. He took a bullet in the arm and it remained there til the day he died.
He started talking about it toward the end of his life, a little. I wish I could have recorded him. But he never, ever would have allowed that.
no comments | tags: 82nd Airborne, A Bridge Too Far, Veterans Day, WWII | posted in ESSAYS, The Tributes