NNAOPP Update
January 2014
We brought our twin grandsons
(Finn and Charlie age 3 1/2) to Sanibel to spend a week with us. After the first couple of days, I was
getting pretty antsy about the idea of spending seven entire days, unassisted,
with the boys. I suggested to Judy
that we shorten the trip by a few days, and she said, "Man up for God's
sake."
Each day
became a little less stressful. At 7:15 am on Day 3 I heard Charlie
calling out to Finn, "Are you awake yet Finn?" No response.
Charlie then ramped it up a few decibels, and Finn responded. Then I
heard them chattering for a few minutes before one said to the other,
"Let's go look at him." Him presumably being me, as the
door to our room opened and two little boys peered in and quickly ran away.
Then it was snuggling and reading and breakfast time and a few hours
(literally) of playing hide and seek. Fortunately, all I had to do to
hide was to cover my head in a blanket. They'd then run all over the
condo shouting where I wasn't before then uncovering my head.
Then we
went to Ding Darling (a conservation area) and happened upon one of the best
birding days we've ever experienced. This was mostly lost on the boys,
but we saw two immense flocks of white pelicans. These are giant birds,
rarely seen, and the adults have a wingspan of 9'. We also saw a large
flock of Roseate Spoonbills, my all time favorite. We climbed a viewing
tower and took a pretty good hike, then headed to Doc Ford's for lunch.
Once
again, the boys' favorite spot for after lunch stuff is the playground.
They are getting more and more coordinated in climbing all the various
apparati. There were only two other kids present during our stay. I
usually don't chat with strangers, but somehow I found myself in conversation with
a man about my age. He spoke with an English accent, and he asked about
the twins being identical. He then shared that his twins, a boy and a
girl age 6, were in fact his kids not his grandkids. He also has a 46-yr
old son. Our twins really fastened upon his twins, who were nice in
return, and it was a very pleasant time at the playground.
He said
he and his wife live full time in the Cotswolds, but they are now living in
Sanibel for six months giving it a trial. His kids were both enrolled in
first grade at Sanibel grade school, about which he spoke glowingly. He
said, "I'm in the process of getting my non-resident green card, and we'll
most likely move here permanently for the school year, but return to England
for the summer."
When he
mentioned he was a songwriter, I asked him if he was famous. He said,
"Not really, but we did once give it a go, and our group still
performs." As it turns out he was the lead singer and keyboardist
for Manfred Mann (He explained that one of the band members was Manfred Mann,
but the record execs thought it would make a good band name). He co-wrote
and did the lead on "Do Wah Ditty", and he also wrote "Build Me
Up Buttercup" (most recently featured in the movie Something About Mary).
He said it's very frustrating trying to get through all of the handlers
to get someone to listen to his songs. "I used to just be able to
call Rod Stewart and ask him to give a listen, but alas no more." I
told him I sympathized, although I had no experience in such matters.
He is
also in the process of writing a book and was interested in my book and
experiences trying to sell it. I told him that I hope to have my debut
performance at the open mike night in a couple of weeks at George and Wendy's
Seafood Grill. He said, to let him know, and he'll try to stop by. He added, "Maybe they'll
have a spare keyboard."
He mentioned that another reason
for their six-months hiatus in the States was to focus on the book his is
writing, a memoir. This obviously
piqued my interest, and I mentioned my nascent writing career. He seemed genuinely interest about
NNAOPP. He inquired about the
self-publishing world and the origins of the title and was puzzled by the use
of the word 'nude'. "Why not
'naked'?
I started to tell him the story
about the encounter with the lesbian nun lovers in the hot tub when,
inexplicably, Judy came sliding down the nearby giant slide, overshot her mark,
and landed on her bum into a pile of woodchips, unintentionally, but
convincingly, confirming Newton's second law of motion (f=ma).
We went over see if she was okay,
picked her up, and dusted her off.
I made a brief introduction including the Manfred Mann reference. Judy then began what I thought was the
worst rendition every of "Do Wah Diddy" and then walked away. She
later explained that she was singing "Build Me Up Buttercup" further
cementing her vocal credentials.
Later that evening after we got
Charlie and Finn readied for bed, I pulled up a 1964 version of 'Do Wah Diddy'
by Manfred Mann on Youtube. Finn
said, "Is that our friend, Papa?" And it was. And
Charlie added, "And my friend too."
We flew
back to KC to return the boys to their Mom and Dad. While home I stopped in the Prairie Village Barber Shop to
have my thinning locks trimmed. I
caught up with Windy, my 73-year old barber, and the composer and performer of
my song "Three Funerals Shy of Paradise." Windy is a country music performer extraordinaire who cuts
hair as a sideline. I told him of
my upcoming 10-minute banjo set at George and Wendy's and said, "Wish me
luck. Any advice?"
He said,
"It's natural that you'll be nervous. But remember, if it looks like you're having a good time,
then they will too."
Hope all
is well with each of you.
Chuck
Charles A. Wells, Jr.
3317 W. 68th Street
Shawnee Mission, KS 66208
816 289-1924
Author of: Nude Nuns and Other Peculiar People
Now available in all ebook formats at: http://www.smashwords.com/b/96530
Follow my blog at: http://www.nudenuns.blogspot.com
Available at:
Rainy Day Books, 2706 W. 53rd Street, Fairway, KS
The Raven Bookstore, 8 East 7th, Lawrence, KS
Architectural Salvage, 2045 Broadway, Kansas City, MO
Sanibel Island Bookshop, 1571 Periwinkle, Sanibel, FL
Twisted Sisters Eclectic Gifts and Floral, Albany, MO
Bruce Smith Drug Store, Prairie Village,
KS
