Thursday, December 17, 2009

Holy Crap...it's Tucson




Last show of the year is always in Tucson.
It is traditional to attend for
myself and my two wild artist friends
(who I affectionately call
Sister Mary Janet)
This year when I said,
"I think I will pass,"
they said, "Oh No, you won't."

Rich in adventures and the hilarious
oddity that is downtown Tucson!
It is always a parade of the bizarre!
And we have a collection of stories
told and retold
to anyone who will listen!

Janet's rendition of the intoxicated girl,
who was listening and weaving
to 'far away 'music while
holding up her bike
and trying to apply chap stick
around and around,
ultimately... on her whole face,
continues to entertain me
every time I hear it!

This year there are kids
with hugs for sale,
"regular ones and deluxe"
hmmm, curious about the
deluxe version but not that curious...
a lot of three legged dogs
which made us wonder...whats going
on down here?
And whats up with all the facial hair
on these women?
Don't they have friends who will tell them
"honey, pluck!

There are the usual sights
like people dressed up
as stuffed animals or carrying exotic ones
but our new favorite is
"creepy stick man"
he would slink through the crowd,
white faced, arms and legs
banded with sticks,
clicking and clacking like old bones,
(even saw a woman scream
when he startled her...)
To us, its just.... Tucson!

This year we started a journal
for our commentaries
and observances...
taking turns passing it back in forth
between our booths
which were side by side in a row of three
this made it easier to say,
"Holy crap, Did you see that?"
like when Cleopatra came sailing down
the sidewalk in her array of gold lamete'.
(Wait, that might have been last year!)

We eat at the same place for every meal,
(the second reason why we come here)
a fun little restaurant that everyone
who has 'good taste' is seen dining in.
Black bean burgers for every dinner and
homemade biscuits with honey and butter
in the morning...
Janet and I decide these
are a sticky golden piece of heaven
for people who are really good!

The third reason is to make sales
(of course)
but that's not what we ever really remember
its the stories, the moments,
the experiences
that we gather along the way
the ones that make our faces hurt
from smiling
too much and too long
creating permanent lines of happy,
that we wear proudly
through the rest of the year!.

On the way back to Phoenix.
I suggest, "next year
we should show up with something
funny to wear all week end..."
"yeah, like a tiara, or a fake nose
maybe even some sticks?"
Mary adds in agreement.


Hey, when in Rome...!"


Pam Piper Rain

alias Sparkly Pants
or was it Piper Jo?








Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Birds and pants

Its dusk on Mill Avenue in Dec.
in Tempe, Arizona and it is cold
I am helping Mary tarp off
the three booths her and Janet share.
there are a multitude of birds
flying overhead,
to the trees lining the sidewalks,
they come in flocks
to roost for the evening
with a high pitch chirp chatter
deafening and yes...
there is pooping!

Trying to duck out of range
is a challenge and some artists.
aren't as lucky
We are tired...
so tired up since 3:00 am
and cold
bone achingly cold!

"Why do they poop while flying?"
Mary asks me,
"It's not like we poop while running."
"Well, because we wear pants," I answer,
she looks at me, "What????"
"Well, you know, if all we had was a tail
and our feet were tucked behind us..."
We start laughing at the visual
our usual 'we're too tired
to make sense
tangent' about to begin.

In the car, it continues,
the senseless commentary of the day
and somehow I earn
the nickname "sparky pants"
for the weekend
always there is a nickname.

Art festivals...
is this odd lifestyle
of smirk and snipe,
funny and cranky,
while exhausted...
long prior studio hours,
making stuff....
lots of driving,
packing up stuff and setting up stuff,
up too early, up too late,
put more stuff together
too hot, too cold complaints,
we have happy money moments
or sad say nothing results...
but always there is humor
and stories to tell
and retell
these, 'our standout moments!'

For some reason I lose my mind
when I am with, Mary and Janet
I lose my mind...
and everything else it seems!

Last year in the spring show,
thought I lost my keys
and returned to Starbucks
in search of them
"did you find my keys?"
"No, but we have a purse!"
"Hmmm, no thanks,
looking for a set of keys"

Three hours later
having found my keys,
Starbucks calls
to tell me they have my purse
oh!

Mary and Janet love this story
telling it again and again.

So this past weekend
it was no surprise
when I showed up without my keys
to my truck and trailer
left over Thanksgiving,
and had to call a locksmith.
They were patient as usual
but the next night when
I relayed my discovery
of a missing box of prints
(left possibly at my last show location)
the teasing was relentless.
"Call Starbucks,
they probably have them!"

But I wasn't listening,
more important things
were on my mind...
like birds' wearing pants
...and hmmm...where's my purse???

Pam Piper Rain
alias "Sparky pants" ??