Buying The Bar

Buying the Bar

Botswana

July 2000

I am traveling with 20 people, wandering around Southern Africa on safari. I am the only American in this group. Mostly people come from Europe and a few come from Australia. Prior to our departure, we were told to bring US currency only as it is accepted everywhere we go. I have come with a 300 one-dollar bills and 40 five dollar bills. My travel mates all have nothing smaller than $20 bills. This has proven to be difficult for them as they attempted to exchange currency with merchants who make no more than $1 or $2 a day.

Today I am joined by four friends as we stumble upon  a nearby bar. We order a round of drinks: three beers at $.50 each, a Coke for $.30 and a glass of wine for $.40. We each pull out our money. They pull out $20 bills and I dropped two dollars on the bar and tell the bartender, “I’ll buy this round”. He is relieved that he does not have to make change for the other four people.

Two more people from our group come in and they too order beers. They pull out two $20 bills and the bartender glances at me. “Yes”, I nod to him, “I’ll pay for them”. He thanks me.

Another couple comes in. He orders a beer and she orders a glass of wine. They pull out their money but this time I don’t even wait to get a signal from the bartender. “Put it on my tab,” I tell him, “I’ve got it”. My friends protest but I explain to them that the bartender can’t break their $20.

The bartender comes over to me apologetically. “I am sorry madam; I don’t expect you to pay for these but I didn’t expect so many large bills today”. I tell him that everyone but me has large bills because they’re not Americans. “Oh I see Madame; he says “that will present a problem. I cannot make all that change”. I tell not to worry about it but he seems to feel little guilty.

For the next 2 hours most of the group comes to the bar and orders a drink and I add it to my tab. I can sense relief from the bartender every time I say, “I got it, don’t worry about it, I got it”.

I finish my beers and ask for the tab. He pulls out a calculator and tallies the 30+ drinks on my tab. When he finishes he walks over slowly to my spot at the bar. He seems hesitant. “Madame that will be $18 for everyone,” he says sort of sheepishly.

 “What!!!” I blurt out. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “$18.  Are you kidding me?”

 He becomes defensive, “Madame, there were many drinks. I thought you realized”.

But I cut him off. “No, no, no, no, no,” I tell him. “I can’t believe it only cost me $18 to buy the bar tonight. Here.” I hand him a $20 bill.  “Take that and keep the change”.

 “Really madame, this is for me?”. He can’t believe that I’m tipping him the top of all this. No one ever tips him.

 “Yes, you deserved it for all of your panic tonight with all of these $20 bills. Keep the change.”

That was 20 bucks well spent.

To read more stories, check out: bkmemoirs.blogspot.com
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Brushing His Teeth

Brushing His Teeth

Ganges River

Varanasi, India

July 2015

This man lived on the banks of the Ganges River.  I would see him every morning as I looked out , over my balcony. He spent his early mornings, preparing spiritual offerings which he sold to the bathers. In the late evening, he tucked himself up and slept on the steps.

One morning, as I am watching him, I hear the splashing of water.  My neighbor on the next balcony is throwing his waste water over his balcony.  Urine and fecal matter spill out and splatter on the ground, near this man.  He doesn't flinch.  He doesn't stop; he continues brushing his teeth.  And I retreat to my room, repulsed by the moment.

To read more stories, check out: bkmemoirs.blogspot.com

or bkmemoirs.wordpress.com

Tea Garden- China

Tea Garden

Sias University

Henan Province, China

November 2015

Most of the 25,000 students walked passed this garden every day. It was a relatively new addition to the university but it sits empty most of the time. I found it to be a great place to sit and contemplate life.  I wish I had spent more time here.

Cow Heads

Cow Heads

Cape Town, South Africa

February 1994


I visited this township right before the general election in 1994 to end Apartheid. This was where all the blacks lived. The woman in the blue shirt was selling cow heads. I asked her where was the rest of the cow. She told me, "the rest for the white people. We just get the heads."

To read more stories, check out:   bkmemoirs.blogspot.com

 or  bkmemoirs.wordpress.com

Visiting My Grandparents- VA

Visiting My Grandparents-
Arlington Cemetery, 
Arlington, VA
August 2016

PFC John B. Revie, US ARMY, receipting of the Silver Star and the Purple Heart; WWI

Ida, his wife

Rows and rows and rows of soldiers

And more soldiers

It doesn't end. The graves go on and on.

110 South 8th Street

110 South 8th Street
Stroudsburg, PA
1988-1999

• I really liked this house, this town and this job.  I was sorry to leave Stroudsburg.
• I lived less than a 1/2 mile from my job. Depending on whether or not I got a red light, I could listen to one or two songs on the radio as I drove to work.
• I was right off the main street of the town so I  could walk to and from the bars in town and never had to worry about driving.
• The back yard was a parking lot so there was never any gardening to do.
• I had a hot tub in my kitchen which really caused some concern for my landlord.
• A group of teachers lived across the street and they had plenty of parties which were always fun.
• I rented this house which had three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining room , full attic and full basement. I had plenty of room.
• I was on a dead end road so no one ever bothered me.  I had lots of privacy which is what every school principal wants.

Searching for Giraffes

Searching for Giraffes

 Estasha National Park

 Botswana

 July 2001

We are up and eagerly on the truck by 7:30 AM in search of more great, big, wild animals. We are in a good mood and filled with so much anticipation that we can hardly speak to each other. Immediately we see oryx, impalas, springbok, zebra, birds and now for the first time a huge long-necked, graceful giraffe.

He hides behind a big leafy tree and our view is disappointing. We stop the vehicle and wait in hopes that the giraffe will come out from behind the tree. We wait several minutes but he doesn’t move an inch. He just stands there, ignoring our anticipation and admiration.

Begrudgingly we decide to take off and then, just then, our luck changes. He slowly and almost teasingly steps right out and stands in perfect view for us. We cheer for our good fortune. He poses for us. He turns one way and then slowly turns the other way and we snapped photo after photo as if we are photographing a highly paid model.

After five minutes, this giraffe slowly meanders out of view and melts away into the distant horizon but not without first capturing our hearts. We watch every graceful step of his as if this may be the last time, in our lifetime, that we ever see such an elegant living being again. We are in awe of this magnificent creature. He leaves us speechless.

Running For Office

In 2014, I ran for state senate in Maryland.  I didn't make it but it was great fun. From April until the election in November, I went out every day and knocked on doors or I made phone calls to voters. Below are just some of the comments I received:

One man told me, "We should all vote for the Irish. You people are a tough lot. You Irish are fighters."

"What's your view on feral cats"?  I was asked this question several times. I didn't really have a view on feral cats.


"Do you support my rights to buy raw milk.  You can buy raw milk in Pennsylvania but we can't buy it here in Maryland and I don't think that's right.  What are your views?"

After a lengthy discussion and a viewing of his duck carvings, an 80 year old man told me, "You have six votes coming from this house. We're Republicans but we're voting for you."

A woman told me, "I am so sick of you Democrats."

Another man told me that Democrats make him so damn mad that he wanted "to throw up all over all of you."

An old man, sitting by himself in the lobby of a senor citizens home, informed me that he never votes because "You people are trying to take my social security away from me and I need that money. I gotta pay my rent. I pay $372 a month and I cant afford no more."

The Chicken Farm

The Chicken Farm 

Middlebrook, VA

April, 2015

"Why did you buy chickens?" I asked him over the loud cackling sounds of chickens, a rooster and 8 Guinea fowl birds.  The chickens were in a coop but the Guinea fowls were running sporadicly under foot.

"Because I want to become as self sufficient as I can be.  Then there is no food available in this country, I want to make sure I can feed my family.  We aren't going to go hungry."

"And why did you buy the Guinea fowl birds? Do they lay eggs too?"

"No, I just like them. And they eat our mosquitos."

Brian, Middlebrook, VA