Mr Pink Goes on Tour

(Note: I sent this to the Head Can Opener Kidnapper, but I haven't seen it up on their site. So here's Mr Pink on tour with Confluence. )

After having spent some time in solitary confinement after having been found with Miz Swing-A-Way and the church key (you don't want to know!), Mr Pink is feeling more contrite. We were glad he was because the last thing we wanted on our tour was a wayward can opener making lewd remarks to other appliances and hooting from the back row. As we were driving to the first concert on the tour in Salem, we were hearing mutterings of "not the drill...not the drill" in the back seat.

After breakfast, we headed out on the road to Ashland. The weather was very cooperative, giving the turning trees' color brilliance. "I had an ancestor who was a big ole crosscut saw," said Mr Pink. "Worked out in Valsetz cutting the big firs. You can see him in pictures just standing there proud and sharp." I expected him to start humming some lumberjack song but thankfully we had Ella Fitzgerald on the stereo.

At Rice Hill we stopped at the K-R drive-in for ice cream. It was my first time there. Mr Pink had a hard time trying to make up his mind what ice cream to pick as there were over 20 flavors of Umpqua ice cream to choose from. In the end he settled for just watching as we had a chocolate black walnut shake and a chocolate coffee malt.

We reached Ashland in mid-afternoon in time to make a visit to The Web-Sters . Duffy found a book on Latvian mittens while Reid waited and looked on, the knitting "widow". Duffy also picked up the last ball of yarn she needed for the Modern Quilt Wrap. The ladies at Web-Sters were very friendly and helpful and listened patiently to Mr Pink's tale of his travels.

We met up with the other Confluence Chorus singers and the singers of Women With Wings and the Rogue Valley Peace Choir at the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. While we waited for the concert to be set up Mr Pink lingered in the library. "Very interesting," he said later, "though I see God as being more a great metal press." Some of the singers from Women With Wings caught his eye. "Do you think I could go home with them?" he asked. "No," we said, "you're staying with us for now." He did enjoy the concert. "We are different yet we are the same," he murmured. "I suppose you could say that, though it's hard to think how I'm the same as you." "You have feelings," I told him. "You like to be appreciated and respected. Just like me." "That's true," Mr Pink answered. He has some pretty deep thinking, that can opener.

In the morning, we rose early to get a good start for Roseburg. Our hostess, Charlie, was quite taken with the can opener. "He has lovely lines," she said as she posed with him and a photo of her dog Chewy. After a quick breakfast, we headed up north. The rain we had been expecting had arrived making the roads slick. It was a little harrowing driving in the Bright Red Bug next to the big trucks through the hills. But we arrived in Roseburg safe and sound and reached the Umpqua UUC in time for Confluence's performance. Mr Pink made the rounds of folks in the chorus while we waited. He even made a friend out of one of the children of the UUC, Victoria, who was happy to hold Mr Pink. After the concert and a potluck lunch we headed on our way to Eugene. "You had folks in tears," said Mr Pink, touched. "It was amazing."

By the time we reached the UUC in Eugene, all of the chorus were tired. People were grumpy and having difficulty concentrating. The director gathered all of us together after we warmed up to give us a pep talk and remind us of how important it is that we be mindful of what we say about others. Our last performance of the tour received a very warm reception, bringing the weekend to a triumphant close."So what's next?" asked Mr Pink when we arrived back at Chez Runamuck. "That's up to the Head Kidnapper," I said as I unloaded the bags from the Bright Red Bug."I hope it's someplace fun," said Mr Pink. "This has been a great week.""And you'll mind your manners?""Of course," said Mr Pink. "Mr Man won't know me when I get home."