In 1904 the World’s Fair was in St. Louis. It is less commonly referred to as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. I mention this as it was an event that is still paying dividends to the metro area, Forest Park and many attractions therein leftover from the fair. Forest Park, bigger by 500 acres than the more famous Central Park in New York City. There are two golf courses within the park with a total of 54 holes. It houses the St. Louis Zoo, considered one of the best in the country. Certainly do not forget The Muny, an outdoor venue, that brings Broadway musicals to St. Louis every summer. There are multiple museums within the park and many other attractions. The museums are mostly free, for some events there is a small charge. The zoo is also free to get in. The park and it associated attractions are an amazing blessing for the area, and well used.
For the purpose of my current scribblings, I am going to focus on the St. Louis Art Museum. Señora and I recently met some friends there to view the Anselm Kiefer exhibit, Becoming the Sea. On the day we went, the museum had added a level to the exhibit by bringing a woman, Saundi McClain-Kloeckener, to interpret the art from her personal point of view. She was of a varied but interesting provenance. She self-described herself as Black, Cherokee – but not on the rolls. Somehow there was Jewishness mixed in there as well. Welcome to America.
She went on to apprise us that she was a retired 1st grade teacher, very active in Native American activities, learning two or three different Native American languages, and a water walker, but, as she quickly added, not the Jesus type. She and a group of other Native American activists had walked the whole Mississippi River from New Orleans to its source in Minnesota.
Afterwards she graciously spent much time with the folks who took the tour relating more about her activities and her personal story. One subject I frequently quiz couples about is their origin stories. Mostly they are mundane, but, at times, you hear some interesting anecdotes. Hers was of this category. I do not remember how she segued to this tale.
She pointed out an elderly, White gentleman as her husband. She said they met when, as a policeman, he had stopped her and written her a ticket. She recounted how she had thought about going Black on him, but decided to let her Cherokee side prevail. I did not ask what that meant, but I assumed it was that she remained stoic, as Native Americans are famous for their stoicism in the face of adversity. How they transitioned from a traffic stop to their dating, I am not sure. But they did. She then added, as they say down south, with a sap sucking grin on her face, he has been paying for writing me that ticket for the last 40 or 50 years.
Talk about your paybacks.
And as they say in New Orleans, here is a little lagniappe for y’all:
Sounds like an amazing woman.
It sounds like a wonderful experience.
this is great