Today’s podcast features a man we met drinking coffee on his porch one Sunday morning named Ray Newton. Ray starts his story by sharing how it was that he decided to enter the Air Force and about fighting in the 1968 Tet Offensive. Most of his narrative, however, centers around his history with racism in Oklahoma, and how he has reconciled what he experienced with what he now knows.
This podcast is comprised of almost our complete discussion with Ray, edited only for wind noises or non-relevant banter. As you listen, we hope you can picture yourself sitting on Ray’s porch with us and enjoying his morning chat.
We pulled into the Fay school parking lot just as some of the last cars were leaving; a few people lingered, “to go” meals in their hands, in order to finish their conversations before saying goodbye. Lunch was over, and as we entered the double doors we could hear Senior Citizens Center volunteers in the kitchen cleaning up.
There are at least five and possibly six separate stories we could write over our stop in the southeast corner of Dewey County. Legend, verified by some facts and newspaper articles, tells of a young bank robber who killed at least two people in the town grocery store while trying to escape; he was eventually captured because those in pursuit followed his trail of blood drops across the snow. Continue reading EPOTM: Fay, OK – “Unincorporated Community Pulls Off Annual Christmas Miracle”→
With red walls and trim, a printed Christmas scene curtain hanging on a rod, and a decorated spruce surrounded with Angel Tree gifts donated by community members…the setting was a stark contrast to the wild, open drive across the Wichita National Park we had just completed. Rachel and I talked quietly, eating oatmeal and planning our day.
However, fate had taken care of the planning for us.
Already full of Christmas Spirit from our previous evening in Medicine Park, we discovered that Santa was drinking coffee at the table next to ours! And, after a brief bout of cajoling from our waitress and the Cafe’s owner who was also his daughter, we sat with Mike Carrick and learned three things: 1) Santa is real; 2) Santa serves many functions for children, depending upon their situation or needs; and, 3) being Santa is a higher calling that I had imagined.
Merry Oklahoma Christmas to you and yours…
Kelly Roberts and Rachel Apple ~Every Point on the Map project
The Oklahoma City weather forecast is calling for a beautiful 74 degrees at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25th…perfectly suited for a magical family and pet-friendly H&8th Event.
Dinner and street art, music and other festivities will offer a relaxing start to your evening. And, our Every Point on the Map (EPOTM) “Ten Percent Show” held at Elemental Coffee will be ready to greet you at 9:00 p.m. to tie a bow on your whole day.
Earlier this month, Elemental art show curator hung our EPOTM portraits in a late-night session. Come see the show, enjoy a few stories and attend new footage screening from 9:00-10:30 p.m. during the Sept. 25th H&8th event!
This month, EPOTM fine art large format portraits have been hanging in Elemental taken by Rachel J. Apple, project photographer. We’ll take a few moments at 9:00 to feed you if you’re not already full, and feed your soul with the following schedule if you are:
9:00 p.m. Hors d’overes and beverages served; view the show if you’ve not already seen our portraits, take a second look if you have.
9:30 p.m. The EPOTM team will take a moment to thank Elemental, share a few stories from their 18 months of travels thus far, and prepare you for our…
10:00 p.m. Screening of new and selected footage from our stops by April J Kirby, our videographer.
Come celebrate with us as we take a moment to be grateful for completing ten percent of the 594 stops to document a meaningful conversation with Oklahomans in every town. And, thank you in advance for being part of our special night…90% to go!
