On the way to the King’s Singers concert tonight, we stopped at the airport to pick up Willard Mast (from El Salvador), much to Andrea Mast’s (daughter) surprise. She had no idea he was coming. He was scheduled to come in at 9:30, but a thoughtful desk agent in Guatemala City stuck him on the direct flight to Dallas (instead of routing through Miami) and an earlier flight to Wichita, getting him in at 5:10, in time for the concert! He’s a huge King’s Singers fan and thought, living in El Salvador, that he wouldn’t get to see them for another ten years or so. We then headed into Wichita to eat some pupusas before rushing off to North Newton for the concert.
On the way to the concert in North Newton, we got off an exit too early (much to Google Maps’ displeasure) and had to drive several miles further through town. We were beginning to doubt whether we were headed the right way, so when we pulled up to a light beside a cop, dad opened the window and asked, “Is this the way to Bethel College?” “Yup, it’s up there on the right. You can’t miss it.”
We enjoyed a spectacular concert–highlights being Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da, Kokomo, Black Bird, and To a Fat Lady Seen From the Train. To a Fat Lady Seen From the Train:
O why do you walk through the fields in gloves,
Missing so much and so much?
O fat white woman whom nobody loves,
Why do you walk through the fields in gloves
After singing it, one of them read a response poem written by G. K. Chesterton, entitled The Fat White Woman Speaks:
Why do you rush through the field in trains,
Guessing so much and so much?
Why do you flash through the flowery meads,
Fat-head poet that nobody reads;
Hilarious!
Afterward, we had a blast chatting with the King’s Singers and taking pictures with them. Heidi and Trippy delivered hugs from Merry Y. to several of them and we heard from them how much Merry’s emails cheer them up at all the times they especially need it. They gave a huge “Hi!” to Merry and Ginger G. Here we are:
On the way home, Dad and Willard were chatting away in the front seat and dad all of a sudden asked, “What’s the speed limit?” Seconds later, blue and red lights split the darkness of the night. A chuckling sheriff walked up to the window and grinned, “I think I talked to you earlier tonight. Did you find Bethel College?” “Yup, we were at the King’s Singers concert,” Dad explained. “Yeah, I know. How was the concert? I was going to pop in for a bit, but I couldn’t find any parking. Hey, I clocked you going 74 [in a 45], so slow down a bit,” he said as he gave the side of the SUV a friendly series of pats.
What a night.
My PayPal is hansmast at hansmast.com
