RISE and FALL

RISE AND FALL

On August 24, 2015, a man by the name of Ryan McDowell tagged me this photo on Facebook. The focus of the photo is the fading sign on the side of 1226 Military Avenue, Baxter Springs, Kansas. I once owned that building and it was home to my Body Art Studio, Skin Art Creations Tattoo Emporium. Ryan attached this caption to the photo: “There isn’t much left of the sign, but it still shows were Baxter started to fall. When the sign was new the town was growing but as it decays so does the town.”
My business was in Baxter Springs from 1990 to 2012. When I first opened on Military Avenue (downtown), the business district was all but dead. Very little retail, a few service businesses and a couple of restaurants. For the most part most business buildings sat empty. At that time the city of Baxter Springs had been operating in the red for several years. Within two years of opening Skin Art Creations Tattoo Emporium every business building along Military Avenue was occupied and the city was operating in the black.
Business for me had been good as I was the only Body Art studio in the region. I gave back to the community by having charity drives and heading the Chamber of Commerce joint Historical and Beautification Committee. I promoted the first ever Tattoo Show in Kansas and donated artwork to raise money for flood victims. I created a moral studio with high standards and integrity. I became a proud member of the community.
The sign on the side of the building had been my billboard along Interstate 44 right before exit one in Missouri, the Baxter Springs exit. When the contract on the sign expired the sign company let me have it and I mounted it on the side of the building. The sign proudly stated; “WORLD FAMOUS, AWARD WINNING, SKIN ART CREATIONS TATTOO EMPORIUM – ON ROUTE 66 BAXTER SPRINGS, KANSAS – (316) 856-5938 – WWW.UBTAT2D.COM
In 2000 I decided to expand upon my business enterprises. After an expensive remodel I moved the studio to the 2nd floor of my building and opened a small, friendly Beer Bar. SPUNKY’S TAVERN – WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A DOG GONE GOOD TIME. Opened in January of 2001. The tavern, named after a beloved pet, that had passed, was an immediate success. We served light food, beer and music on Saturday nights. Three TV’s supplied sports entertainment on Sunday’s. We had $1 FUBAR (For U Beers Are Reasonable), Monday’s. Dart Tournaments on Tuesdays. Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament on Wednesdays. We had two pool tables with tournaments on Thursday nights. Karaoke on Friday nights finished out the week.
We purchased the building next door, 1228 Military Avenue and began renovations. The apartments upstairs were offered to our employees and the downstairs was converted to an entertainment venue. We had plans for weekly concerts but alas that only happened one time.
We went to great lengths to make sure that Spunky’s was family friendly and We did not tolerate drunks. We would cut people off that had too much and that was the beginning of the end.
One Saturday night a gentleman that had too much to drink and who we had cut off threw a beer bottle at a waitress. When I escorted him out of the building, he tried to force his way back in. We had to call the police. His friend, a local newspaper reporter, begged us not to call the police but we had been left with no choice. The police showed up and told the reporter to take his friend home. The drunk swung at the officer and said F*** You. He was arrested.
Monday’s newspaper contained an article written by the reporter that claimed that the police chief said that the police were called to the tavern every night. When I talked to the chief he was highly upset as he had never said that, just the opposite. He had said that we handled situations well and that they were seldom called. The article also stated that the Presbyterian Minister, whose church parking lot was across the alley from Spunky’s, had to chase drunk people out of her parking lot every night.
I went to the church to talk to the minister, but she was on vacation and not expected back until the next day; she had never talked to the reporter. I went to the newspaper office and demanded a retraction and the Editor refused stating, “My reporter doesn’t have to tell the truth he just needs to tell the story he wants to tell. I don’t care what he says as long as it sells papers.” I went to city hall and requested to be put on Tuesday’s agenda; I was going to demand a public retraction and apology from the newspaper.
Tuesday afternoon I talked to the minister and showed her the newspaper article. She was upset and said she was going to go to the newspaper office and give them a piece of her mind. She also said she would be at the city council meeting that night to set the record straight. That night when I stood before city council the chambers were packed. Word had gotten out.
The police chief spoke first and verified that what the paper had reported was not true. He told the council what he had actually said. It was then my turn to speak. I told what had actually happened which was verified by the arresting officer. I then demanded the retraction and apology from the Editor and he refused. It was then the Presbyterian Minister’s turn. She cleared her throat and said, “People like the George’s are responsible for teenage pregnancy, unwed mothers, the assassination of JFK and the crucifixion of Christ.” With that one sentence she destroyed all I had worked for in my business wiped out all the community involvement and good I had done. She continued to rant and rave about how our establishment was the devils playground and how it should be destroyed immediately.
Now I could tell you about all that happened over the next year after that city council meeting. I could tell you about how the minister filed charges of verbal abuse against one of her parishioners because he said, “If you think you accomplished something you are crazy.” I could tell you about how the minister got the local council of churches in an uproar and how they were preaching sermons against me on Sundays. I could relate stories of people that left those sermons disgusted or of the teenage girl that lost the right to babysit children at her churches nursery because she waxed our floors once a week. I could tell you how the city turned against us and tried to pull our business license and the state of Kansas had to send a representative down, twice to tell the city to cease and desist. Or maybe I could tell you about the city attorney with the conflict of interest because he was also the local ACLU attorney. He was the one who tried to pull our licenses. I guess I could relate how the attack on our small quiet tavern made national news, but you get the picture.
By the end of 2002 I had enough. I had fought hard, but I was tired and I had become a pariah. It all rested in the lap of a lying reporter, an unethical newspaper editor, a city council run by good ol’ boys and a mentally unstable and hypocritical Presbyterian Minister. The reporter lost his job when the editor sold the newspaper. The city council was re-elected and showed no signs of changing. The minister had been dis-ordained by the Presbyterian Council for “actions adverse against the George family and actions affecting the integrity of the church and the congregation within the community.’ A small victory but one that came to late. I was done!
On a November Tuesday night in 2002 I appeared for the next to the last time before the Baxter Springs, Kansas City Council. I stood at the podium and attempted eye contact with the council. Not one of them connected with me. “I will be closing my businesses here, selling my tavern equipment and listing my properties for sale” I began. “I will be moving my tattoo studio to Independence, Kansas. The powers that be there have indicated that we will be a welcome addition to their community.” I paused. “You think that my little tattoo studio makes no difference to the economy of this community; you are wrong! When I opened here 12 years ago military avenue was dead. You were operating in the red. Two years later you are operating in the black. Did you ever stop to ask yourselves why? Well, I can tell you.” I looked at the council then turned and looked at the filled to capacity city council chambers.
“It was because of my little tattoo studio. Shortly after I opened people started coming to me wanting to know how my business was doing. They talked to me about businesses they wanted to open and asked my opinion. I urged them to take the leap and they did. Some succeeded, some failed but Military Avenue filled up and you started collecting taxes off of those businesses.” I stopped to let that sink in.
“I tattoo over 1,200 people per year. Over half of those are return clientele. From that half two thirds of them come from all across the United Sates and other countries. They rent motel rooms when they are here, they eat in the restaurants they shop in the stores. Four hundred plus people that would never come to this community otherwise come here to see me, spend their money in the community and increase the tax base. That is not even to mention the other 800 people that come to see me that shop and eat here. You don’t think my studio makes that big a difference to the economy of this community? That only goes to show how little you know.” I let that sink in for a moment.
I cleared my throat and looked around the room one last time. “I have a prediction for you. One year from now Military Avenue will be just as empty as it was when I came here in 1990 and the City of Baxter Springs will be operating in the red.” I turned and walked out.
I opened the studio in Independence, Kansas and business was good. Almost a year to the day I received a phone call from my former next-door neighbor. He informed me that a newspaper article had come out the day before stating that for the first time in twelve years Baxter Springs was operating in the red. He went on to tell me that the business district was all but empty, even losing it’s two restaurants. I hung up the phone and called Baxter Springs City Hall and requested to get on the agenda.
I stood, for the last time before the Baxter Springs City Council. Just like when I had been there a year previous the chambers were packed with people wanting to see what I had to say. The council members looked down and did not make eye contact with me. I let the silence hang in the air for a moment then said, “I told you so!” Without another word I turned and left the building never looking back.
In 2004 I received a phone call from the new mayor of Baxter Springs. She told me that the good ol’ boy network of the city council had been totally replaced by all women. She asked if I would consider bringing my business back to Baxter Springs. I said, “No! Once bitten, twice learned. Baxter has a bad habit of cutting off it’s nose to spite its face. I wish you luck but you will have to find your way without me.” She said she understood and thanked me for all I had done when I had been a resident there. I wished her luck.
Baxter Springs, Kansas has a long history of hurting itself economically. From turning back cattle herds from the railheads because of a unfounded fear of hoof and mouth disease. Being too overconfident and allowing Columbus to get to Topeka first to file for county seat. Turning away Sooners and sending them west. Not embracing Route 66 and creating stops. Allowing its Mayor to give permission for US 400 to bypass the community because “It won’t hurt my business.” To what they did to me and my business.
I do not wish Baxter Springs ill; Just the opposite. I sincerely hope that the new generation that is there will continue to revitalize the community, learn from the mistakes of the past and move towards a brighter future. Only time will tell.
 
-The GYPSY-
www.ubtat2d.com
August 24, 2021

ENOUGH

I don’t know what did it. I don’t know if it was the Orange Man’s daily wiping of his butt with our Constitution that did it. Maybe it was his attacks on our election process or was it all the illegal acts he has done while in office. Was it the Orange Man’s vile , racist and un-Christian divisive rhetoric that made me turn off the morning news? I really don’t know what did it but what I do know is that one day I decided that I would not fill up my mornings with Orange Man TV any longer; I’m done. Oh I will probably continue to watch Comedy Centrals Daily Show and I will watch the Sunday morning news programs just to stay caught up. But daily viewing of the individual that wants to rip our country, environment and constitution to shreds has ended.
I now spend my mornings sitting on my patio by the pool surrounded by trees sipping my morning coffee and revisiting books that I have loved in my life. I am currently reading “The Borrowers” and next will be “Wind In The Willows”. “Once and Future King” is on that list as well as “The Book of Merlin” and “Charlotte’s Web”. There is a very long list of my favorite novels and I will spend at least an hour a day (if not more), falling into those worlds and words between the pages.
The other morning as I finished a chapter of “The Borrowers” and placed the book on the patio table a female Thrush landed on the three lamp post and greeted me with a shrill weeee-eeee.
“Well Good Morning Mrs. Thrush” I said tipping my head towards her. “Weeee?” she asked. “Why I am just sitting here reading my book and drinking my coffee”. She cocked her head and said “Weeee -eeee.” I laughed. “I quite a agree, it is a good morning for finding grubs.” She jumped over to another lamp and said, “Weeee.” I shook my head, “No I haven’t seen your husband but maybe he went back into the thicket.” She looked towards the thicket and bobbing her head she bid me a good day with a weeee-eeee that preceded her flight away. “You have a good day also Mrs. Thrush” I said waving good bye.
Within a few minutes the Crickets and Cicadas were asking if Mrs. Thrush was gone and if it was safe for them to sing again. I assured them it was. “Mrs. Thrush is looking for Grubs and her wayward husband this morning, I don’t think you need to worry about being eaten.” I finished my coffee and headed inside to begin my daily duties as an adult and responsible business owner.
I really don’t know what did it but what I do know is that one day I decided that I would not fill up my mornings with Orange Man TV any longer. I will fill my mornings with coffee, books and the creatures that live in the thicket around my patio. I wonder what Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel will be up to tomorrow morning.
-The GYPSY-
Topeka, Kansas
14 August 2020

The GYPSY’s Blog: Do You Know Me?

DO YOU KNOW ME?

Do you know me? The truth of the matter is no you do not. Unless we have personally shared wine, food and song together I am nothing more than a faceless entity typing words on an electronic keyboard. I can be whoever I want to be or whoever I want you to believe me to be. I can tell you anything I want and if I am good enough with the story you just might have enough faith in me to trust that I am telling you the truth.It is so easy to manipulate, lead and make others believe what you want them to believe. I can be real or I can be fake. For instance I got the following message yesterday:

FROM DUCKY DON:

Gypsy my friend, I cannot take it any longer, the guilt is eating me up. As my Presidency nears it’s end I have to cleanse my soul. It has all been a lie, a terrible, terrible lie. My son Don Jr., son-in-law Jared and friend Vladimir did help me steal the election from Hillary Clinton. I knew a Russia was going to interfere in advance. I agreed to deregulate numerous companies so that my buddies could make more money at the American peoples expense. I knew that there was no good reason to try a destroy Obama Care I just couldn’t stand for Kenya Boy to have his name on something that helped people get affordable health care. And I let the Tax Reform vote happen so that I could give my banking buddies a financial boost before I left office. I am so very, very sorry. I have asked God to forgive me and I hope you can too.

Your Friend Donald 

Does that mean that is real? Of course not it is no more real than this message I received the same day:

FROM JERRY JERKY

Gypsy I am so glad that I am a Giants fan. I know that they are Super Bowl bound and will win for sure. Cowboys Suck! Go Giants!

Your Friend Jerry Jones

These messages must of come from Donald Trump and Jerry Jones because they signed them right? Wrong! I was able with just a few key strokes and a little cut and paste to create two messages that for all practical purposes look legit but in reality are as bogus as they come. Just because I created the messages myself, that did not make them real. The name’s match but again that does not make them real messages.

So much misinformation travels around Social Media and the Internet it is often hard to tell what is real and fake. Sometimes we get so carried away in our convictions that we put ourselves into a potentially unwanted legal complication.

I asked two questions in a blog that was posted on another site about slander and liable and neither question was answered. Of course I didn’t need them answered because I already knew the answer. The questions were:

Did not your Attorney advise you against discussing this case outside of the court room? Did not your Attorney inform you that counter suits can be filed against you?

In a pending litigation your attorney does not want you discussing the case outside of the courtroom. The court frowns on it and whatever you discussed outside of litigation can be used against you and jeopardize the pending action. Also, if you at any point retaliated directly or in directly either verbally and through individual action a counter suit can be filed. Liable and Slander are the hardest cases to negotiate, litigate and win.

Most attorney’s shy away from them because of the two way communication that has already transpired. In order for a slander and/or liable case to have any validity at all one party has to 100% guilt free and without ever having responded in any way, shape or form.

Sometimes people will say that they have recordings of certain conversations that can be used against another person. But unless you are an agent of the Government or a Law Enforcement Agency any recording that you may have is inadmissible in a court of law. As a private individual, before you can legally record a conversation, you are required by law to inform the person that you are recording.

Case in point, when you phone a utility company to establish service they will often do a voice authorization over the phone. They inform you that the conversation will be recorded and they ask if you understand. Most corporations start out their telephone communications with this announcement: “This conversation may be recorded for training purposes.” The conversation is always recorded and that is considered due notice. So unless you have informed the other party you are recording anything you may have cannot be used in a court of law.

Too many times we are ready to jump on the band wagon and beat the drum just because something sounds right, or because we hate a person, or even like a person. Maybe our lives, at that particular time, are boring and a little drama sounds like a whole lot of fun but that whole lot of fun can cause a whole lot of hurt if there is no truth in the allegations. And the truth is we really don’t know, in this cyber world, what is truth and what is reality. We always hear talk about “Fake News” and we hate those who propagate it but news is not the only thing that can be faked. As I showed you messages can be faked too but so can so many other things.

I am a Tattoo Artist! Or am I? Maybe I just copied someone else’s tattoo’s into my profile on Facebook. I am an Artist! Or am I? Maybe I just copied someone else’s art off the Internet and claimed it was mine. Maybe the painting I posted in Tier 5 on my rewards page is in reality one that I got at a flea market. I own a Harley! Or do I? Maybe those are photos on my Facebook Profile of my deceased brother on his bike and I am claiming they are me.

Maybe I am all of you and I am none of you. I am whomever I want you to believe I am today. Tomorrow I may be someone else. I will tell you what you want to hear and I will manipulate you so that you think like I do, have the same belief’s I do, hate who I do and like who I do. I will be anything you want me to be or I will be anything you want others to think I am. I am a piece of clay with a keyboard and I take what ever shape suits my purpose at the moment. Until you meet me face to face you don’t know me and I don’t know you. You will only believe of me what I allow you to believe and I will only believe of you what you allow me to believe.

I for one will not participate nor be party to any witch hunt against any person no matter who that person may be. I have had my disagreements with people on social media but that is what they are, disagreements. You can agree or disagree with me and my opinions of others just like you can agree or disagree with their opinion of me. But the one thing that I will always do, no matter who it may be, is speak out if I think they have been treated unfairly. Everyone that has ever condemned another on social media has mostly done so based on flimsy, hearsay evidence.

There is an old expression; “I’m from Missouri Show Me.” Well I lived in Missouri for over 10 years of my life so “Show Me”! But unless you can show me something other than the type of evidence I can easily manufacture myself, as I have already proven I can do, then don’t expect me to jump on the band wagon with you. I would rather hear the sound of my pipes as I thunder down the highway than listen to the same old tired tune beat to death on the skin of broken drum head.

-The GYPSY-

#RubberBiskit