TheBanyanTree: Trip Report

[Spoonoid at cs.com]

Trip Report: Banyanarama, August 2004

       Crow Woman, Goddess of the Hunt, set out on her trek to the trading 
post at Concord, an arduous, eleven-hour journey for her trusty steed, Pontiac. 
Burdened by thousands of pelts and game calls, the journey south and east from 
her home territory caused Crow Woman great anxiety. Would any of the other 
tribes folk arrive in time to meet her? Had she brought enough trading goods to 
make the trip worthwhile? Had she brought too much, so she would have to carry 
it all home again? Would she find the items she needed? Would the others 
trade fairly for her goods? The curse of failure haunted her steps, but the Great 
Spirit had always dealt equitably with her before. Perhaps this journey would 
prove auspicious, as well.
    Two days later and far away, the Princess and her traveling companion, 
hit the trail in late morning for the trading post at Concord, two hours east, 
down the mountain slopes and across the forested low country. As the sun rose 
to the zenith, the travelers espied a column of smoke emanating from Fire 
Mountain where great haunches of buffalo were being prepared for a midday feast. 
They paused to slake their thirst and partake of the bountiful banquet. 
    Well fed, the travelers found themselves down the road in sight of their 
goal, the trading post, a spacious lodge, indicated by a gigantic placard 
announcing "Bass Pro." Inside, after observing wondrous quantities of fishing, 
hunting and camping gear, the Princess asked her traveling companion if he spied 
anyone he recognized. 
The companion said, "The lady behind that table looks amazingly similar to a 
likeness of Crow Woman, whom I observed in the magic crystal globe."
       "Then you should greet her, you nitwit," the Princess prompted.
       "Greetings, Crow Woman," the nitwit intoned, "I am traveling 
companion, also sometimes called Spoonoid. This is the Princess. We are honored to make 
your acquaintance."
       Crow Woman smiled, stood and hugged the two travelers in gracious 
greeting. "It has been way too long a wait to meet you, after reading your stuff 
for so many years. We must talk now of many things."
       But, alas, the gods of commerce caused a continuous flow of customers 
past her booth, which kept Crow Woman busy with her pelts and game call 
products until two hours before midnight, when she was finally able to take a break 
for a bite to eat, and a quiet chat with the Princess and her Spoonoid.     
    They spoke of the good old days, the good new days, Spoon and Banyan folk 
who traveled vast distances to meet old friends for the first time. The 
discussion probed many travels and visits to meeting places spread widely across 
the great land, and fast friends bonded into fond memories.  
    No other Banyan folk accomplished the trek to the trading post this 
season, so Crow Woman, the Princess and her traveling companion were saddened not 
to meet others. But a visit to a place farther along the road, The Mint Museum 
of Art in Charlotte, rounded out the weekend. An impressive collection of 
historical paintings and sculpture lent an aura of enchantment to marvels of skill 
and execution, and a display of more recent attempts at expression gave cause 
for amusement and derision.
       Despite the rigors of traveling across hostile territory, long days of 
loyal application to corporate goals, lack of sleep, and atrocious disruption 
of eating schedules, the journey proved auspicious for Crow Woman, while the 
Princess and Spoonoid were equally pleased by their first personal encounter 
with a non-electronic Banyanarama.

Later, John.