Here I am in classy apparel that Elysia brought back from a work-related trip a couple of years ago.
My wife visited death row at Fort Leavenworth and all I got was this t-shirt and a bottle of barbecue sauce.
That’s just not right. I would expect that from a prosecutor, but not from an appellate defense attorney visiting her clients.
She visited the prison at Fort Leavenworth three times. At the time there were six service members on death row, with no one executed since 1963, and at least two were her clients. In addition to the historic Army post, there are at least three other things to see in town: a Buffalo Soldier statue, the High Noon Saloon, and the gift shop (they have Elvis nesting dolls).
I learned yesterday that there is a one-year job opportunity at the Army Command and General Staff College in Leavenworth. Since I am pretty much willing to live anywhere for a year to see new things, I reminded Elysia of the barbecue potential given that Kansas City is only 45 minutes away. She countered with another food fact: Kansas has been proven to be flatter than a pancake.
Being married to a lawyer often means I am outwitted when I try to be persuasive. Fortunately, in this case, truth is on my side. Years ago I read Calvin Trillin’s “Tummy Trilogy”: American Fried; Alice, Let’s Eat; Third Helpings. The premise, or excuse, of the series was to determine if food described as “the world’s best” truly is. My kind of public service.
I figure that multiple PCS (Permanent Change of Station) orders over a military career provide the opportunity — the obligation – to follow in Trillin’s footsteps and uncover new territory. A modern-day Lewis and Clark expedition but with only one of us in the military. Times have changed.
As a start, when I drove to Washington DC from Seattle in 2001 I took a southern route (I-40) for its food potential. In 3,300+ miles I managed to try spicy Tex-Mex shrimp in New Mexico, Texas barbecue (if Amarillo counts), as well as good stuff while going through Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia.
But we are not going to Kansas. Elysia insists that there are easier ways to get barbecue. I am convinced there are bigger prizes out there.
2 Responses to “American Fried”
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I suppose Amarillo counts as going through Texas, although I’m not sure they are known for their BBQ, but rather for the Big Texan (http://www.bigtexan.com/).
Not many people would choose a route for it’s food potential, of course I know you fairly well, so I know you’re one of them. Next time I’m sure you will plan your journey based on best stops for ice cream or something like that (but who could really blame you for that).
Other noteworthy sites at Fort Leavenworth are the Frontier Army Museum and the Berlin Wall Monument. The fort was visited by Lewis and Clark during their famed westward journey in 1804. It was also home to the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments - two of the four all-black regiments formed in 1866, nicknamed the Buffalo Soldiers.
In my trips there, I would make it a point to visit the Disciplinary Barracks store, where they sell lots of items made by inmates at a decent price, including this “cheerful wine rack for any kitchen” (http://usacac.army.mil/cac/usdb/images/garzon.jpg), a bargain at $70.
Melissa Etheridge also hails from Leavenworth, where she lived until the age of 21.