Dig It - 12/23/24

Honk if you have been married to Bob Ward

Well Fellow Seekers, this used to be my “Show Off” wearing bracelet. That was many years ago when the world was young. I left Manhattan and the Museum World in 1987, and moved to Santa Fe for my job as “Curator” at Morning Star Gallery. In them days, Morning Star was the biggest mofo in the valley. I started work on January 6th, Kings Day. Now as I recall, Mac and Jordan were out of town, and that left Bob Ward, the gallery director; Nancy, the bookkeeper; Randy, a true scoundrel; Janis Chastain; and myself. Everybody except me went out to lunch on the company credit card, leaving me in charge. I was the “new kid.” Eventually they got used to me, and things got better. I will say I never got a company credit card, and in my two-year tenure, I think I only got a free lunch maybe four times.

Anyway, back to the story. I loved to get Bob to tell stories. He had been a friend of Elvis and ran safaris in Africa. He was truly one of the first Indian traders having owned “The Original Trading Post” and on and on. There was a bumper sticker in Santa Fe that read, “Honk If You Have Been Married to Bob Ward.” Bob was “Rake" - in a good sort of way. About a year after I left Morning Star - my choice, we parted amicably- I got a call from Bob, who had also left the gallery, though perhaps not so amicably. Bob said he had just cleaned out an old customer’s estate, and the guy had some good early silver. Was I interested? Now Bob knew Good from just Stuff, so I met him. He pulled out this bracelet, one other bracelet that was equally great, and some fabulous buttons. Jay Evetts got the buttons, and I kept the bracelets, at least for a little while. All right Seekers, keep to the path and make a right when you come to the fork, and you will get there eventually. - Lonesome