chuckography

Ka - BOOM!

Two wonderful things happened to me while I was the Director of Tourism for the state of Missouri.

Well, actually quite a few more than two but two especially come to mind.

I didn't take either picture and was, for a change, in front of the camera.

My Mom describes me in the photo with President Carter as "my son is the one with the gray hair." I helped welcome him to Tom Sawyer's Hannibal, on his way down to New Orleans aboard the historic paddle wheeler Delta Queen.

My other memorable moment was a year later, doing something we've all seen in the movies and on television.

I placed my nervous right hand on the plunger of a dynamite detonator, shouted "3-2-1" and pushed it as hard as I could. It made that familiar "screeeech" sound and then "BOOM!"

The terrific noise was still ringing in our ears as a geyser of sand and small rocks rained down on a group of dignitaries.

For those who know the Kansas City area, the new Visitors Information Center is built on a hill overlooking the twin stadiums used by the Chiefs and the Royals.

The main stuff that fell from the sky landed on the hood of a parked Missouri Highway Patrol car. Well, he knew we were playing with dynamite.

Labels: Chiefs, Delta Queen, dynamite, Hannibal, Highway Patrol, Kansas City, KC Royals, President Jimmy Carter, Tom Sawyer, Visitors Information Center

posted by chucker @ 9:47 PM