Saturday, October 29, 2016

Brandy and Bunky's new "spin-off series"

Those who have followed this blog over the years know that I have passed along some of my personality traits and passions to my character.  For example, I love to travel and explore new places, even if it's just by reading about them or watching TV.  The siblings Brandy and Bunky Barefoot (two of Buddy Wayne's first cousins) would feel the same way.

I have written that their love of travel would have gotten them on the CBS series The Amazing Race had they existed.  However, their run would have ended well short of the finish line.  Brandy and Bunky returned home with the resolve to create their own dream trip next time, one without the pressure of competition and possible elimination.  The changes in the world since the glorious appearance of Jesus Christ would provide more incentive for the siblings to travel the New Earth.

Of course, the whole thing would be documented and captured in a new TV series.  They chose the acronym R.O.A.M., Ramble On A Mission, for the name of their project.  The resulting show is called Brandy & Bunky: R.O.A.M.

Here is the detailed summary I wrote for the premiere episode, which would have aired on Sep. 11.  I will continue to run through the season in subsequent posts.

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As the show begins, Brandy and Bunky prepare at home.  They pack all the food and clothing they'll need for the first part of the trip, plan out the stops along the way where they will get additional provisions, and study the stories of Marco Polo, Lewis & Clark, and others who explored the world using traditional methods.  Brandy and Bunky also inform their local church so the parishioners can pray for them, as led by their uncle Ralph.

Brandy also reveals that she has been cast for The History of Dance, a new live entertainment show to take place in the new Jerusalem.  It is a multi-act show produced by rapper/dancer Blinky Blink and her portion showcases ballroom dancing.  She is joined by Hylton Tripp, who she met at the local dancing school in Meadow; they have been together professionally for nearly a year.

On the day they leave, the siblings board a 80-foot-long boat, Pink's Ellie, designed and built by great-uncle Popeye and uncle Harvey (who is Popeye's son).  They take it down Oliver's Creek to the Black River, then to the Cape Fear River, eventually to the port of Wilmington, NC.  From there, it's a trip down what was once the Atlantic Ocean - now a series of smaller lakes and connected rivers - to the Caribbean land of Jamaica.  Specifically, Brandy and Bunky make a call at Port Royal.

Port Royal, once known as the bawdy headquarters for Caribbean pirates, was destroyed in an earthquake in 1720.  After Christ returned, Bertland McSween - a pastor and entertainer - found the old plans and convinced the Jamaican government to rebuild it as the centerpiece of post-Christian life in both the country and region.

McSween hosts a tour of the port and downtown.  He points out that Port Royal is now a thriving, multicultural city with four languages - English, French, Spanish, and Dutch - that are commonly spoken in the various neighborhoods.  McSween is especially proud to show off Blackbeard's Playhouse. 

It is where he conceived of Port Royal Review, the Caribbean entry in the King David International Festival - the same entertainment event at which Brandy and Bunky performed as part of Back Down Home.  On this night, the siblings enjoy two of the acts that were part of that review: R&B/reggae diva Zellie St. Brown1 and steel drum virtuoso Lewis Pipersburg.

The next day, McSween takes Brandy and Bunky to a sugar mill that was founded by British colonials but now run by descendants of the same slave labor brought in to work there.  The employee owners share their gratitude of being able to enjoy the results of their harvest.  One of the workers, Lucille, pointed out that economic deprivation is why - despite the natural paradise they grew up in - so many of them had to immigrate to other countries.  That evening, the siblings join the locals for jerk chicken dinner, followed a dessert of cake made from the local processed sugar.
1Short for "Battimamzelle," Old French word for dragonfly

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Thanks for your patience!

I know, it's been two months since the last time I added a post to this blog.  I can explain this absence with a number of factors:
  • I had to change computers twice in a 60-day period.  First, I replaced my seven-year-old Dell Inspiron with an Acer Aspire on Aug. 19.  Unfortunately, the Aspire had a serious power issue which caused the machine to shut down at random times.  After quite a few times of this, my mother and I agreed to return the computer to HSN to receive a full refund.  Then on Sep. 26, I bought a Dell Inspiron 15; except for a problem toggling between programs using the taskbar, there have been no significant issues since purchase.
  • I had to re-install all my software and apps each time I replaced the computers.  That left me less time to start or restart new personal projects.
  • With all that, I simply forgot about this blog!

That being said - since the story is set on the southern edge of Johnston County, NC - I must report that the lives of my characters were impacted by Hurricane Matthew, if for no reason except nearby roads and the one-room schoolhouse Bryson and Belinda attended were closed the week it hit.  The school would probably have re-opened this past Monday, one day before the county's public schools did. (This is because all the students live nearby and the school runs as a separate operation.) Otherwise, I can give no specifics, because the local newspaper that serves the area has provided no specific coverage of Meadow.  The chances, however, are that the power went out for at least the weekend after Matthew hit.  Then again, it may well have minimized the impact on the farm house, since it went off the grid about the time Gone Barefoot began taping.

I will end with a special reward for all of you: Remember Blondie - not the new wave band but the pianist I created as one of the label mates for Buddy Wayne Barefoot?  Here's a revised "publicity photo" of the versatile performer, who knows everything from Beethoven to Billy Joel.  (Please note that the bottom text was just to fill white space and all contact information is fictional.)