Vic Socotra

16 August 2009

The Sunday Puzzler

(Big Pink Puzzler Photo, 2009)

We are getting down to the short-hairs on this strange summer, yes we are. Despite the loveliness of the day, the crowd at the pool was small.

Cuba the Lifeguard is starting to get antsy to move on, and grab a chunk of America before returning to Poland.

A lot of people are taking that last grab at the languid life before the Congress comes back and the traffic congeals once more. There was some sangria produced in bulk at Joe’s house, and it migrated out under the yellow umbrellas where the Doc was taking pictures for a commission oil painting of the blue pool and the soaring pink tower.

Fueled by the combination of wine and citrus, conversation became animated for the first time late in the sunny afternoon. We ran out of steam on health care. The President says there is going to be no rationing and no death panels, and everyone agrees that they cannot call whatever they do by those names, even it that is what they are. We agreed we can start yelling about it again tomorrow.

“Look around you,” said Diana. “Can you tell who has decent care and who doesn’t?”

“I think we look marvelous, all things considered.” The conversation lagged.

Everyone knows this cannot work the way it is being depicted by either side. The question is whether there is more danger in trusting those who want more control or those who want less.

“It all makes my head hurt. You write. So why don’t you have like-you know- a Feature Page, Vic. Something you don’t have to read all the way through/”

“You sound like the guys at War College,” I said. “It’s only a lot of reading if you do it.”

“No, seriously, you should have a puzzler or something.”

A picture from earlier this month surfaced our of Mary Margaret’s purse, and I thought, “Well, hell, why not?”

So, here is the Sunday Feature Page from Big Pink, Summer, 2009:

Based on the picture above, answer the following questions. Hint: There are no attorneys n this group and no one was hurt up to the moment the picture was taken.

Here is the free one: The Death Junior Alabama Potato Salad is on the right. The people are “A” though “J,” clockwise from lower right, in a spiral around the edge to the middle. A decent score is five, which means you are pretty well hooked into the Pink Pink Picture. I wouldn’t blame you if you got none at all.

Here are some softballs for the careful reader:

1. Who are the four veterans?
2. There is at least one same-sex couple here. Can you identify them?
3. The Banana is absent. Can you identify her mom?
4. The most thoughtful person in Big Pink is present. Who is it?
5. Who is the international union president?
6. There are two Detroiters in this photo. Who are they?
7. Select the International Man of Mystery?
8. Who do you think graduated from the USNA?
9. Charlie’s Angel?
10. There are two potential funeral directors in this picture. Pick them and for extra credit, select whom you would have do yours?

Secial Bonus: who do you think took this picture? And why?

Answers in next Sunday’s puzzler.

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