KIDNAPPED

KIDNAPPED
In Bartlesville, Oklahoma

In the fall of 2001 we were rushing south to New Mexico when we decided to slow down and rest a while. We parked the trailer in a city north of Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is the adventure we experienced in Bartlesville.

We were anxiously waiting to set up in Riverside RV Park. From the camping directory it seemed to be a campground that had a lot of hiking trails. I couldn’t wait to try out my new hiking staff and tramp through the prairie grasses.
Life is full of surprises. We unhitched our trailer in this almost-center-of-the-city park. Also unhitching were large numbers of square dancers in town for a competition. The weather was pleasantly warm for walking the path along the river. Another surprise. Overnight the temperature dropped thirty degrees as a storm system moved in.

On Tuesday morning we did a quick tour around this city of thirty thousand. The strangest sight was a miniature skyscraper. We found it open and tours offered.

The Price Tower Prairie Skyscraper is a 19-story creation of Frank Lloyd Wright. We took the grand, personal tour. The building was astounding. At the time of its completion there were only thirty-five staff in the company. The rooms are very small. The executive secretary’s office was only about three-quarters the size of our trailer and she only had two small filing cabinets. The elevators can only hold 3 people.

Mrs. Mildred Moore, our guide, was delightful. She hijacked us. After guiding us through all the nooks and crannies of the Prairie Skyscraper, Mildred took us out to the city limits where an art deco house had recently burned down.

Then off we went to Oklahoma Wesleyan University to look at their newly dedicated Chapel and Fine Arts Center. Mrs. Moore was able to coerce a student at the desk to open the chapel for us. Large, fresh and new. Superbly etched and colored glass display.
Off again; this time to visit La Quinta House.
This is where Mrs. Moore left us. She went back to the Tower to give another tour but, before leaving, extracted a promise to meet her in two hours for the continuation of our tour.

After lunch we honored our promise and met her at the Tower. Into her car and away we went – all over Bartlesville. There wasn’t a street or county road missed. Sometimes we saw the same street twice. A few of her quick turns made my stomach queasy but we had fun. We ended up at Garfield’s bar and restaurant for pie, coffee and the sharing of experiences. Although we had many experiences in common, Mabel had not yet visited Frankenmuth, Michigan. She didn’t know the agony she had been spared; acres and acres of Christmas tackiness.

Mabel Moore made our visit to Bartlesville memorable. People like Mabel make traveling a worthwhile adventure.
Friendly, welcoming and generous. Most people are like that.