# 100 - March 5th, 2008

Greetings one and all…Are you ready for the Variety Show? It’s happening this coming Friday and Saturday, March 8th and 9th, starting at 7pm on each night. Hopefully there will be a wide range of acts, a little something for everyone in fact, and not that tired old acoustic guitar act that wasn’t very good the first three times I heard it…Many people have worked very hard on putting this together and along with recent The Crab Feeds it is a true Anderson Valley event and deserves your support…See you there…
But now it’s time for a little entertainment of a different kind - The Quiz…This week I’m looking for some dates…Answers at the end…
1. When did the pub in downtown Boonville, The Highpockety Ox, open at the location previously known as The Buckhorn Saloon?
2. In what year did the last verifiable family feud shoot-out take place in The Valley? Who were the two families that were involved?
3. In what year did the law change so that it became a requirement for The Valley’s Judge/Justice of the Peace to be a qualified attorney with at least five years experience? a) 1922 b) 1957 c) 1977
Having recently mentioned the number of newborns and toddlers in The Valley these days, it should come as no surprise that there was a baby shower that took place at The Senior Center this past weekend. This was for One Horse Espresso’s Natalie White who is expecting her (and husband, Clay Mattson’s) baby boy later this month. For some obscure reason I was not invited but Hummingbird was and she reports that the heir to the coffee stand in downtown Boonville would be pleased to know that the gathering to celebrate his upcoming arrival was a wonderful affair.
Quote of the Week…This one comes from learned observer of society and man of many wise words, Samuel Johnson…”"There is nothing so far invented by mankind that brings as much joy as a good pub or inn"...I wouldn't dream of arguing with that…
These wise words are particularly relevant this week following the closing, for numerous reasons, of The Highpockety Ox in downtown Boonville - The Valley's only community bar/restaurant, an “eating and drinking establishment for all” - i.e. a pub…The Ox has closed after twenty two months in business and you will no doubt hear of all sorts of explanations for this. There were mistakes made and inconsistencies continued at various times during the period of business – the owners and staff would be the first to admit this, I’m sure. Nevertheless, as a regular patron I am very aware that there were many satisfied customers, just not enough of them over a long period of time, and my inside sources tell me that the ultimate reason for closure is that due to the excessive overheads and costs The Ox was simply not profitable and could not continue to lose money…
In my humble opinion, The Valley has lost a real asset and I hope that, at some point in the not-too-distant future, a similar venue is provided for the many people who enjoyed The Ox and found it to be what every community needs, and what Samuel Johnson was referring to – a decent “local”…
I attended the “Closing Party” on Friday night and, along with a very large number of others, had a great time. Hummingbird enjoyed sitting on her perch (the bar’s front deck) for the final time and, with The Rock Slingers (Pilar Duran, Kevin Owens, and Raul Duran) kindly donating their time and talents, and beer flowing freely for the last time, a wonderful atmosphere was created…But it was not without its weirder, Boonvillian moments…
Firstly, The Ox’s final night coincided with a previously arranged birthday party at the bar for David Norfleet – one of the founders of the A.V. Brewery, which had originally been at this location. It was certainly strange to hear the exuberant rock and roll rendition of “Happy Birthday” by Courtney Reid (wife of current Head Brewer Neil Atkins), as the very-soon-to-be unemployed staff stood by and drowned their sorrows at what was essentially a wake for The Ox. Norfleet makes it to 65 years and counting, The Ox died at 22 months…Secondly, “King” Ken Allen, Norfleet’s former business partner, A.V. Brewery owner, and more pertinently, landlord of The Ox, was clearly seen by many present as the villain of the piece. Evidence of this arguable viewpoint was provided by the scene during his exit in the middle of the ‘festivities’. As he walked down the ramp at the side of the building, his departure was greeted with shouts from several unidentified regulars of “cut the rent you a***hole” that were simultaneously accompanied by the tossing of pennies in his general direction. I heard but did not see this incident so cannot comment on the rumor that he bent down and picked them all up…Finally, another strange thing of note was the attendance by two or three local people who, according to the staff and management, had never been into the bar at any time previously, or, if they had ever graced the bar with their presence then it had only been for one of The Ox’s many free events. The kind of people the barstaff wouldn’t want to see on their final night, I’m sure. Did they come for the freebies on this occasion? Obviously they did. Shame on them…In stark contrast to the many Valley folk who supported The Ox, these few pathetic, classless cheapskates are better off staying at home, or perhaps I should say, in their caves...Please pass me the sick bag, Bruce…
Time to go before I start pecking a few eyes out with my big, red, powerful beak – one that can rip through the hide of a cow or every cheap bastard I’ve ever met……Be careful out there, stay out of the ditches, think good thoughts, and may your god go with you…But first, “Let us prey”…Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…
You can contact me with words of support/abuse by e-mail at
Quiz Answers…
1. The Ox was open from May 2006 to March 2008…
2. In 1922, the Hanes and Crispin families staged their own version of the ‘Gunfight at the O.K. Corral’…I know and see a couple of Hanes ‘Boys’ around town so does this mean that they won?
3. The answer is b) 1977. Up until then the Valley’s justices had been regular citizens with ‘real-life’ jobs…