View from the Cheap Seats

September 19-25, 2016

Salty 10

By William O. "Bill" James

Last week I went to Salt Lake City. I went there to Watch Pulaski Academy play football against East High, the defending State Champions in the next to largest classification in the state of Utah. They are a school of 2500 students compared to the 400 or so students at Pulaski County. They were very big and they were very talented. It was a game that Pulaski Academy sought out and everyone knew going in that it was going to be a difficult and challenging game.

I was in Salt Lake City for two nights and tried to keep track of interesting events and facts that I learned on my trip in order to fill the requirements of this column. I have narrowed them down to 10 for your reading pleasure.

1. The Great Salt Lake is salty because it has three rivers going into it and no way for the water to get out of the lake other than evaporation. The salt in the water stays behind and hence the salty nature. No fish live there, only some brine shrimp. The Dead Sea is the only body of water with a higher salt content.

2. The hotel we stayed in was full and we received an email from the hotel asking us if we wanted an upgrade. It wasn’t much more and we took it. We ended up staying in the presidential suite. Way too much room for two people, but we did have two bathrooms.

3. I went to the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics which is now a bit of amusement park with “water slides” on the ski slopes and other rides making use of the remnants of the winter spectacle. Patti and I rode all of the rides and offerings including the bobsled ride. You actually get in a bobsled and ride down the track (without ice in the summer). The bobsled was exciting but I can’t say I would ever do it again.

4. While in line to ride the zip lines at the Olympic Park I met a man that went to Catholic High and grew up about a quarter mile away from where I currently live. It is definitely a small world.

5. While resting for the game after the Olympic Park visit, I watched the middle part of the Tom Hanks movie “Captain Phillips,” where his ship is highjacked by Somalian pirates. I did not get to see the end, but the hour or so I watched was pretty good. I certainly don’t want to be highjacked.

6. We went to the game two hours early. The high school was the same place the movie “High School Musical” was filmed. I have never actually seen the movie. We arrived early to get good seats in the stands. Unfortunately, the sun was directly in our eyes until half time and I forgot my sunglasses.

7. Thin air cools quickly, so as soon as the sun went down, it got very cool. I did not dress accordingly and was cold the second half. Patti was warm as she was prepared and laughed at me for making fun of her earlier for bringing a coat.

8. Ultimately, PA was reminded that no one is invincible and sometimes bigger is better. The Bruins were unable to conquer the Leopards in a hard fought game and thus ended their winning streak which was the longest in the state of Arkansas up to that point.

9. After the game, we went back to the hotel, it was too late to eat and I was forced to buy a microwavable fried rice from the front desk. They did not give me a fork. I ended up eating the delicacy with my bare hands. I don’t recommend you do the same.

10. When checking in for the flight home, we were offered an upgrade to first class. I have only ridden first class a few times and we jumped on the opportunity. The ride to Dallas was spectacular and I was actually able to finish a book I had begun reading on the flight to Salt Lake City.

Finally, the Hogs beat #15 TCU in overtime. I know this has nothing to do with my trip to Salt Lake City, but it did happen on the same day I got home. That is surely good enough for those of us way up in the CHEAP SEATS!

Bill James is a criminal defense lawyer and co founder of the James law Firm with offices in Little Rock, Conway, and Fayetteville, Arkansas. He hamy be contacted at Bill@JamesFirm.com