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The Bird House
It has been said in the year of 1700’s, Edward Thatch, also known as Black Beard, Captain of the Queen Anne’s Revenge ship’s log says, “Little to do today; no wind, no ships in sight”. The first mate comes to me, he says, “Captain, the crew is complaining again!” I said, “Take the complainers and beat them; this will teach the crew the sins of mutiny and what will happen. Their idea about sharing is not like mine. I share their gold and jewels. What is theirs is mine and I give them one meal a day and a place to fight. If you complain I will beat you again”.
Captain Thatch wanted to leave his son, little Arturo something to remember him by so he took up woodworking and carved a project. “Today I give to my son Arturo this box that someday he might give to his son. I will place a few clues of life in it. Arturo, wisdom is the beginning. Hang this bird house in a high place of peace and where great nations gather.”
It fell to rest in my grandfather’s care in Spain. Arturo was his name and he served on a Spanish cruiser Castilla. There they were steaming at full speed engaged in battle when a shell from an 8” gun hit the ship. The ship was sinking. Grandfather remembered to hang it up high he then jumped into the water holding the bird house high. The water never hit the box, He told my dad that it may have saved his life trying to keep it high and dry.
My dad’s name is Arturo and he told me of his trip to the Americas. There he heard of a place called Arizona and many people helped him along the way. He heard it had many nations; that was good enough for him. He found work with a young cowboy who bought a lot of property and with him started a ranch. They agreed to call it Bueno Hombre Cattle Company. Dad named the creek that ran near it Show Low Creek. There is where the largest trees were.
My dad became a horseman, then the hunter for the ranches meat supply. He wanted more and he became a line rider. He heard they were the strongest and meanest and toughest. That is where he met mom when she was riding line that day. Then they fell head over heels in love and were married. They got married in mercantile store by Roy Bean; he always said he was the law. My dad named the store Show Low which was the very store where I was born. Roy said, “What do you want to call this boy?” Mom said, “Call him The Hunter.” Dad said, “The boy needs an upstanding name, Arthur. We shall call him Art. He should also have two names like Roy Bean, two names for our family. Today his name will be Arthur Medrid, like the city in Spain. We also will have two names.” Today, most people spell it wrong.
That was my beginning, I turned the bird house over and on the bottom, is the name Edward T. On closer inspection inside the bottom of the ceiling. I saw some words “MI CASA NO ES TU CASA.” I took it to a renowned Mexican art collector and he laughed and laughed aloud. “This is no bird house, it is an outhouse.” Black Beard was trying to tell his child, “If you have plumbing in the family house, they will want to live with you.” For those who don’t speak Spanish, “MY HOUSE IS NOT YOUR HOUSE”. You might be wise not to complain. Six ancestors have passed this box down and they had no idea what it meant to the captain.
Is this story fact or fiction? It’s your choice. This story written specifically for this painting, every picture needs a story. The artist, Earl W Pruett uses the technique that he has named “run through boarder”
SPECIAL THANKS, for helping my parents for when I could not.