December 1, 2011

The holidays are upon us!  In addition to the high quality prose we’re sure you’ve become accustomed to, this issue also offers a map of the Holiday Parade of Lights route. The parade will be held in downtown Tulsa at 6 p.m., Saturday, December 10th.

GOODBYE TULSA: Shawna Lewis says farewell to mushroom magnate Rich Hewitt.

TOGETHER IN TULSA: A brush with breast cancer only succeeded in bringing Ken and Shelley Umazawa closer together. Rebekah Greiman has the story–and the photo to back it up.

IMAGINARY OKLAHOMA: Novelist Nathaniel Rich sucks us into limbo in “Enid, Oklahoma.”

THE RINGLEADER: Steve Gerkin gives us a look inside Tulsa’s own, nearly-forgotten Coliseum — and its golden age of professional wrestling.

PARADE OF LIGHTS: Natasha Ball also delivers an engaging account of the parade’s history — which contains a few more biplanes than you might expect.

POETRY: Matt Hollrah brings us the peaceful, meditative “Vigil,” while Lynn Melnick constructs a chaotic, bebopping whirlwind of words with “That’s Not Funny; You Clowns Don’t Make Me Laugh.”

SPORTS ILLUSTRATION: In-house illustrator Jeremy Luther muses on the constant squabble between our two college football giants.

A BRADY HEIGHTS CHRISTMAS STORY: As the holiday season approaches, Ivan Pickard contemplates the difficulties of bringing a baby into a world overrun with cancer and squad cars.

TACO AND ME: Enigmatic musician Pat “Taco” Ryan left a lasting impression on reporter Collin Hinds.

TRUE TULSA: Shane Brown captures the spirit of Jimmy “Junior” Markham, one of the sacred guardians of the Tulsa Sound. Carlos Knight and Jeremy Luther bring it home with feats of aesthetic badassery.