Happy Jack

May 17, 2009 - St. Paul, Minnesota

On a gorgeous Spring day we set out to Como Park in St. Paul (home to a wonderful flower conservancy, a zoo and amusement park) to find another Red Cat Box called Happy Jack Returns.

One day, as Happy Jack was loitering near the corner of Hamline and Horton, he noticed a strange fellow crossing the street. "Is that a skeleton wearing a sombrero samba-ing across the street?" he said, not believing his eyes. He closed his eyes for a second and looked again. Sure enough, it was a skeleton wearing a sombrero dancing across the street and not the lingering effects of the rave from last night. "I'll follow him," thought Happy Jack. "He looks like he knows how to have a good time." So Happy Jack set off after the dancing skeleton, catching up to him at the crooked, leaning tree with the hole at the bottom. "That's a shame about Bulah," Happy Jack said to the Dancing Skeleton. "Mind if I join your party?""Si!" exclaimed the Dancing Skeleton. "The more people that remember my dear, sweet Bulah, the better! Although you'll have to find another tree. This cozy hole is a bit too small for the both of us." "Right on!" Happy Jack replied as he faced the skeleton in the tree. "I think I see the perfect tree for me at 340 degrees." And with that, he set off for a very large fallen tree that had been chopped into a couple of pieces. He stood at the clean cut at the top of the second section and took about seven steps towards the roots. There was an opening in the top of the trunk. He slid inside it and settled in, making sure to cover himself with some bark. "Let the party begin!" he exclaimed.
Meanwhile on this trip we were also looking for a place to plant a letterbox called "In Search of Prince Charming" - which would have been very appropriate at the Como Park Frog Pond - pictured above, it has a frog statue in the middle. Unfortunately for our planting mission, the parks in the city are all very well maintained and there were just no apparent good hiding spots for a suspicious piece of tupperware. We drove down the road to Lake Como instead, hoping for a slightly wilder spot. On our walk around the lake we spotted lots of wildlife - a white crane, several ducks and a family of geese with lots of little goslings. Eventually we came upon a hiding spot. Then Mr. Reluctant accomplice was stung by a wasp. Crabby and Whitney helped compose the following story,

Once upon a time there was a Charming Prince in search of a good spot to rest while he waited for his princess to arrive.The prince parked his stallion at the lot on Lexington Ave. N looking out on Lake Como. Facing the lake, he took the shore path to the right. He walked for some time looking for a secluded spot, finally when he had traveled a third of the lake shore path he came to a dock. Across from the dock he spotted 2 benches with a lamppost in between. Continuing along the path he counted 2 additional lamp posts, then looked to the right at a large 4 trunked tree 25 paces from the final lamp. This was no good for hiding, but directly ahead the woods began to look a little less maintained. At the base of a 2 trunked tree, the prince covered himself with some sticks and leaves and settled in to wait until an enchanting spell could be broken.Will you break the spell? Search out Prince Charming and let us know.