Little Wooden Mountain Man From Ecuador…..

(click on images to enlarge)


In 1969, the hubby, assigned to the submarine USS Grampus (SS-523), participated in a Good Will Tour dubbed by the Navy as UNITAS X.

They navigated the Panama Canal and headed south along the beautiful western coastline of South America.

The second stop was Salinas, Ecuador.

Vendors set up on the docks to sell their wares to the tourists and travelers, some arriving on Cruise Lines or private luxury yachts.

There was weaving, pottery, hats, and footwear. All hand made by the local and mountain artists.

Carvers of wood entranced the young sailor. These mountain dwellers came down from the high elevations with their own special designs: bowls, animals, musical instruments, and home decorations.

It was the 33 inch tall self-portrait of one of these men that captured his imagination.

"How much?" inquired my future husband.

"Seventy-five dollars, " was the reply.

"I can't spend that much, I wish I could."

"Hmmm... wait! Five dollars and two packs American cigarettes." the vendor called to the hubby's back.

With that offer the hubby became the owner of an original piece of art.

You may think that should end the story. It does not.

Several sailors from a cruiser and a destroyer also purchased original little wooden men. Their ships were large enough to accommodate their acquisitions.

Unfortunately, the hubby had extremely limited space on a conventional submarine. Where to put his little purchase was going to be a big problem.

His personal area included a 30-inch wide, by shoulder width deep, by six foot length bunk .
There was a five inch shelf for clothing accessed by lifting his mattress.

He had two choices. Sell his little man to a surface sailor, or keep him on the submarine in his bunk. He chose to share his bunk with his new mate for over four months and 20,000 miles.

The other two little men did not survive their trip home. They cracked so badly that they could not be repaired.

The controlled atmosphere in the submarine around the tip of South America must have kept him in good condition. (Not to mention the cuddles from a very handsome young sailor.)

The little mountain man has lived in our house for many years.

If there was a fire in our home, we would do our best to save the original pastel portrait of our daughters, my watercolors portraits of my grandchildren, the school art done by our daughters, and our little wooden mountain man from Ecuador.

Pamela Fisher
pamelathedust@yahoo.com
Wallace Fisher
walfish@charter.net
Walla Walla, WA

Monday, September 17, 2007

Ref: http://thedustwillwait.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Hubby