by Pa Rock
Collector of Rumors
Most of us are familiar with urban legends, outrageous stories that many people swear are true, yet actual witnesses are never readily available. I didn't see it, but my cousin's ex-wife's sister's yoga instructor was right there when it happened. Yeah, right.
Urban legends aren't necessarily restricted to urban settings.
A couple of years ago when the local radio station began playing the syndicated show, Nights with Alice Cooper, two totally false stories quickly developed and spread throughout the area. Some said that the famous rocker had bought a home on the lake in nearby Mountain Home, Arkansas, and was volunteering his time on the radio just for something to do. Another story had it that Alice Cooper liked the area and was shopping for a home in West Plains. Neither story was rooted in fact - the aging singer actually lives in the Phoenix vicinity and plays golf in Scottsdale on an almost daily basis - but still, people knew for a fact that Alice Cooper was here in the area. No, they hadn't seen him personally, but everyone knew someone whose barber, or waitress, or mechanic - or one of their ex-in-laws - had seen the rock star cleaning out his gutters, mowing his lawn, or shopping for garden hose at Walmart.
And now, years later, that same little town, West Plains, Missouri, is having Brad Pitt sightings.
Brad Pitt grew up in Springfield, Missouri, a hundred miles up the road, where he attended Kickapoo High School Chances are that he may have been in West Plains either participating in or watching some school activity while he was still at Kickapoo, but chances are nil that Brad is in West Plains this week for any reason.
But he's been seen! Supposedly a movie is being made in town about a dance hall explosion that occurred here back in the 1930's. Our noted local author, Daniel Woodrell (Winter's Bone) wrote a book on that explosion entitled The Maid's Version just last year. And who is to say that since the famous writer has already had a major film made from one of his books (staring Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence), that Brad Pitt might not be itching to take on a Woodrell work himself. It just makes so much sense that the rumors have to be true - never mind that witnesses can't be found who have actually seen him here.
Like Alice Cooper's radio show, most urban legends have some basis in fact. There is a movie being made in West Plains beginning next week - Tatterdemallion - the story of an abandoned child in the Ozarks. My son, Tim, is the primary writer of the screenplay, and the director is Ramaa Mosely, a very successful movie and commercial director from the west coast. It is a great story that should translate well to film - however, the budget is modest and Brad Pitt has no involvement in the project whatsoever.
But still the rumors persist.
A friend told me - for a fact - that Brad had been in town for the past ten days and that he had been seen swimming in the pool of a local motel - and it wasn't even one of the better motels! Then the friend capped off his nonsense with this gem: Brad Pitt had been seen in town last night having dinner at Ryan's!
Hell, I won't even eat at Ryans!
There wasn't any mention of Angie, so I assume she must be home with the kids!
Collector of Rumors
Most of us are familiar with urban legends, outrageous stories that many people swear are true, yet actual witnesses are never readily available. I didn't see it, but my cousin's ex-wife's sister's yoga instructor was right there when it happened. Yeah, right.
Urban legends aren't necessarily restricted to urban settings.
A couple of years ago when the local radio station began playing the syndicated show, Nights with Alice Cooper, two totally false stories quickly developed and spread throughout the area. Some said that the famous rocker had bought a home on the lake in nearby Mountain Home, Arkansas, and was volunteering his time on the radio just for something to do. Another story had it that Alice Cooper liked the area and was shopping for a home in West Plains. Neither story was rooted in fact - the aging singer actually lives in the Phoenix vicinity and plays golf in Scottsdale on an almost daily basis - but still, people knew for a fact that Alice Cooper was here in the area. No, they hadn't seen him personally, but everyone knew someone whose barber, or waitress, or mechanic - or one of their ex-in-laws - had seen the rock star cleaning out his gutters, mowing his lawn, or shopping for garden hose at Walmart.
And now, years later, that same little town, West Plains, Missouri, is having Brad Pitt sightings.
Brad Pitt grew up in Springfield, Missouri, a hundred miles up the road, where he attended Kickapoo High School Chances are that he may have been in West Plains either participating in or watching some school activity while he was still at Kickapoo, but chances are nil that Brad is in West Plains this week for any reason.
But he's been seen! Supposedly a movie is being made in town about a dance hall explosion that occurred here back in the 1930's. Our noted local author, Daniel Woodrell (Winter's Bone) wrote a book on that explosion entitled The Maid's Version just last year. And who is to say that since the famous writer has already had a major film made from one of his books (staring Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence), that Brad Pitt might not be itching to take on a Woodrell work himself. It just makes so much sense that the rumors have to be true - never mind that witnesses can't be found who have actually seen him here.
Like Alice Cooper's radio show, most urban legends have some basis in fact. There is a movie being made in West Plains beginning next week - Tatterdemallion - the story of an abandoned child in the Ozarks. My son, Tim, is the primary writer of the screenplay, and the director is Ramaa Mosely, a very successful movie and commercial director from the west coast. It is a great story that should translate well to film - however, the budget is modest and Brad Pitt has no involvement in the project whatsoever.
But still the rumors persist.
A friend told me - for a fact - that Brad had been in town for the past ten days and that he had been seen swimming in the pool of a local motel - and it wasn't even one of the better motels! Then the friend capped off his nonsense with this gem: Brad Pitt had been seen in town last night having dinner at Ryan's!
Hell, I won't even eat at Ryans!
There wasn't any mention of Angie, so I assume she must be home with the kids!
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