WENDY POWELL

by F - Stop

Mercury Rising #5, Monsoon Season 1992

Saturday, Feb. 15 at South Park was the time and place where the memoryof Hanx XXXIII, Wendy Powell, taken from us the previous weekend by eithera heart attack or respiratory ailments at the tender age of 32, was honored.The weather was wet and soggy, the turnout was pitifully low (where werethe masses who turned out for Bobby Black’s or Blake’s wakes?), but thebeer and memories flowed like the rain, and the cops didn't break thisone up either!

I remembered the first time I ever saw her riding in Mr. Powell’s basket(and me thinking "Who’s that fool riding around with their kid intheir basket?"). It was also during my rookie daze that she askedme if I knew who the Hanx were, and I couldn't resist telling her thatby the time I had been inside 3 elevators I knew who the Hanx were. Shethen gave me a brief spiel about Hanx, including telling me that one Hanxalways helps another Hanx. So I am going to attempt to do that right now.

Wendy may have left us due to natural causes, but many others gone beforeus have passed that way through causes directly or indirectly related tothe wicked needles and powders. How cum, huh? Haven't we lost enough brothersand sisters to the four-wheeled deathtraps infesting our streets? The Baywas not meant to be a landfill for bikes, and the good don't necessarilyhave to die young. Get the point, 10-4?

Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at messvilleto@yahoo.com