Turtle


	The Order of the Banjo Turtle


	The highest award that Brigadoon can offer one of its own is the "The Order of the Banjo Turtle". This is big !!. "What does is signify?" No one is sure. "What is basis of its award?" Again, we aren't sure, but it seems to have roots in the mystical world of banjo-dom. "Does a person actually need to come to Brigadoon to recieve the award?" Apparently not.


	Musings from the 2006 award winner, "Chicago" Mike Lenich, on the presentation of the award to 2007 award winner, to Roy "Good Old Roy" McClure

Last year, I was honored by Members of the Mystic Order of Brigadoon Banjo Players (MOBBP) to be keeper of the traveling Turtle Banjo art piece.

Part of my responsibility as "keeper" is to (1) safely return the Turtle Banjo to camp the following year, and (2) assist in selecting the next recipient. I somehow managed to do both, but I seemed to have missed doing the entire announcement ceremony thing normally conducted right after the camp picture. So here without further delay, is a belated e-nnouncement:

Yo-Yo-Yo!

By decree of the Mystic Order of the Brigadoon Banjo Players, we hereby declare Fellow Order Member Roy McClure, as recipient of the 2007 Camp Brigadoon Traveling Turtle Banjo Trophy. We do so, to recognize the valor Member McClure displayed in foregoing the 2007 Walnut Valley Festival so as to be there for his lovely wife, Mary Ann, as she had surgery to repair broken bones in her foot. As banjo players, we all recognize the extreme sacrifice Member McClure endured in missing hours and hours and hours of endless banjo playing so as to attend to his loved one. An extreme sacrifice indeed. (Of course had Member McClure decided to attend WVF 2007 instead of attending to his wife, we would have easily recognized this as an action of equal valor). And to this year's runner up, the judges would like to see a little more effort next year and definitely less school trash talk.

And so it was as it is, September 16, 2007, by The Mystic Order of the Brigadoon Banjo Players

But what is the history, the legend, of our little friend. It is already becoming lost in murky depths of banjo-filled minds. This much we can agree upon.

Brigadoon, 2004. Our camp-neighbor, Nancy arrives early and is met by the few Brigadooners on-sight. After the various toasts to a fun-filled week, she returns to her mostly vacant campsite, returning several days later with a present to Brigadooners. Brigadooners present the award to Pat in honor of the fact that he did not cut his thumb off. (Standards for this award are pretty high.)

Brigadoon, 2005. A mystery! Who had the turtle, and when did they know they had the turtle? Dave is sure that he was the recipient. And what was the basis of the award? (Did he repeat Pat's prowess and fail to remove his thumb?) And "Good Old" Roy is sure that he had the award. But the question remains again - What significant act, matching or surpassing Pat's, did GOR perform?). The consequences of this dilemma loom large. Roy has received the award in '07. Is he a two-time turtle recipient, (a turtle two-timer?) And Dave, claiming a prior award - Is he trying to match the exploits of previous recipients, or is Trish just trying to claim that she had to dust around it for one year and should not have to do so again?)

Neighbor Bob Colloday, from the Brigadoon 'burbs and always quick to exploit an ensuing scandal, leaps into the fray: " would like to nominate the Honorable Christopher Hope as special independent counsel in this matter -- hither fore to be known as TurtleGate NO! BanjoGate NO TrophyGate! As almost a citizen I demand answers! Who knew what when?"

First witness called is Good Old Roy:, who is quick to testify: Well, to make it perfectly clear and for the record, I did not have sex with that turtle! GOR"

The next witness to testify was "Slick Dave" Schimming: I am convinced now that there was a year of Winfield that occurred but is not documented sometime between September 2004 and 2007"

The plot thickens. A call goes out for photos: The result- Nothing Under rigorous cross - examination, Good old Roy testifies Doubt if there is a picture; also there is a six minute lapse in the tape and what about the grassy knoll?

Using all of the tools at his disposal, Chris immediately appoints an independent investigator, and Pat returns quickly with his findings: Now we just need clarification as to what GOR defines as sex . As near as I can decipher from my 5-minute research, our little friend is most likely modeled after a common wood turtle, such as the Clemmys insculpta. I recommend we call 'her' Clementine. I suppose we could say that she is now GOR's "darlin' ?"

And so, with that mystery solved (or not) to everyone's satisfaction, we look to the events of . .

Brigadoon 2006 and review the events that drove the judges to award "Clementine" to Chicago Mike. Who else would come to Brigadoon with a banjo, leave his car window open, and return home with many? And we thought he was smart enough not to leave the window open. This lack of judgment was certainly worthy of the award.

And as part of the "Great Turtle Investigation", Dave realized that we have always awrded the Turtle to guys. Maybe this is because we have no women banjo players in Camp Brigadoon. Or maybe it is because the women have more sense to accept it. But us guys recognize that we have been very slow to recognize the part that our women members play in camp life. Dave's suggestion: Maybe we should be awarding the blue thong each year to one of the women folk for them to cherish and display until the next recipient is chosen. Not sure where you inscribe anything on a thong however.

This is an idea that has a lot of merit. However, as G-O-R points out, it will take additional study- .Dave, not only are you a great Scout, but you also have great ideas! Now what should be base of merit the recipient of The Maiden of the Blue Thong display thru out the year and during the week of Winfield, This might take some serious thought, or at least a shot of Butterscotch schnapps. G O Roy