Like my brother, my friend from high school Willie, and I did in 2000, my other brother Sam and my sister Carrie just ran the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Sam and Carrie are both studying in Cannes right now and—after urging from my dad—took the train down to Pamplona a couple of days ago to run.This morning I got a call from my brother Jacob, with whom I ran in 2000.
"Dude," he said. "I think I found a picture of Sam on this San Fermin [the official name of the Running of the Bulls festival] website."
I went to the website, checked it out and, sure enough, there's Sam, a terrified-looking face in the crowd. We weren't entirely sure it was Sam, but later on my dad found another picture that proved it. If you want to see the pictures (unfortunately the pics are in some sort of flash loop, and I can't pull them out for posting here), do the following:
Go here and click on the far-right image of the second row of pictures from the top. That's Sam at the top center of the picture, just to the right of the guy with his back to the camera, wearing a white shirt that looks like it has bloody gore-marks on it. Sam is wearing a red bandanna and sash, and has a rolled newspaper in his right hand (yeah, I know, like everyone else in the picture, but still).
Also go here and click on the far-right picture of the top row for the incontrovertible evidence: That's Sam's face, looking hilariously terrified, in the bottom-right of the picture. I remember that face. I made it back in 2000. One thing that people don't tell you about the Running of the Bulls: It's not fun. I mean, it is before, and it is after, but while you're in the middle of it you're just like Oh shit what in god's name have I gotten myself into, and trying not to get killed.
No pictures of Carrie running are as yet extant. Apparently the locals frown on women running, but hopefully she did it anyway. And for those of you perhaps worried for my brother and sister, worry not: This morning my dad got a quick email from them. The email read:
From: Samuel SlatonWell done Sam and Carrie.
Date: Sat, Jul 12, 2008 at 9:58 AM
Subject: pops
To: Dave Slatonwe made it! at an expensive internet cafe right now, so i will let you know more when we get back to cannes. french keyboards are terrible. we love you!scram and carrie
4 comments:
Way to go Scram and Carrie! Now all of the Slaton kids have lived through it to run again another day!
Looking at that second picture of Scram, and at the street and buildings and people on balconies above, it just really makes me want to be back there.
Or just out there somewhere.
Nicely done.
Excellent!
Side note: If you look at the second picture, (closer shot of Scram's hilarious face) there is a wonderfully huge ass-crack to the left. Specifically, if you locate the gentleman at the bottom center of the page with a long-sleeved red shirt, go directly left and up a bit...BOOM! Ass-crack.
Maybe one day I'll grow the balls like you, Hunter, Jacob, Scram and...well, not Carrie to run with those beasts....but I doubt it.
Next year: the entire Slaton crew.
Hi, Hunter...didn't know about this site until I googled you. Just thinking about family, thinking of you, of the past, of the years and how quickly they pass. In amazement that yours is the only diaper I've ever changed. Amazed that your mother allowed me to care for you when Jacob was born, and even more amazed I didn't cause you irreparable damage. Love you lots.
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