McMeel Gallery at Rockhurst University
by GoComics
On Thursday afternoon, John McMeel and I were invited to Rockhurst University to celebrate the opening of their new school building -- Pedro Arrupe Hall.
The building is a mix of state-of-the-art classrooms, faculty offices, art space (including a 500-seat auditorium), study areas, a coffee shop/cafe, etc. It's really a great place.
The coup d'etat, though, was the third floor. As we were being brought around by our student tour guide (btw, thanks to Katherine from Colorado and good luck in med school), she mentioned that the next area we would see had been one of the favorite parts of the building for the students thus far.
As we turned the corner, Viola!
There it was in the not-too-distant distance! The McMeel Gallery in all its ambient glory. It was then that I took a long pull on my Arnold Drummond (half iced tea, half buttermilk) and I started to think. And I mean, REALLY think. Not some "Oh I'll squint my eyes and pretend I'm an intellectual processing deep thoughts all the while I'm actually wondering what's next for that Harry Styles 'guy.'"
After that thinking was done, I walked over and beheld the McMeel Gallery: Watterson, Johnston, Trudeau, Peirce, Pastis, Amend, Wilson, Thompson, Guisewite, McGruder ... the list (not unlike this blog post) went on and on and on ...
Then I noticed a dynamic screen rotating through all the GoComics comics of the day! So wonderfully 21st-Century!
And then as I reached the end of the wing, a simple (but timeless) message:
All of it was so great. All of it pulled off by the one-and-only Lee Salem. Truly a day to be remembered!
As John McMeel and I walked through the parking lot back to the car after the event, I could see a single tear running down his cheek.
Me: "There's no shame in being emotional. The McMeel Gallery is something to be proud of."
JPM: "I know that. It's just ... it's just ... I put my wine down and someone else grabbed it, when I went to get more, they told me the bar was closed."
As the sun set in the distance, we knew it was time to go home.
