The Mural

Around 1978, an old friend of my dad and mine, Albert Gerecht

invited my family and me down to his summer home near

Warrensburg, Missouri about an hours drive from Kansas City.

Al wanted me to paint a science fiction mural on his family room

wall.

For several decades, Al and his wide Doris (lovely folks) owned

and operated The Tax and Insurance Gallery in Kansas City. Both

art lovers, Al had a particular fondness for sci-fi.

That year I wound up owing the Feds over three-hundred dollars

in income taxes. I didn’t make a lot of money at my job. I suppose

my employer failed to withhold enough of my salary to cover the

taxes.

Well, I didn’t have enough funds to pay what I owed, so Al offered

to give me the money in exchange for painting a sci-fi mural on

his summer home family room wall. My family and I also got several

days vacation in a trailer home Al and Doris had on their 40-acre

property. Such a deal!

Al loved the mural so much he wrote a glowing letter to Roy Kroc,

founder and then chairman of McDonald’s extolling my talent,

suggesting he hire me to do murals for his worldwide hamburger

conglomerate. Needless to say that deal never materialized, but

all was in fun, and I paid Uncle Sam his due. Ray Kroc also got

a kick out of Al’s flattering proposal.

Accompanying this writing are a couple of black and white photos

of the mural I painted for Al and Doris way back when. I took the

pic in color, but time had faded the colors considerably.

Al and Doris are gone now having lived into their nineties. But as

long as I live, our enduring friendship and fond memories will remain

ever vividly colorful for me.

                                                 -30-

Chris Hanch 7-2-2023