Author: Christina Leatherman

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Q and A: Chris Robinson

Robert “Chris” Robinson became a “sign-holder” for the Little Caesars at Park and Mendenhall with one clear goal: to make money. The job was simple: Stand on the street corner, hold the sign, and move some pizza. Once Robinson hit the streets, according to one manager, he became “the best sign-holder” they’ve ever had.

By angling the sign across his body, wedging one side under an arm, and fiercely strumming its front, he fashioned an air guitar. Robinson then cranked up the volume on his mp3 player and began rocking out, giving countless commuters a memorable — albeit wholly unexpected — ride home.

Robinson’s act has made him a local celebrity. As blogs sing his praises and word-of-mouth directs drivers to East Memphis to see him for themselves, Little Caesars is reaping the profits — and loving every minute of it.

— by Christina Leatherman

Flyer: What’s with the air guitar?

Robinson: If I just stood out there and did nothing, that would be pretty boring. I have to do something to make things fun for myself.

I got out there and I was like, wait … here’s a sign with two holes. I could put my hand here. And that was it.

Have you ever caused a traffic accident or hurt someone else while on the job?

I’ve never hurt anybody else. … Sometimes, my friends will ride by and I’ll mess with them. You know, I might kick over their heads when they’re not looking. A couple of times I’ve fallen over!

I know you don’t reveal your work music, but Who are your musical inspirations?

Well, if I told you that, then you would know what I’m listening to …

I mean, like, heavy metal or …

Well, it’s not like I’m listening to classical out there. [It’s] basically anything with a guitar.

What about more classic rock: Pink Floyd or Metallica?

Okay, I’m gonna go ahead and spill it — just for you. I love Metallica. Most of the stuff on my mp3 player is Metallica.

Could you do this without your mp3 player?

I could, but boy, would I think I was crazy!

Every single guy on the planet at some point in their life has played air guitar, whether they admit it or not. Usually, when I see someone make fun of me, I just get out there and play even harder. If I stop, they win.

Has anybody ever thrown anything at you?

One guy threw an orange soda at me! I had to block it with my sign, but it was funny. I’ve done some pretty crazy things out there.

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The Sanctuary

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

You have to see the Sanctuary to believe it. But first you have to find it. The store is nestled behind Exline’s Pizza in Bartlett, not the kind of place you’d normally expect to find a New Agey center for “body, mind, and spirit.” But the Sanctuary has a devoted and growing clientele — customers who return again and again for the classes and conversation that season the space. A resident black cat named Flora Adora drapes herself on countertops and wanders from one lap to the next. People sit in clusters, awaiting ear-candling or essential-oil treatments, exchanging advice and insight.

The shelves are lined with an array of crystals, herbs, and literature — tools for the path toward mental, physical, and spiritual equanimity.

“The crystals are used for a lot of different things,” says Sanctuary owner Mary Ellen Smith (pictured). “They transmit energy just like a quartz that’s used in a radio, so they can be used for healing. They can be used to direct energy, to help you focus your own energy. It’s subtle energy work; that’s what it’s called.”

The collection of herbs in the Sanctuary is particularly eye-catching — jars of many shapes and sizes containing crushed and whole ingredients.

“The herbs are used for all kinds of things — teas, primarily,” explains Smith. “I make eye pillows and neck wraps. The herbs make a moist heat and work not only if you ingest them, but also if you apply them to your skin, particularly if you have the properties of lavender. It’s an anti-spasmatic. So, if you have tight muscles, not only does the heat feel good, the aromatherapy is also therapeutic.”

Essential oils are also popular here. I was fortunate enough to receive a treatment by Annette Chaffee, who used a combination of oils and chakra (the body’s central points of energy) manipulation to alleviate my stubborn back pain. Although my relief was only temporary, the experience was fascinating and Chaffee seemed knowledgeable about the relationship that pain shares with stressors in life.

“Essential oils are similar to herbs, but essential oils are more of the living essence. They’re stronger,” says Smith.

“We talk about the mind, body, and spirit connection, and I feel really strongly that this natural stuff is so much better for us,” says Smith. “But to me, that’s part of the spirit — going back to how it was originally intended to be. This doesn’t have anything to do with religion, and that’s something that people in Memphis really don’t seem to understand.”

Misinterpretation of the Sanctuary’s purpose may deter some potential customers, but Smith wants people to understand that the services and products she offers have nothing to do with the dark arts or anything anti-religious.

“People who come in have been of all faiths, and I’ve been really pleased with that. Where I was raised, in central New York, being psychic didn’t mean that you wore a turban that smelled like incense,” says Smith. “It meant that you had a really good relationship with your intuition. And some people have different levels. I believe that everybody’s psychic, really.”

Smith says there are ways to sort out legitimate psychics from money-grubbing posers.

“If someone wants to charge money to help you, to pray for you, or to remove black energy or dark energy or something like that, then people should run, not walk, away,” Smith advises. “But the really good readers read the energies that are around you and help you to make your best decisions. A psychic will never tell you what to do regarding a situation. And so, people can prayerfully consider that — just as much as the advice that they get at church.”

The real incentive for visiting the Sanctuary should be meeting Smith. Her desire to help people seek and find unity in mind, body, and spirit is obviously genuine.

“People should know that if they want to find something that’s just a little different, this is where to go,” says Smith. “I want there to be a central place, so even if I don’t have what they want to explore or learn about, I can direct them.”

Of course, Bartlett’s not exactly a central place, but a journey to the Sanctuary may put you on a better path to your own center. ●

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News The Fly-By

A Matter of Force

“I’m going to try to convince you. … It’s a very strange universe that you live in. It only seems reasonable,” says Mike Ospeck cryptically.

The biophysicist and University of Memphis professor is speaking about the “mysterious uncertainty principle,” an idea that says there are parts of the universe that cannot ever be completely known. But Ospeck and his colleagues at the university’s annual Physics Day are trying to make one small part of the universe known — the U of M’s physics department, to be exact — to some 200 area high school students and teachers.

Each year, students from a variety of schools across the city, including White Station, Craigmont, MUS, and Hutchison, hear short lectures, see demonstrations, and tour the campus’ science facilities during the free seminar.

Joan Schmelz, a physics professor and astronomer at the U of M, kicks off the day with a discussion of black holes — a phenomenon that she says has wide appeal among students. It was Schmelz who first suggested the idea for Physics Day over 10 years ago. Her pitch for the program was successful, and the rest is history.

“Part of it is a recruitment effort for the department,” Schmelz says of Physics Day. “Part of it is outreach to bring more civics to the community.”

The event is tailored to students who might be interested in a physics career path but does not exclude students with their eyes on engineering or related fields. Every year, Schmelz gets feedback from teachers to increase the availability of the program to as many students as possible. This year, every seat in the Manning Hall lecture room is full.

John Hanneken, an associate professor of physics, tries to answer a very real-world question: “What can you do with a physics degree?” Dispelling the perceptions that all physicists are geniuses or that they always become teachers, Hanneken cites a survey that says a student’s success in medical school can be predicted according to how well they do in their undergraduate physics classes. He also points out that physicists ranked 15th for highest incomes on a 2001 Occupational Employment Statistics Survey.

At the end of the day, physics professor Robert Marchini leaves students with more than their college career to ponder. Using several well-known principles, he gives students a glimpse at how basic physics is used by magicians to fool audiences.

“Both magic and science are systematic ways of learning about nature and controlling nature,” Marchini says.

For one of his tricks, Marchini selects a female volunteer. As the students scramble out of their seats to get a closer look, Marchini reveals a bed of nails. After his volunteer has touched one of the nails, assuring the other students of its sharpness, Marchini cautiously lays down on the bed. A tense moment or two passes, but Marchini shows no sign of discomfort. When he asks the girl to stand on his chest, her reluctance is clear — though she does as instructed, much to the delight of the audience.

When Marchini stands up, the audience can see the individual impressions of nails on his back, but the skin has not been broken. Marchini’s demonstration proves the principle of force per unit area: When weight is distributed over many nails, the force exerted on a single nail is dramatically reduced. “I contend that we live in a society that believes more in magic than it does in science,” Marchini says. “All I’m asking of all of you is to maintain a healthy skepticism.”

By the end of the day, students have learned about black holes and biophysics, pyschokinesis and astronomy, and how an interest in those areas might just pull them toward a career.