It's A Strange World Master Jack

"It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack
You taught me all I know and I'll never look back
It's a very strange world and I thank you, Master Jack"

In 1968, Four Jacks and A Jill, a South African folk rock group had a hit song in the United States, Master Jack.

"You took a colored ribbon from out of the sky
And taught me how to use it as the years went by
To tie up all your problems and make them look neat
And then to sell them to the people in the street"

When I married Denny in 1968 and moved to Des Moines, I got to know some of his friends. One of his good friends was Jack Porter, pictured above in the black sweater.  I don't remember how they became friends in West Des Moines where Denny taught, but I do remember Jack's dad was a Des Moines fireman and when the city passed a rule that their fire department members had to live within the Des Moines city limits, the family moved from West Des Moines to Des Moines' South side.

These pictures were taken after we moved to the acreage the day before Kari was born. That is Denny in the white shirt and my son, Doug, in between them. At the time Jack was working for the Des Moines Planning and Zoning Department. His boss rented the farm house just down the road from us. I remember going to one of their New Year's Eve parties - a very fun time.
Later Jack became a DM city council member. He and his wife moved into the childhood home of famed pianist, Roger Williams, in the Sherman Hills neighborhood.

I do not remember the name of Jack's friend who came with him, only that he was Hawaiian. Nor can I remember why we were sitting on the living room floor eating fondue instead of sitting at the dining room table.

But I do remember how we referred to Jack as Master Jack because of the song. Doug might remember Master Jack, but I don't know if Kari and Preston do.

"You taught me all the things the way you'd like them to be
But I'd like to see if other people agree
It's all very interesting the way you disguise
But I'd like to see the world through my own eyes

It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack"