You better give'em up and quick Or you'll be pushing up daisies -- Lonnie Mack

The Oreo Incident of 2013

You would be amazed at how many people fail, horrendously, at "getting it" here.... the big picture, the concept.... the true reason their IS an Ultimate Basement.

I believe it was the year 2009 when the Christian Rock band P.R.O.O.F. was performing here and they had an artist come paint a huge painting of what the artist felt as the concert was happening. They later presented me with the painting in thanks for what I was doing.

During the show, they announced that they were dedicating a song to me and The Ultimate Basement. It was called "shelter".

They got it. They understood The UB. 

They realized that we were NOT a music venue. We were NOT a game center. We were NOT a "business" worried about nickels and dimes.

We had kids walking to be here while "Mom and Dad were fighting again"......We are a place where you can come and be YOU without judgement or prejudice as long as you didn't hurt anyone else and were respectful.

We are a place where you can get away from the bad things out there.

One problem with being a "shelter" that people can run to when in need....

                                               ...sometimes the bad things that are chasing you will follow you here.

Before I go on... I want to remind you how proud I am that we have never, ever in over 6 years, had so much as a fistfight within the Ultimate Basement. Ever. *Knocks on wood*

That does NOT mean violence has never come TO our doorstep or been in our parking lot.... on more than a few occasions.

So it was last year... a summer evening, no bands scheduled that night. Pretty much no one was there so we were getting ready to shut the place down and leave for the night.

When out in the doorway there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bathroom to see what was the matter.

Away to the dance floor I flew like a flash,

Buckled my trousers and zipped up my sash.

The fluorescent lighting blinked their dull glow

Giving the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes had appeared,

But a miniature person, and five others he feared.

A young man had run for his life half across town to the only place he knew was open that late that would offer help to a kid (he wasn't even a older-teen).

Chasing him was another boy about his age wielding a knife. 

Behind HIM was a sister, parents and several others. ALL of whom were trying to get through my doors into the main room. We stopped them at the doorway while they tried to explain to me (all yelling at once) the situation.

I simply yelled back at them that I frankly did not give a damn what the situation was... THIS WAS NOT HAPPENING HERE!

Police were called and Spindale's finest responded rapidly and in large force with support from surrounding areas.

It was while the police were questioning one of the boys that I heard the reason behind the assault and ensuing chase across town....

The boy with the knife had woken up from his sleep only to find that someone had eaten all his Oreo cookies.... 

I have nothing left to say......