Another Day At Visual Imagination

Thanks to today’s nasty Midwest weather, American Airlines flight #3442 from Kansas City to Dallas and then on to Santa Ana, Calif., departed without me. The roads between Peculiar, Mo.—the home of the famed Visual Imagination powerboat graphics shop—and the airport are loaded with black ice. Missouri transportation-safety officials are advising folks to avoid driving unless it’s absolutely necessary.

The man behind Visual Imagination, Mark Morris is the subject of the next “In The Lead” video series episode produced by Speed On The Water and Scrapyard Media. Photos courtesy Scrapyard Media

So seat 16D, an exit-row aisle perch, opened up. I can only hope some other business traveler with a lot of work to do during the flight nabbed it.

On most work trips, an unexpected extra night on the road annoys me. But in this rare case, I’m grateful for the delay. Because it means I have one more night to hang out with Visual Imagination founder and owner Mark Morris, his wife, Laura, and their four manic shelties at their lovely home.

I came here with Scrapyard Media’s Brad DiMaggio and Bobby Boyd to handle interviews with Morris for an upcoming “In The Lead” series video, which should air later this month on the Speed On The Water YouTube channel. As a longtime Visual Imagination fan, I expected to be intrigued by Morris. People who create at his level don’t just fascinate me. They are my heroes.

Scenes from a video shoot.

But what I didn’t expect was to fall in love with Mark and Laura Morris. They have taken DiMaggio, Boyd and me into their home—and let’s just say it’s a smidge more comfy than the local Hampton Inn—as if we are family. Between inhaling life-changing Kansas City barbecue last night with them and battling on their downstairs pool and ping-pong tables, it’s been a delightful couple of days.

Another night with the gracious couple is something to cherish. Plus, it will give me one more chance to prove something to Morris, who like me is a touch competitive.

That I am the real ping-pong king.