The Balloon Man of Kovallam
In 1994, my brother and I had Christmas in Kovalam, just south of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala as a break from our 5 month railway trip round the perimeter of India. One of the most memorable sights was the Balloon Man of Kovalam. He was a long-term guest in the Guest House we stayed at, and was a very tall, forbidding American who looked just like Kilgore from Apocalypse Now, and was reputed to be a vietnam vet living on his disability pension writing reams and reams of weird poetry about numerology, death and Hindu mythology.
Every evening, just before sundown, the Balloon Man (real name: Buck) would stand on a rock on the seashore, facing the horizon, and inflate balloons and release them, while chanting and singing. Sometimes, he would tuck a long balloon into the back of his shorts like a tail, and scamper around like Hanuman, much to the delight of the local children who followed him around adoringly.
I gave him my address and he sent me 3 or 4 self-published books of poetry and doodling; last I heard he’d left India and was in Prague. Here he is on Christmas Day, 1994:
27 Responses to “ The Balloon Man of Kovallam ”
Bruce,
Thanks for the quick reply. I didn’t know if you would notice the posting. Buck’s story is more than I could possibly type in this box, but your version of the “Balloon man” chapter matches exactly with the photos that I have and of the stories from Buck. I particularly enjoyed your comment about “reams and reams” of Buck’s writing. You are exactly right. His full name is John D. “Buck” Wray. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Army.
I have Buck’s self-published books, too (in another house, but I have them). Thanks for the offer to send yours. Interesting stuff, huh? Your thoughts have to be in a special place just to get your head around it. And, even then it is a challenge sometimes.
You may find it interesting that the professional skateboarder, Jeremy Wray, is also Buck’s son (my brother). Just do a web search for “Jeremy Wray skateboard interview” and you will get some good links. Our other brother Jonas was a pro skater for several years, as well. I went the business route, instead. Buck re-married a German woman and has another son, Timothy.
Buck’s travels took him all over the world to, as I put it - not him, find the meaning to life. I think that he found deeper questions more often than answers. I have heard many of the incredible stories from other people about my dad.
Buck has great stories about the Indian government kicking him out due to his writings and how he came back to India anyway. He had a run-in with a gang in Taiwan that took everything, then he used his connections to get some of the cash value back from the gang. After doing the “run with the bulls” in Spain and getting drunk at the party afterwards, he passed out while cooking eggs in a tent (that later caught fire) and the local forest ranger pulled him out of the burning tent by his ankles. Since Buck still didn’t wake up, he pinned a note to Buck telling him to come to the ranger station as soon as he did. When the ranger came back to yell at Buck for not coming to the station all day, he realized that Buck had just woken up.
I am glad that you enjoyed your Christmas exchange with Buck in India. He made contact with countless people and it would be a whole lot of fun if more people had their experience documented as you do. If you know anyone with a lot of money that wants to chase down a great story, this would be a fun one (with a tragic/mystery ending, or is it…).
If you still have them, it would be great to get some high-resolution versions of your photos of Buck that I can share with the family. If you don’t mind, I would love to get them directly via email.
Thanks again and take care, Jaz Wray
as Buck would often close - Love and Lightning!
Wow. What a fantastic story. I feel priviledged just to have heard it. If anyone does put any of his writings online, I’d love to have chance to read them.
It’s totally bizarre and totally fascinating to come across people (or in my case, just stories of them) who’ve just chosen to live for a while their way, and do what feels right to them, regardless of anyone else.
It’s a shame the rest of us get caught up in the rat race.
greetings bruce…my name is mark antony wray. buck is my brother. i had no idea this site existed, and am delighted to find it…quite by mistake. thank you for remembering my brother and yours in this honorable way. buck transitioned worlds at my home in old hickory, tennessee july 10th, 1997. he lived with me and my family for a period of time, and it was indeed a blessing to care for my brother in his final days on this earth. it was even a greater honor to celebrate and honor his transition from this world to the next. buck’s ceremony before cremation was as mystical as he, and several who attended the midnight ceremony saw the “light” descend upon his body and rise through the ceiling, after which buck’s mortal remains sang like thousands of crystals in harmony. i alone remained for the duration of the cremation, and when it was finished i assisted the undertaker in sifting through buck’s bones and ash. what i found was astounding…a crystal jewel encrusted with tiny bits of buck’s ashen bones. i presented the jewel to buck’s first born son…jaz. the undertaker asked me, “doesn’t it creep you out a bit to be picking through your dead brothers burned up bones”? to which i proudly answered, “this is my brother. i love him, and no…he is not dead…he LIVES!!”
at buck’s final memorial service in oklahoma, where his mortal remains are laid to rest with our father, grandfather, and grandmother, i told a story about one night when buck and i were little boys playing with our fathers high power beam lantern shining it in the night sky. i told the people assembled that just because the light goes out in this world it doesn’t mean that the light has stopped! NO, quite the contrary. buck’s light was now one of those bright beams shooting through the heavens on his eternal quest of a new port to sail into and explore.
thank you bruce for honoring my brother.
best…mark antony wray
hey bruce….mr wray…well, OK…if you must, but my name IS mark if you would prefer. since you spent time around buck, with buck, and have read and own copies of his books you should know that buck did not believe in ownership of created works, as the only real true owner was the CREATOR of all. buck had come to the point in his life where he saw most everything for the man made, hubris infested, manufactured bullshit that it was. he did not have much affinity toward copyright laws. like our native american brothers in the midwest of the US where we grew up buck believed everything creative belonged to everyone.
now, all that being said, in some respect he was still a capitalist bastard like the rest of us…even the dishonest f*%ks who still call themselves communists and fascists for the sole purpose of being perminant CEO’s of their own multinational business interests…well anyhow, buck felt like his ramblings, musings, and wisdom should be made available free of charge to anyone who wished to copy and distribute a purchased or gifted copy…all or in part…with the idea being kept in mind who penned it, and if you began to make some money off of it throw a little change his way to honor him who brought the CREATORS work into this mortal coil for your enjoyment or edification.
since buck has transitioned this life, and if any proceeds are generated through the publishing of his works, the only thing i ask is that buck always be credited with text, and his children receive some fair share of any profit generated through commercial sale or monetary donation toward his work…otherwise, buck’s books are FREE to copy and distribute in the realm of no commercial value. BUT, if someone begins to make money off of the writings, then his four boys should receive buck’s rememberance kickback. OK, that’s it…digitize and post away!
love and lightning bruce!
peace…mark antony wray
Bruce,
I have most of Buck’s works available electronically. I would be glad to send them to you so you could post these books in a manner that may be available for people to search for on the internet.
Mark is right on with Buck’s opinion of copyright laws. I recall that some of Buck’s books even indicate that they should be copied and distributed freely without restriction.
Please let me know what email address you would like me to use to send the electronic files. Each story is a different file, so I will send them grouped in ZIP files.
You may have noticed that Mark is a year off on Buck’s passing. It was 2006 (I was living in New Mexico at the time and in 2007 I was only in Southern California, Phoenix and Dallas). Mark - you lost a year somewhere along the way! The 10th anniversary of Buck’s passing was earlier this year. I gave a speech the week of his 10 year anniversary titled “sunset” that ended with the poem that I wrote on the day of Buck’s passing. Here is the poem:
Buck’s Last Day
Beautiful day.
Thunderstorm rolled in this evening.
Poured everything it had; lightning,
flash flooding, ground shaking thunder.
And then, sunlight.
The ground still flooded,
the clouds broke for one of the most
beautiful sunsets of all time.
Every color imaginable hangs in the sky.
The spectacular site reflected
in the flooded streets.
Thunder, lightning, and
black and yellow storm clouds
loomed on the other horizon.
What an amazing night.
This morning, my father took his own life.
What an amazing night.
Just Love,
Jaz Wray 7-10-96
How bizarre, how bizarre. Somehow fate has also led me to this site. I am Buck’s former step-sister Sue. Just wondering if any of those writings were ever published? Thanks for your little tribute to Buck 
Wow!!!…This is indeed one of those fine moments upon the tickling of the Golden Thread of the universe; Sue Cameron!…This is nearly as amazing as my being able to find you after 30+ of no contact to inform you of Buck’s passing. This is a really cool thing Bruce has done isn’t it Sue. If you get this, my email addy is allstarcaps@aol.com. I’d love to hear from you.
Sue, I am glad that you found this site. I still haven’t sent the electronic copies of the stories, but I have them collected on one computer back in Arizona. I am in Washington DC this week but return to Phoenix on Sunday. Keep an eye out on this site for posting information to Buck’s stories. They are a wild adventure, just like his life. I hope that you are well and would be like to be in touch with you some time. What part of the country do you live in, Sue? Love and Lightning, Jaz
Unless there is another Buck Wray, I was in the Army with him in 1971. We were at Fort Benjamin Harrison together and spent a great deal of time over aperiod of about 3 months. We lost track of each other after we went our seperate ways, but I have always remembered him. if it’s the same Buck, he was from (Drumright?) Oklahoma. I was thinking of him and went looking on the Internet to see if i could him. His story is fascinating but I’m not surprised. it all sounds like him. I may have a picture at home with him in it. I’ll look for it.
Rich,
You have the right Buck! I am his oldest of 4 sons. I would love to get some of your stories about Buck and share them with the family.
I received notice of your posting on my BlackBerry while riding in the back of a car in Mexico City. I am still in the car on our way to dinner.
I am working at a trade show in Mexico City this week, will be in Cancun this weekend to conduct a product demonstration, then off to Los Angeles, CA, for two days then to Vegas for another trade show before returning to my home and family in Arizona.
I am glad that you found “Buck” and sorry for you to learn that he is no longer with us. You can email me directly at jazwray@aol.com.
Love and Lightning from Mexico (and the back of a car).
-Jaz Wray
I knew Buck. We were at Fort Benjamin Harrison together in 1971. We hung out together for the better part of 3 months. I lost track of him and often wondered where he might be. i decided to do a Web search ( on a whim one day ) and I found this sight.
Greetings!
The Kemper Corps of Cadets and the Eternal Corps of Cadets send our greetings to the family and friends of Buck Wray. Buck was a devoted son of Kemper Military School who demonstrated that leadership and creativity are not mutually exclusive.
Buck is remembered fondly by his classmates many of whom are members of Echo Company, Kemper Military School. Buck has been nominated for posthumous membership to Echo Company where he will join such distinguished others as Will Rogers, F T Kemper, and Colonel T A Johnston.
You can visit Echo Company at http://www.echocompany.org
Warmest Regards,
ECHO COMPANY STAFF
Kemper Military School
1518 Kaby Avenue
Crivitz, WI 54114
(715) 854-7555
This page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Wray
awaits your attention; but please remember that releasing balloons is now recognised as being harmful to wild and domestic anmials:
enjoyed the article-
Bill Wheeler, Vincennes, IN
Kemper 1971
I went to high school with Buck in Oilton, OK. Even as a young man, Buck was unique. He was a good friend, always ready with a quick witt and laugh. I talked to his brother, Mark, not long ago on Facebook. I had no idea about the life Buck had lived after high school, so finding this site is exciting in that it gives me a peek into the man he became. Thank you for allowing us this experience.
These photos are almost identical to ones I took at Kovalam in December 2004. I remember being on the beach when ‘balloon man’ did his thing, with the kids following in hot pursuit. It was weird, wacky and somehow very touching. It’s been good to find out some more about Buck through this website.
Paul McKeown, Aberdeen, Scotland.
I went to Oilton High School as well as some grade school too. with Buck Wray. I also have a brother , Gary Young ,who was in our class, P.S.[I was put back a grade in 1st grade because of an illness ,so my brother caught up with me in grade school } everyone thought we were twins lol! but we are not !.Anyway I remember Buck as a very interesting kid and very witty with a daredevil smile lol! I was very saddened to hear of his passing . He led qite an interesting life from what I gather just from this site. I would myself love to read his stories if I can find the site.and I will pass on the info to my brother, gary who calls his own son “Buck” too. - his real name is Gary Don JR. Well, That is my 2 cents . RIP BUCK Love and Lightning . your classmate , Donna YOUNG
I used to visit my grandparents in Oilton and ran around with Buck in the summers. Some of the greatest memories of my early teen years. I would like to contact the family to share memories of Oil Drum, Twister, OSU football game, riging motorcycles, sand surfing the sandhills, or Spook Hill.
What a great guy. I am sorry I lost communication with him.
Regards
Mike Smith from Kansas.
(Sometimes you called me “Christmas”)
I have only just now become aware of this website. I am Buck’s step-sister and we were the same age. I haven’t heard from any family in years. I want to thank you for remembering my brother in your memoirs, and after reading people’s comments I feel fo sad to have lost contact with those who knew him and were close to him. Thanks again , Vikki Cameron Jett
Hi Vikki!…Like so many of us you had no idea this site existed in honor of buck. This guy Bruce Lawson is quite unique. So many people have asked about you girls over the years, but I have not known where any of you ended up…other than Sue living in Ireland. We would all (family and friends) love to be able to reconnect with you. This Memorial day weekend Oilton hosted a town reunion, and it happened to be the class reunion for you and Buck as well. I can’t tell you what an awesome experience it was reconnecting with people I have not seen in over 40 years. I would love to hear from you Vikki. My email address is
allstarcaps@aol.com Please email if you care to, and I will put you in touch with many friends who’d like to hear from you.
All The Best…Mark Antony Wray
Hey Bruce,
How very cool. Someone sent this link to my mom yesterday. I’m not sure how they found it or how they knew that the “Buck” mentioned was my dad. I had not seen this page before. Buck Wray (passed away in 1996) was my dad. We had seen photos and heard Buck’s stories about his role as the “Balloon man.” He even made business cards.
If you have any other stories about Buck, I would love to hear them and will share them with the rest of the family.
Thanks, Jaz Wray