The Story of Baby Ricky

I would like to introduce you to "Baby Ricky".  He has been a part of my life for 22 years.  I found him in Barbados.  Or shall I say he found me?   While playing euchre with friends, he was seated on on easel just behind me.  I am quite sure he was passing along quantitive and qualitative information about my cards.  He became an intricate part of the daily euchre tournaments we held at our seaside villa.  Prior to leaving I photographed him.  On returning home, I had him blown up poster size and put him in a cheap plastic frame.  Over the years he has been given from friend to friend as a gift for  birthdays or anniversaries and house warmings.  Along the way he was placed on board, given some texture and a gilded frame to bring his likeness closer to that of the oil painting of his origin. 

The dates and signatures on the back  detail his travels.  He has been to Canada, Jamaica, and Russia.  He has traveled the US to Chicago, Gaylord Michigan, Florida, Georgia and made multiple stops throughout Ohio. He has many notable physical characteristics, such as non opposing thumbs, a receding hair line, and multiple chins.  He was aptly named after a friend back in the states who opted out of the Barbados trip. 

We are going to Italy in July....... Maybe "Baby Ricky" would like to see the Pope?