Skip to main content

Aardvarks on steroids

"How much can I git for a dolla?" Man, if I had a dime for every time I heard that one! I was just thinking about the summer I spent with Uncle Travis. He was a strange man, physically and socially. However, I had six weeks I'll never forget. Uncle Travis was born with one leg six inches shorter than the other. Now that was no big deal in most cases, but when he got excited or angry he tended to go in circles. He was an ice cream truck driver. Travis' Treats - Frozen confections you love to eat! That was his slogan right there on the side of his truck. Now Uncle Travis was not a fancy man, nor was he wealthy. He blew all his money on the cock fights every Saturday night - but that is another story. Travis did not stand on a lot of ceremony. His ice cream truck was basically a pickup truck with a plywood building on the back. He never put in refrigeration, so he used a lot of ice and dry ice to keep things frozen. All the kids knew Uncle Travis would start going in circles if they made him mad. So, being kids they would do their best to infuriate him every chance they would get. Almost every day, some kid would be elected by the others to not pay for his ice cream. That was sure to get Travis riled up. He would start sputtering and wobbling on that longer leg and the fun would begin. The kid would run, and Uncle Travis would head after him. If the kid timed it right and waited until he was seeing red, Uncle Travis would have trouble even getting out of the truck. Soon he would be spinning like a top on that short leg with us all splitting our sides watching. Good times. Now Uncle Travis did help me with one of my first pets. After the loss of Steve, the monkey, to the freak skiing accident; I had wanted another pet. (for the Steve saga, see here - http://justsomeposts.blogspot.com/2008/04/even-more-memories.html) Uncle Travis helped me pick out one. We went to the flea market and got a Brazilian hedgehog. At least that is what the guy at the flea market said. I always thought it was just a hairy rat. I called him Grover. Grover was pretty cool, whether he was a real Brazilian hedgehog or not. I kept him for the rest of the summer. He was my going away meal. Grover roasted up real good. I will leave you with this thought - Do concert musicians get pianist envy?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Our Guv'ment

Section 8 - Powers of Congress The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises , to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; To borrow money on the credit of the United States; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States; To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States; To establish Post Offices and Post Roads ; To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings a...

Fame is Fleeting and some bug stuff

Well I am writing this from the scene of one of my latest moments of glory - the Comfort Suites in Colonial Heights, Va. For those of you that do not take notes of all my achievements - that was the hotel where I was (drum roll please - ) Guest of the Day about a month ago. I drove up (and parked in the Platinum Elite member space - I might add) gathered my goodies and headed in. I thought of pulling a hat down over my head and putting my collar up to hide from the photographers and autograph fans, but I had no hat and the crowds just were not really a problem. I ambled to the front desk and it was the same girl! Surely here the recognition would reign! But as I approached her I glanced to the reader board - the same reader board that not so long ago was praising me as Guest of the Day! I staggered a bit under the realization that there was another name on MY sign! Then it hit me - Guest of the Day! I had lived my glorious 24 hours and now it was time to move on. OH WOE IS ME. I curse ...

I now pronounce you..HOT! Part 2

If you have not done so, the correct way to do this is to read part 1 first. See below.. I was discussing the heat and the fact I was in a suit. 95 degrees may not seem like that big a problem to those not trying to live in it. Take my word, it is HOT, especially when dressed for much cooler weather and spending time in a building with no A/C. My son and I arrived with the portable A/Cs about 3:00 as planned. I had asked said son to stop and pick up two plug adapters due to the fact that I did not remember seeing ground plug holes on the outlets when we inspected the building earlier in the week. Of course, he did not. So we arrived at the chapel and unloaded the A/Cs and saw - the plugs would not work. He headed for the store and I started to place and prepare the A/Cs. It is now 3:45, my son is not back, the A/Cs are placed but have not been checked, airflow aimed, or even verified to work as I have no way to plug them in. A quick call determines he is almost back. A few moments l...