Saturday, May 8, 2010
The Highland Games
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Magpie Tales -13
Cholly was a good time guy. He always was solid for a drink and the dollies loved him. He wasn’t bad looking neither. He dressed a little too Italian for me but, y’know, some people go for those open necked shirts, gold chains and hairy chests. He always had a tan, no matter what time of year, and his teeth were sparkling white and perfect. All in all, Cholly was just about great for the front of the house.
By house, I’m talkin’ about my restaurant – Danny’s Steakhouse. We’ve been top of the heap in Delphi City for more years than I can remember. We got a great meat market in town and they give us top grade steaks, and our kitchen knows how to cook ‘em.
The bar runs great, the bartenders know what they’re doin’, we got a pretty great wine list and the drinks come out fast. The prices are moderate and everybody seems happy.
So what is my problem?
Well, it’s Cholly. Y’see he had an accident when he was a kid and he lost his left eye. One of those kid things, y’know, nothin’ to talk about really. But he ended up with a glass eye. It’s a really good one and hardly anybody ever notices it. But, y’know Cholly, he takes a drink or two through the night and sometimes more than that. Sometimes he just can’t help himself. His mouth gets the better of him, y’know.
Well, this big restaurant reviewer was in tonight and we all recognized him right away. ‘Course we didn’t let on we knew who he was but he got the best of the best from the kitchen. Appetizers, salad, entrĂ©e, side stuff, dessert, a couple of glasses of the old vino, I mean this guy was treated first class. We thought we had it in the bag, a great review and an upsurge in customers.
But then Cholly screwed the pooch. We knew the guy from the paper had noticed something different about Cholly. He had stopped by the guy’s table half a dozen times during the evening, checkin’ on his food and his wine and everything. And he’d done great. Until the guy paid his bill and got up to leave. He smiled at Cholly and said "a great evening, I’ll be back again."
And Cholly, with maybe one too many drinks under his belt, grinned and said "Great! I’ll keep an eye out for you!"
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You can read more from, I hope, much more talented writers at Magpie Tales.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
5 de mayo
When I realized the date, I hied myself to a restaurant currently called "Puerto Vallarta" for a Mexican lunch and a bottle of Dos Equis Amber. The BRD and SWMBO, by the way, were lunching at a Thai restaurant. No respect, I say.
Viva Mexico!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
At last
Monday, May 3, 2010
Calendar cat
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Magpie 12 - Death
Arrrrrgggghhhhh!!!/p>
I was swimming in the clear blue water off the Turks and Caicos islands, in the Caribbean. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining golden in the sky. The water was turquoise blue. The fish gliding by me were radiant in their color . . red, orange, green, gold, purple . . blazing in the light. It was amazing.
I swam through the water as through oil, just oozing through the sea, through the light, through the schools of fish. I was happy, ecstatic even.
And then.
Something grabbed my ankle. I tried kicking it free but the grip intensified. I looked down and saw the tentacles wrapping around my lower leg. I panicked. I kicked and thrashed in the water. As I did, my breathing intensified. My head moved violently in the water and as it did, my mask came off. As I fought the grasp on my leg, I gasped and water flowed into my mouth and my throat and my lungs. I tried to cough and this only made it worse as my mouth opened and the salty sea water entered my body.
And then.
I slowly began to feel relief as my mind scattered and I became calm.
My hands clutched at the light in the sky.
And it was over.
April Fool (continued)
Sunday, April 25, 2010
A Magpie Mystery
The only clue was a black wooden walking stick, capped with silver. There was engraving of some kind in the silver but it was impossible to determine what it said or what it meant. The stick had been left leaning against the the white-washed wall of the room. There was nothing else.
Montclair had lived in this room since arriving in St. Elys three weeks prior to his disappearance. He never left it in the daylight, only slipped out in the dark of night wearing a black trilby hat which matched in color the cape he also wore. No one really saw him leave or knew where he went. He was just a ghostly shadow passing by. Wherever he traveled, he was always back in his room by morning light.
His meals were left on a tray outside the door to his room and though no one saw him open the door, the empty and soiled dishes appeared back in the same place some time later.
This went on for three weeks. Then the food dishes weren’t picked up one day. The landlady knocked repeatedly on the door and called Mr. Montclair’s name but there was no answer. Finally, after calling the town constable to her establishment, the two of them unlocked the door and cautiously entered.
There was nothing. No sign that anyone had ever been living in the room. The only sign of anything out of the ordinary was that silver-capped walking stick leaning against one wall. Montclair was gone. With the exception of the walking stick he left behind it was as if he had never existed, never been there.
The landlady has kept the walking stick, waiting for its owner to return or to write or to call, asking for it. But all these years later, the request has never come. And the man in the cape and the hat known only as Montclair remains a mystery to this day.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Three score and ten!
I seem to be in considerably better health than he was at the time, though I do make do with a pacemaker to keep my heart beating and a plethora of prescription medicines, along with a handful of vitamin supplements, to keep everything else working. Of course, the drugs cause other problems . . like thin blood, swelling on the bottoms of my feet, a weakness in my right leg that usually prevents me from walking or standing for a period of time, some weird type of skin ailment that causes intense itching and red spots, and the like. But still, I am alive.
This comes as a great surprise to me and to many who have known me. I recall making contact with an old friend from my college days after some 40 years and her first comment was "My god, are you still alive?" SWMBO has been convinced for decades that either my smoking or drinking or other bad habits would cause me to succumb. I was pretty sure, as were my parents, that I would not survive an emergency operation for a ruptured appendix when I was around 12 or 13 years old. But still, after 70 years, I am alive.
What a wonder that is when so many friends and relatives have departed. One good friend left me less than a week ago.
So what advice can I give, now that I have reached an age where I can feel free to offer advice? Stay curious, see the doctor, take your pills, listen to your wife. If you smoke - stop. If you do all of these things, perhaps you will also make it to three score and ten and beyond. And you won't wind up looking like I do at this age.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
We asked for this!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Goldwater Country!
First, the Republican-dominated Arizona legislature passes a bill which the Governor signs, allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a permit or any training. Actually that followed an earlier bill which allows people to carry concealed weapons into bars and restaurants but states that they then can't drink alcohol.
Then, the Republican-dominated Arizona legislature passes a bill which the Governor signs, which states that people may carry concealed weapons without having a permit or any training in how to use such a weapon.
Then the Republican-dominated Arizona legislature passes a bill which the Governor has yet to sign which would make it a state crime to be in the country illegally and requires local law enforcement to determine an individual's legal status if there is reasonable suspicion that he or she is in the U.S. illegally. Arizona's current U.S. Senator and twice-failed presidential candidate, John McCain, who is locked in a tight primary race to make it back to Washington with a right-wing yahoo named J.D. Hayworth, endorses the bill as a "good tool" because he says the federal government isn't doing the job of protecting our border with Mexico.
And finally, the Republican-dominated Arizona House has passed a "birther" bill requiring the Arizona Secretary of State to verify the citizenship of U.S. presidential candidates! That one came from the mind of Representative Judy Burges of a tiny town called Skull Valley. Even the current Secretary of State, former Senate President Ken Bennett, said the bill is of questionable constitutionality.
Back in the day, former Republican Governor Evan Mecham rescinded the state's holiday for Martin Luther King and a boycott strained the state's finances for a year or so when Arizona became a national laughing stock. Mecham later was impeached.
There is a lot of talk about a boycott of Arizona once again, folks, and right now the state can't afford it!
I'm embarrassed. And Barry is shaking his head.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Goodbye, Reed
And this photo was taken of Reed and one of his proteges and greatest friends, Cindy Brown.
May you go well, Reed, and may we all live our lives as well as you did.
Mag 10
A diller, a dollar, a ten o’clock scholar!
What makes you come so soon?
You used to come at ten o’clock,
But now you come at noon.
What kind of Zen koan is that?
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Anniversaries
Today is their daughter's 25th birthday.
Yesterday was Jeanne's 5th anniversary of being free from breast cancer.
Both girl's are doing great.
What a treat!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Cell phones
Do you get my drift? I'm too old for this crap.
Monday, April 12, 2010
FDR
As I read a mention of the anniversary of his death, I began to think about the polarization in Washington that is currently said to be the worst ever in history. I say "not so." I can remember that in the Republican household in which I grew up, Roosevelt was considered little better than Satan. In my wife's household he was considered a Saint.
Likewise, in Abraham Lincoln's day the vitriol directed at him was sickening. He was portrayed in editorial cartoons as an uncivilized ape. Yet many admired him and he became perhaps the most beloved president of all time, by politicians and citizens of both parties.
I can understand that people of different persuasions can have differences with politicians of "the other party". What I can't understand is the outright hatred and the lies that people believe and spread.
We all need to calm down and try to think rationally.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
..and that's jazz!
I wish I could bring you the sounds but you'll just have to imagine it.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Mag 9
It was the 1950’s, a much simpler time. Or was it? I had gone to the dance with Johnny Jay, the captain of the football team. Johnny and I had been going together for about three weeks and I just knew it was true love and going to last forever.
Anyway, we were at the dance and Johnny said he was going to go get a soda and he’d be right back. Well, gee, he was gone for over half an hour! I was about to go looking for him when he finally came back. At first I was really glad to see him. But then I noticed something else.
"Lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you
Lipstick on your collar
Said you were untrue
Bet your bottom dollar
You and I are through
'Cause lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you."
"Oh, Johnny, how could you do this to me?"
"What?"
"You’ve been necking with another girl. There’s lipstick all over your collar."
"Huh? Oh, don’t you remember when we were in the car before we came in here? It got a little hot and heavy there and it was just you and me."
Well, a little flush went through me as I remembered that. I was about to forgive Johnny and apologize for accusing him. But then . . .
"You said it belonged to me
Made me stop and think
And then I noticed yours was red
Mine was baby pink
Who walked in but Mary Jane
Lipstick all a mess
Were you smoochin' my best friend
Guess the answer's yes!"
"Oh, Johnny! You’re just a liar! Go on and dance with Mary Jane, I’m going home!
With Karl, who’s been after me all night."
"Lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you
Lipstick on your collar
Said you were untrue
Bet your bottom dollar
You and I are through'
Cause lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you, boy
Told a tale on you, man
Told a tale on you, yeah."
=====================================
(With apologies to Connie Francis, who sang this song in the Fabulous 50’s!)
Jackie
Jackie was, and is, a legend as he kept his mouth shut and his volatile temper under control in the face of bigotry from his competition and even many of his fellow players. He also became one of the greatest players to ever don a uniform, especially famous for his base stealing feats, including stealing home.
Regrettably, complications of heart disease and diabetes brought Jackson's life to an end at the age of 53. But he will be remembered always by baseball fans.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Springing into color
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
A Guitar Hero
I ran across this video while doing a Google search on Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevie was one of those fantastic Texas musicians who come along once every once in awhile, that can make your hair stand on end. Take a look and listen.
Stevie died at the age of 35. Not of drugs. But because some dumbass helicopter pilot flew him into a hill in Wisconsin in the middle of the night.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Easter dinner
It's even better when coated with gravy, accompanied by dressing (not stuffing) and some delicious sweet potatoes.
Trust me. It was as delicious as it looks.Mag 8
Or is it a Phoenix Bird,
campfire?
I gaze at the scene,
unfolding its miniature terror,
and I wonder . . .
What bird is this?
And, Willow, thanks for driving me crazy with this prompt!