Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Tornados and my first Love

I think I was always a little romantic and maybe it was because of my mom.  Now don't jump to conclusions because I guarantee you will be wrong.  Mom was one of the most persistent and hard working folks you will ever know, even today (another story). 


She ironed everything and I think she put starch in my underwear because she wanted everything to be neat.  Come to think of it they were a little itchy and Aunt Peggy Heath (Jimmy's aunt as well) always told me to stop scratching my butt (I would not have used that word but-t-t-t- it was the truth).  Anyway Mom really did iron and starch my sheets and t-shirts, shirts and bluejeans.  And now you are wondering how that relates to tornadoes and my first love. 

Well Mom ironed everyday at about noon when "The Edge of Night" came on.  She didn't watch much TV and in fact you couldn't if you wanted to because we only got two stations, 2 and 6.  I was jealous of the Snyder's and the Heath's because they got channel 5.  And as a side note that is why I have emotional issues today since I never got to see HoHo the Clown, just kidding. 

Ok here is a side story again.  I have this friend named Jim Hampton who does insurance for a lot of folks and in particular group insurance with his company, Birchall and Hampton.  Jim is always joking around and a jovial kind of guy as well as his partner, Bill Birchall.  One day I went to visit Jim at his office and right inside the door is the biggest picture you ever saw of HOHO.  Well that turned my mouth on and I announced that the picture was appropriate for those two clowns.  Have you ever regretted you said something but it was too late?  HoHO was Bill's dad and had passed away.  Those two guys enjoyed making me feel bad.

Back to "The Edge of Night".  I watched too much of that romantic stuff I guess because I became a softy/romantic.  Well if you remember those Home Demonstration Club meetings (Jeri Rash Robertson knows all about them) there was one at our house on Beaver Creek and that is where I fell in love the first time.  You see Denise Logue was there with her mom and she was all dressed up.  By the way we were 5 years old.  Denise and I were outside playing when this tornado came and to protect her I hurried her to the barn west of the house (yes there use to be a barn west of the house-it is gone now).  We stood there in the door of the barn holding hands (Heart goes thump thump thump) as the tornado went by.  Did I mention that it was really a dust devil? 

Well what did I learn in the Osage:
  •  If you act with confidence and scare a girl you can hold their hand
  • Don't put starch in the underwear
  • One heart throb means a lifetime of memories
Thanks for your time,
gary@thepioneerman.com


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