People are crazy

[thebuns1 4,323]

Some of you know, that I have been going to the bar to see an old friend. And I do mean old. His name is Don, and he served in the 101st Airborne in Korea, from 12-2-52 to 12-7-54. He's a damn good friend of mine. I just wanted to take time away from all the current bullshit and try to shine some light on the important things.

 

 

At 83 yrs old, he still drinks and smokes with the best of us. And he tells stories like we never could. I hope that all you here have someone like him. And this is what I play every Saturday morning.

[devildogdakota 804]

OLD GUYS RULE!! I've got three good old(er) friends, two my present neighbors, one former neighbor. One is Korean war, the other Nam', former one Nam. Since my early 20's, I made better friends with my friends ole man's than them. Guess growing up fast will do that. It's truly charishing to hear their stories about everything and anything we talk about, especially when this country was a helluva lot freer than it is today.

[thebuns1 4,323]

I know it. I cherish every Saturday I spend with him. He makes me smile, even when I dont want to.He's such a frail, delicate hard ass. lol. I thank God above for letting me know someone so true and real. I only wish it was more common.

[Zombiehunter762 376]

I wish I knew somebody like this. You are truly blessed.

[coronet 131]

Several years back, I kept driving past this house seeing an old Ford pickup off to one side. One day I stopped to ask about it. It wasn't for sale (it was his son's), but the guy invited me in to chat with him and his wife. We talked for we over an hour, they were a neat couple. Every once in awhile I would just stop on my way home from work and see how they were doing. One day the trailer was gone, some of the vehicles remain on the property. I don't know what happened. I'm guessing passed away or nursing home. He enjoyed my company, and I enjoyed his and his wifes.

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

That is awesome Captain, much fun and knowledge can be had with seniors. Just met another old boy at a NRA dinner the other night, had me and the wife laughing the whole time.

 

Enjoy them while you can people, I got three emails this morning from PGR. They are moving on fast.

[Squishy 1,149]

Hello In There

by John Prine

 

We had an apartment in the city,
Me and Loretta liked living there.
Well, it'd been years since the kids had grown,
A life of their own, left us alone.

John and Linda live in Omaha,
And Joe is somewhere on the road.
We lost Davy in the Korean war,
And I still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.

Chorus:
Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger,
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more,
She sits and stares through the back door screen.
And all the news just repeats itself
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen.

Someday I'll go and call up Rudy,
We worked together at the factory.
But what could I say if he asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do."

Repeat Chorus:

So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes,
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."

[coronet 131]

What a beautiful, cool song. I hadn't heard it before. Thank you.

[jerry52 893]

As time pushed me forward.

With youth in my heart.

I now come to realize

That I have become an old fart

[Remek 771]

Great stories here. I am glad Don is still with us. You can tell by his look that he deserves it.

[thebuns1 4,323]

Thanks for the replies fellas. Im off to see him now.

[Big John! 2,062]

Thanks for changing the mood. I hope life affords you the time to keep this relationship going.

 

When I moved to Co. I had to leave an old friend. He's really not that old. Around 60 but I've called him "old man" since just about the day I met him. Got an e-mail from him the other day that he is finally retiring. I wish like hell I could get out there to share in this celebration. Of all the friends and family I left behind, I miss my old friend the most.

 

I'll never forget the day (there were actually quite a few) that we took his boat (ugly POS in comparison to many in San Diego) out just off Point Loma and fished up to near LaJolla. There were a ton of people out "soaking" their lines while the old man and I were killing it. Sumbitch knows what fish want. We were laughin our asses off at the guys with their big fancy boats not catching shit while the old man and I were throwning smaller ones back to keep the big ones.

 

There is a lot to be learned from our elders. These old school people are a dying breed. Hopefully there are enough of us that have someone like this in our lives that we can pass on their legacy.

 

Thanks for reminding me that I have a phone call to make!

Edited April 20, 2013 by Big John!

[coronet 131]

Reminds me of a raffle ticket for an old dog I once came across. " Nice brown dog with a big red thing, he'll be ten years old if he lives till spring. He has four white legs and a hole in his ass, he'll piss on your carpet and shit in your grass. His eyes bulge out and his ass sucks wind - but he's a DAMN fine dog for the shape he's in " Take a chance on "Lucky" for $1.00. lol. No dis-respect meant - hell, some of the old timers might remember it. lol! These old codgers have some cool stories! And they sometimes don't mind repeating them! lol.

[semper299 284]

When I wad growing up, and old man named Joe used to sit out front of his house Nd all the kids would get around him and just listen to him talk. I was about 12, but I still remember those conversations. I also remember exactly what I was doing when my dad told me Joe had died. Broke my heart.

[Ronin38 2,117]

Enjoy your time with Don! An old friend of mine (also named Don) just passed away recently from a heart attack. One helluva guy, "inactive" Marine. A few years ago when I bought an M1 Garand from the CMP program, I asked him if he'd help me check it out and make sure it was in good condition. You should have seen his workshop! A shooter's dream for sure! He stripped it down, checked it, replaced a few small parts from the collection he had on-hand and even gave me almost 2-dozen en-bloc clips (yeah, not magazines!). He will be sorely missed.

[thebuns1 4,323]

Well I just got back, and all I can say is fuck. I gave my old buddy a knife and a web belt that he used to wear back in the day, as well as a canteen. His first wife burned all of his shit that he had when he came home.

 

I got a tear in my eye when he gave this to me. Its his lighter that he carried when he was in Korea, as well as his foot locker key, a key to the "jail", and a silver quarter that he was trying to make into a ring while on the ship to Korea. I just filled the lighter and put a flint in it and it works like a champ.

 

 

 

[misterT 174]

When I was growing up there was old Indian guy called Joe that lived a few miles down river. I used to go down and sit on the pier and listen to his stories, and he had a "friend" that would come once and a while ( a bobcat) to get a fish. Old Joe would toss the a fish over for him to eat, I always thought that was really something. It seems like most of the young people now are too busy on facebook and twitter to pay any attention to elders. Which is really sad there is so much to learn from them and it will not be that long before WE are the elders.

[thebuns1 4,323]

Does anyone happen to have any info on the lighter that I posted in post #16? Id love to find out who made it if I can. Thanks again fellas.

[Gaddis 1,689]

Does anyone happen to have any info on the lighter that I posted in post #16? Id love to find out who made it if I can. Thanks again fellas.

It's a Scripto Vue lighter, I believe.

[SouthernOne 203]

Yea, that's a Scipto. I lived close to an older gentleman that had the first joint of his right index finger missing. He always said he wore the end of it off boring holes in syrup biscuits during the depression. One can learn a lot from these guys.

[jerry52 893]

Scripto ,you could get anything on them and anything in them. I have never seen the design on one like that.

[thebuns1 4,323]

Thanks fellas.