SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD #18's STALAG 1`8

My sons on our Ancestor John Ray Property

Here is a picture of my sons Rocky and Adam standing in front of an old farm building outside of Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina, over 30 years ago. It is unique because they are standing on the property of their great-g-g--grand parents John and Nancy Sumner Ray. The property had been kept in the family, handed down for generations. When we were there, a 90 some-year old bachelor Cecil Baldwin was the present owner, who was also a descendent of John and Nancy Ray. When Cecil died I think the descendant line ended. Not only did it end, I heard the house burned down. Poof! On the 1850 Census John Ray was a Wagon Maker.

Harrison & Joseph Prance

I don't know which ones but two of the men are Harrison Carlile and Joseph Lee Prance (1884-1945). Good old boys of another time era. Lee was the son of James Marion Prance and Mary Jane Pannell. He was married to Eunice Beatrice Howard (1900-1983).

Masses Like Underdogs

A lot of people in the U.S. are drawn to who they think is the underdog. I remember as a kid going to professional wrestling matches a lot of people rooted for the underdog. Although Trump is worth millions and does not pay hardly taxes he has convinced a lot of people he is the natural underdog. Yesterday in the news was Disney is suing Gov Ron DeSantes. Disney Corp is big and powerful. Does that make Ron the Underdog? Watchout!

He knew his Stock

The person that cuts our grass ran over a water release plug and destroyed it. We went to Home Depot and bought a replacement for less than $10. We decided we need some kind of bright marker to be near to remind the lawnmower man to steer clear and also a flag for our mailbox that recently broke. We asked where would something like that be. We were directed to a middle age man with i-pad like gizmo in his hand. We talked to him mentioning a marker and a flag for our mailbox. He looked on his i-pad and told us what aisle flags are on. He was talking about U.S. Flags. He told us the only thing we needed to mark the place the water release plug was a gnome, which would be in outside department. We told him we were not communicating. We did not need a U.S. Flag, we needed a flag to go on the mailbox that we would raise when there was mail to be mailed. And just a bright marker or something bright to remind the grass cutter… I stopped – beside the man on a shelf was a bright orange plastic peg, exactly what we needed. I took it. The middle age executive looking man said, “I’m only a stock boy”.

Killian Kin Klan

Here is something I compiled several years ago and came across it again, yesterday. My genealogy program, Family Treemaker calculated that Daniel Killian is my one half fifth great uncle. It is sort of interesting because it talks of the beginning of Methodism in Asheville, North Carolina. From: "The History of Old Buncombe County, North Carolina #415 Page 249 THE DANIEL KILLIAN FAMILY: THE GEORGIA LINES Daniel Killian, born ca 1757 in Lincoln Co., N.C., was the ninth child of pioneer Andreas Killian who arrived at Philadelphia in 1732 from Rhinish Palatinate. There is a marker at St. Paul's Church Cemetery near Newton, N.C., that lists the twelve children of the pioneer Andreas Killian and states that he settled in North Carolina in 1747 near Newston. Daniel Killian married Osly Baker January 15, 1787, in Lincoln Co., N.C., with his brother Samuel Killian as bondsman. On January 19, 1784, Phillip Smith married Nancy Baker with Daniel Killian as bondsman. In Bishop Francis Asbury's Journal, in which frequent mention is made of Daniel Killian from 1800 to1810, on Wednesday, October 26, 1803, in Buncombe Co., N.C., he says, "We called a meeting at Killian's...sister Killian and Sister Smith, sister is in the flesh...are both gone to their award in glory." After his marriage and prior to 1790, Daniel Killian moved from Lincoln County to that part of Burke that became Buncombe County in 1791, settling on Beaver Dam Creek. Asbury states states in October 1801 that Daniel Killian's residence near Buncombe court house. Daniel Killian was in Burke Co. on the 1790 military census, and first entered land on Beaver Dam Creek in 1792. He died Feburary 22 1830/6 and is buried in Asbury Memorial United Methodist Cemetery , Ashville, N.C. From Chapter 23 of "Old Buncombe County, North Carolina: Bishop Francis Ashubry, sent by John Wesley from England to America in 1771 was the historic promoter of promoter of the Methodist movement in America. Known as the "Prophet of the Long Road," he was a circuit- riding preacher who rode almost 300,000 miles in 45 years of ministry throught the colonies from New England to South Carolina and back, traveling ofter on the back of a horse. Asbury confirmed this Buncombe County area's wilderness state when he wrote ona visit in 1806: "We came to Buncombe; we were lost within a mile of Mr. Killon's (Killian's), and were happy to get a schoolhouse to shelter us for the night. I had no fire, but a bed wherever I could find a bench; my aid, Moses Lawrence, had a bear skin, and a dirt floor to spread it out on." This particular visit was not his first one to the area for he had met the Killian family and neighbors and organized a Methodist Society in 1801 which was the nucleus of the current Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church whose present building is located on Beaverdam Rd and Kimberly Ave. This was land deeded to the use of a "Church and burying ground forever" by Daniel Killian

Growing Old

If I remember correctly when our Marietta High School 1960 Class graduated it was said there were 300 of us, the biggest yet. I’m sure the record has been broken many times since. That was about 61 years ago. Now it is past time for another reunion. The average age of life now for men is 79. And we that are still around are pushing age 80. That probably means the survivors (us) won’t be many and will be feeble. So I doubt if there will be much dancing the twist on the dance floor or fighting in the parking lot (like old times).

Pettys at Home in Cohutta, Ga

The Pettys at the home near Cohutta, Murray County, Ga., they called the Red Hills, c 1937. Left to Right. First Row: Osmo Petty (1915-1978), Opal Petty (1913-1992) , Thelma Cox Petty (1908-1994) (wife of Wallace), Wallace Petty (1910-2007), and Sarah Petty (1927-1999) (will become wife of Bill McLemore). Second Row: Cecil Grant (1901-1958), Georgette Petty Grant 1906-1966), Walt Ridley (1888-1954) (Grandma's brother), Janie Petty Hunter (1918-1996) (Mama and wife of Ed Hunter), Viola Ridley Petty (1885-1968) (Grandma), Mary Jo Johns Petty (1913-2000) (wife of Tom) and Tom Petty (1908-1979). Behind Walt: Probably Roy Petty (1921-2000). But where is Leonard Petty (1924-2001)? If that is Leonard, where is Roy? Maybe the missing one is taking the picture.

Gas Truck Diver Caught on Fire

Because I am getting up in age, I am trying to put into print my memories, good or bad. Here is a bad one: When I worked in Sinclair Refining warehouse in Atlanta our office scheduled and managed gasoline deliveries to the Atlanta area. I think we had 3 to 5 gasoline truck drivers; at least 2 in the day and one in the evening/night. Our night truck driver was a little humble polite guy, his last name was Partain. He seemed shy, but always agreeable. One time, he was working in the morning. I forgot if we were short of people or what. His job one morning to pump the gasoline out of a closed station. Something went wrong. I don’t know what. Partain caught afire. The Shoney’s restaurant next door, the breakfast people saw him running across the parking lot on fire. He died.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! From the pages of MAD Magazine, issue #49

LESSONS: Artist: Wallace Wood

Old Car in Barn

I took this about 1978 near the back of Shady Groves Baptist Church on Bells Ferry Rd, Marietta, Ga.

from Marie's Postcard Collection: USS ANDERSON

Marie's Postcard Collection. This is a postcard of the Naval Destroyer U.S.S. ANDERSON commissioned in 1939. On the reverse side the card is written to Marie's mother, it starts off, "Dear Mrs Foster".. apparently it is from an neighbor's son who joined the Navy. It said he will probably be transferred out very soon and says he "likes the Navy very much". I know how he felt, I do too. HOWEVER! The only bad memory I have of Naval living is when I was aboard the destroyer U. S. S. NEWPORT NEWS. No bathroom privacy. No matter what time you choose to go to the head, in the middle of the day or middle of the night the head had limited numbers of toilets so usually there was a line, then when you did get to sit down, you would almost be touching knees when a swabby sitting right in front of you, and if he was long legged, well.... To me, it wasn't not a time to make small talk.

Parents & Aunt Courting

1936/37. This picture was taken during my parents' courting phase. Left to right: The first couple are my parents, Ed Hunter and Janie Petty; the second lady I do not know, I think her name might be Jonnie Rollins; the next lady is my mother's older sister, Opal Petty; and the next couple is Lois Carter and her date. I don't think her date in this picture was her future husband , Toy Moon, they probably had not met yet. Lois like Opal and Janie (and maybe Jonny Rollins) were from the hills of north Georgia who had come to Marietta to work. They were young and then they married, multiplied, grew old and died, like we all will.

Do You Pitch a Fit and Cry When You Lose?

This morning while waking up playing Solitary I thought about our Little League Team. I remember one kid who was a very good ball player. Our team rarely lost, but when we did this kid would pitch a crying fit. Losin was unacceptable to him. If I remember correctly his mother was his number one cheerleader. I think I am pretty good Solitary player. Should I pitch a crying fit when I lose?

My Hero

or years the Marietta Post Office had a Postmaster who I think considered himself a lady’s man. Whenever he got to chat with a good looking female employee, he did. Every time I drive down a certain street it reminds me of a certain good looking female rural route carrier that lived on that street. One time the postmaster, while walking around one of the offices one morning he walked by the female carrier sorting mail at her case. He started talking to her. In the middle of his sentence she walked off to pickup another bundle to sort. She continue to sort and he continue to chat. Again, in the middle of his sentence, she walked off to hand off the missorted mail she had. He said, “Young lady you are making it very hard for me o be friendly with you.” And she quickly snapped back saying, “Then don’t!” (me clapping)

A Facebook Post 9 Years Ago

I was sitting in sort of a waiting room yesterday. Beside me for a good while was a young lady with a mask on. It wasn't a religious type of woman face mask; it was a medical type of mask. She is probably allergic to germs or something in the environment. She sat reading a paperback novel and I sat reading a photo camera manual. Finally we spoke. Once she started talking she talked and talked. All she needed was a jump start. I think I made a comment of some kind which triggered her off. I think she probably has a very expressive face because as she talked her mask was doing all sorts of bends, poof-offs, stretches and all. It was strange to watch. We talked about filing your income taxes early. I said it is normally a little too early for me to file, I told her I was a moderate procrastinator. I could tell that she smiled under the mask. She said, "A moderate procrastinator?" I said yes, I said I always felt to file your taxes in February was a little too quick, a little too aggressive, besides, what if you overlooked something because you were in such a hurry. I like to file a rough, sit on it and file in late March. She said that sounded reasonable. Then I told her, to prove my point that I wasn't a whole-hog procrastinator, that I am just the opposite when I have to be somewhere at a certain time: I feel I am late if I am not there at least one hour before I should be. Her eyes widened and her mask contorted out of shape some. She made some kind of face. She said, "You mean to say, you take your time when filing your income tax but you also arrive at appointments at least one hour early." "Right!" I said. "Why? " She asked. "Who knows if I am going to have a flat tire or car trouble or a wreck up the road in blocking traffic or even worse, I am in the wreck." Her eyes became smaller as if she was studying me and it also seemed that her mask was drawing up some. Then Anna materialized and said, "Lets go." Leaving the masked lady something to ponder over.

Dummy

At Costco today, we saw two “Good Old Boys” walking from the exit doors, each holding a cup back towards the concession stand. One was saying to the other one, “They use your receipt to check what you paid for, DUMB ASS!! “ Then they started digging in the garbage can.

PLAY BALL! or WATCH BALL!

I went fto Atlanta three or four times to the Ponce de Leon Baseaball Park, on Ponce de Leon Park to see the Atlanta Crackers play baseball It was across from a large Sears and Roebuck Department Store. I remember the field was big and impressive. Not as big as the fields in Fulton and Cobb Counties that the Braves played at years later. The cement seats, with overheads were mostly down the 3rd base line. Down the first baseline wooden blenchers were for the black fans. Over their seats there was no overhead to protect them from the sun or weather. Sad. With our Little League team I went twice. One of those we were the players in some kind of playoffs. My team was Southern Discount and the coaches were Romeo Hudgins and Pepprer Martin. I sat on the bench my entire time except the last bat at Crackers’ field.. We were losing terribly so just for kicks I think Romeo sent me in to do the final strikeout, which I did. A couple years later our Boy Scout troop 132 went there for a Crackers’ game. I remember not paying much attention to the game because Jimmy Pat Presley and I were making up TV commercials. I can only remember one, a jingle: SMOKE TAMPA NUGGET CIGARS…..LAAA!

Dopey Bear

There was in interesting movie on last night: COCAIN BEAR. It was based on true facts. It was about a cocaine packed plane carrying a full load from Central American and the socialite pilot for whatever reason decided to get rid of his shipment and jump out of the plane with a parachute and his clothing packed with the C. Before he jumped out he threw out a lot of his cargo in he North Georgia Mountains. His parachute failed. I’m sure he died instantly when he hit the ground near Knoxville. The main story was where the cocaine landed in the North Geogia Mountains. The one who first found the cocaine was a big female bear who stayed high throughout the movie. The movie was too bloody and violent for my taste. Ruthless people with guns and a high bear ripping off human heads and limbs were just too much for me. In Georgia it took place mostly on Blood Mountain. It kept my interest because doing family research I knew some of my ancestors’ descendants lived on Blood Mountain. The Appalachian Trail goes over Blood Mountain. Once we stayed a couple of nights at a motel, near the top. It also saddened me because it reminded me of an ex-co-worker Joe. Joe was a mute. He was married and they had three children. His wife, with the children had a head-on collision and all his kids lost their lives. Joe and his wife divorced. Joe just wanted to be alone. He bought a lot in the north Georgia mountains, not far from Blood Mountain. On his off days he and his dog would spend the time on his lot. At nights Joe slept in his vehicle and his dog slept outside, chained to a tree. One night apparently a bear mauled his dog. Joe is deaf and could not hear the dog and bear fight. The last I head of Joe and joined up with a motorcycle gang and they moved to Florda.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD Comicbook issue #18, POT-SHOT PETE

Story by MAD's Editor Harvey Kurtzman. Art by MAD's editor Harvey Kurtzman. Here is a fact you may or may not know: Before Harvey Kurtzman had a real job he could depend on in the comicbook world he did a lot of free-lance work. Editor of what would become MARVEL Comics, Stan Lee bought these Kurtzman cartoons, usually one page, as fillers. Apparently Harvey Kurtzman reclaimed them, to also use as fillers when he was a cartoonistg short or something. Now you know.

Eddie Hunter, a name to be proud of

Just to let me know that I am not the only Eddie Hunter on Facebook, or in the world, for that matter, about a couple weeks ago Facebook furnished me. with about 9 or 10 other Eddie Hunters on Facebook. As yet I haven’t figured out what to do with the Eddie Hunters list. But it does remind me of the time a couple years ago a heated Eddie Hunter emailed me and accused me of using his name for my blog and demanded I quit. I congratulated Eddie for having such a fine time tested name. Then I told him I got my Eddie name in 1941 when I was born, when did he get his? Then I went on saying I started my blog in 2006, when did he start his? Eddie did not answer either question.

Waterman Street School Memories

This is the east side of Waterman Street School. See the front entrance to the right? Actually, there were two twin front entrances. This one is the one nearer to the eastern side. On those steps leading up to the front doors I remember discussing the life's mysteries, Sex, and such as how to make an egg's shell soften to feel like a thin membrane and to make it look like a hog's ball (soak it overnight in vinegar). I was fooled. Larry Southern showed me the soft-shell egg and told me it was a hog's ball. On those same steps one time Larry pulled out a condom and showed me, and I was impressed with the little white O-ring around the opening of it. Which I had a very scientific observation that went something like this: "so that is a rubber? Where do you buy them at?" About 12 or 13 years later again Larry would take a condom out of his pocket. This time it was on the back row of the Hill Street Baptist Church. I wasn’t along with Larry and my other friends that Sunday night but I got several first hand accounts. They heard that on Sunday nights at Hill Street Baptist Church some loose teenage girls went there and they were easy to pick up. So, the boys went to check it out. During the sermon Larry got bored and pulled out a condom and started playing with it. It wasn’t long until he blew it up and tied a little knot in the O-ring thing. His cousin Jesse, also one of us, reached over and flipped the balloon shape rubber. Larry wasn’t expecting it and it got loose from him and landed in the aisle. There was a big fan at the near the back pews that kept the air circulating and brought in air from the outside. The white balloon was yanked into action by the fan’s wind current. It floated and gently bounced down the aisle like it had a soul of its own and wanted it saved by coming down to the preacher’s inspiring sermon. Larry and the others quickly left. Many years later, Larry's younger brother became the preacher of Hill Street Baptist Church. In the picture see the fire escape ladder coming from the two class rooms on the second floor? One time a boy named Van rammed my head into the fire escape at ground level and it took about 8 stitches to sew me up. It was right in the center of my head, I looked kind of like Frankenstein's Monster for several years until the scar finally went away. If I look closely, I can still see a hint of it. Van died about twenty years ago. He was a diabetic. He died because he went to the hospital to have a leg amputated and they removed the wrong leg which caused complications.

Confusion of YOUNG SHELDON and THE BIG BANG THEORY

There are two repeat sitcoms that show reruns of Sheldon I think the character’s name is Sheldon Cooper. The character Shelton is a genius. In YOUNG SHELRON he is a preteen, probably about twelve years old and is in college. He is played by Iain Arnatage. The older Shelon character Cooper is about 30 years old, married and have fellow geniuses as fiends. The name of that sitcom is THE BIG BGAG THEORY. They are about two different phases of the same Sheldon’s life, played by two different characters and apparently produced by two different outfits. We don’t care for THE BIG BANG THEORY, I think because it is loaded with can laughter. In this Sheldon is played by Jim Parsons. But we would go out of our way to watch YOUNG SHELDON. Both of rerun sitcoms are shown week daily in Metro Atlanta on the Peachtree Station. Lately, I think whoever at the station loads the videos to be televised, has gotten the sitcom names confused. Lately, on the time spot of YOUNG SHELON was to run THE BIG BANG THEORY was shown, day after day. Yesterday, we also programmed THE BIG BANG THEORY. And they played YOUNG SHELDON. Of course!

Warning a Beggar In Front of the Store

One morning I was in a grocery store buying some items when I overheard a carry out person tell a cashier there is a beggar outside. “Beggar outside?” The warning spread like wildfire. People looked fearfully out the glass doors and plate glass windows. After paying I left with my merchandise. On the sidewalk by a roll of empty grocery carts was a young thin man with a bicycle behind him. He was strumming a guitar. In front of him on the walk was his weapon: an upside down hat.

John Franklin and Adeline Woody Petty

GO WEST YOUNG PETTYS! John Franklin and Adeline Woody Petty. John is the son of Elijah Petty and Sarah Parker. Adeline is the daughter of Conrad Raburn and Elizabeth Hunt Woody. Adeline was born in Fannin Counry, Georgia, 1859 and John was born in the same county in 1856. They were married 1881 in Fannin County. They had ten children. Here is the only note I have about John: John received the bulk of his father's estate. In the book "PROGESSIVE MEN OF WYOMING" They moved to Sand Creek, Laromie County, Wyoming in 1887. Later owning a farm on the Wheatland Flats. - Gary Griswold Here is a far fetched thought: John Petty is the brother Daniel Webster Petty. Daniel Webster Petty is the father of William Elijah Joseph Petty (my mother's father). William Elijah Joseph was also born in Fannin County. William Elijah Joseph Petty moved his family to Gillette, Wyoming for a few years. I wonder if Wm Elijah Joseph was aware his uncle John lived in the same state? And if so, is that why he moved there?

Taking Advantage of the Location

Yesterday evening on PBS they had an Antique Road Show in Delaware at what used to be a DuPont Family Mansion but is now a park. It bought back a Navy memory: One Sunday a bunch of us piled into Naval buddy Dick Graham’s car and went to the DuPont mansion in Delaware for a water concert. The water concert was a live orchestra concert with bunches of fountains spirting off in-timed with the music. It was a moving visual and sound experience. Dick, before the Navy was a professor in Michigan. Hanging out partially with Dick and Sam Kasuske and Don Lash, with them introducing and explaining events like this I think I should have unofficially earned my liberal arts degree. Sam, one weeknight took me to New York City, a church basement in the Village to see the musical Off-Broadway Play THE FANTASTICKS. Another weeknight we drove to Atlantic City’s Boardwalk and stood outside with the crowd with the Democratic National Convention, on the inside, when Lyndon B. Johnson was selected as the party’s presidential candidate, which incidentally was LBJ’s birthday. We even saw fireworks over the water which produced a LBJ likeness and had HAPPY BIRTHDAY in flames. Onetime Sam gave me a good talking to telling me how lucky we were being close proximity as we were to NYC, Atlantic City, and Philadelphia so take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity and get off my ass and see all the things available. I took his advice. Now, where is my sheepskin?

Uncle Bus Dressed Up

My uncle Robert Ray "Bus" Hunter (1906-2005). It appears that Bus is dressed in his finest, which traditionally people used to do on Easter Day. I don't know if this picture was taken on Easter Day or not. I remember when I was less than ten years old one Easter we, as a family, sat in the car on the Square in Marietta, timed to be there when church let out. It was enjoyable watching people come to the Square dressed in their best to get an after church ice cream at one of the Square's five drugstores (Jones, Hodges, Williams, Athertons, and Reynold's and Ferra). It was an impromptu Easter Parade. Speaking of Easter Parades, when in the Navy, stationed in New Jersey, on Easter Sunday, about 1964, a bunch of us went to Atlantic City's Boardwalk. It was the mother of Easter Parades. With the exception of us, people were dressed up, gaudy but nice.

My G-g-g--g Grandfather Rev War Soldier William Trammell's Grave Found

I posted this on Georgia Cemeteries a few years ago: First Methodist of Franklin, NC I know this board is for Georgia cemeteries, but because of unique experience I’ll like to share this. Delete it if you wish. In the early 90s I was communicating with my distant cousin, the now late Thelma Swanson. Thelma lived in Franklin and was very much in genealogy, so she had a lot to share with me. One of the things we discussed was my ancestor, William Trammell. William was a Revolutionary War “Mountain Boy” and during battle at The Battle of Kings Mountain, his arm was sliced off. I was convinced he was buried in Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina, because his son Jacob Trammell, who cared for him did. Thelma said she would look around and see what she could find. Not long after that she got in touch and said she believes William was buried in First Methodist Cemetery, in downtown Franklin. She told me to come on up and we would look together. I, and my two young sons, drove to Franklin, spent the night in a motel that smelled like cooked cabbage and the next morning met Thelma. We went to the cemetery she spoke of and she believed it was a high tombstone in the shade of a big oak tree. We couldn’t read the lettering, it looked like the weather had partly dissolved the carved print. “I know!” I said, lets go to a K-Mart, buy a sketch pad and charcoal (we bought crayons) and rub the stone. Across from K Mart was a Burger King, so we had lunch. We got back to the cemetery over one hour later. As we entered the parking lot we could see the tombstone in question glowing a bright gold color in the shade. What happened, while we were gone, the earth shifted itself a little, which now bright beams of light were shining through the leaves, and other sun light was sending light beams to the cars’ windshields and mirrors, giving it a fill end light. If you saw the movie INDIAN JONES AND THE LOST ARK you understand. It was William Trammell!

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! Will Elder's "almost photos art" in MAD Magazines

However, the first one was in MAD Comuc book #22.

Call In Cook Show

This is the truth: There is a NPR radio show on weekends, around early afternoon with a lady cooking expert. Normally she will interview a chef and also lot of people call in asking cooking questions. Today a young sounding lady called in asking tips on cooking a rabbit. For an upcoming Easter Dinner she will have invited guests over and she is having The Easter Bunny theme. Having rabbit dinner as an Eastern Bunny theme? What could go wrong? We cracked up.

Archie the Introducer

Anna just read to me of someone local on Facebook found what looked like a couple of arrowheads in his and wondered could Native Americans lived in the area long ago. There is a quote saying of find more than one arrowhead in the same spot it is likely a Native American settlement used to be there. It reminded me back in the 1950s we visited my mother’s sister and her husband, Sarah and Bill, newly weds, that lived on Hunt Street. Behind their house lived my classmate, Archie Richardson. Archie lived there only a short time. He lived on North Forest Avenue, at the corner of Forest Avenue. While we grownups visited I visited Archie. We looked around in his new backyard. We came across a half buried arrowhead. We dug in the dirt near that spot and found two or three more. A Native American settlement in that back yard? Who knows? I carried one of those arrowheads in my pocket for a couple of years until I lost it. Archie introduced me to something that was a big influence and mind-setter, and frame of mind of the rest of my life: MAD Comicbook #4.

Be Efficient! Chop Chop!

I used this same picture for another post already. But the same picture can be used for another story. I’ll just pay myself twice for the same picture…. Yeah, right. As I already said, back in the 40s th building on the left was Sears & Roebuck. The center was Marietta Provision, and the building on the right was Western Auto. The cent er building, Marietta Provision, was a butcher shop. In future years I would become an in-law to the owner’s son the late Lamar. In Lamar teen years he was a butcher apprentice for his parents. One day, Lamar accidentally cut a finger off. His parents had the finger pickled and hung in a clear container above a door in the shop, to remind Lamar of his accident so he would not repeat it. Loving, righr?

Postal Stuff

POSTAL> I read on line yesterday that the last Postal facility I worked at before retiring, The Srayberry Post Branch is getting a lot of criticism from its patrons. On the other hand people cannot say enough good things about the Woodstock Post Office. It was on the news tonight that people are having trouble withdrawing their own money from the Atlanta Postal Credit Union. Wow! I used to have my savings with them, years ago.

Gangster Neighbors

A few years ago my neighbor Bob told me of a certain family that lives around the corner about a block up. Bob said they ran a gambling organization and were part of organized crime. Bob died a few weeks later of natural causes . If anybody would know if the family were gangsters or not it would be Bob. It takes one to know one. Bob has served two times in prison and even one time the police had his house surrounded. When Bob told me those people were criminals I believed him. This morning, before daylight when walking Willow we walked by that house, as we do many times. But this time a big Great Dane came galloping out barking. As it came right up to us it quit parking and started to whine. I think it was just a overgrown puppy. Willow enjoyed its company and they each wanted to play and smell each other butts. My main thought was get away from the dog and get away from that house. It followed us. Someone from that house came outside and starting hollowing for their dog. It humbly went back. And I said, "Whew!" I am not sure that it would be pleasant, for a family of gangsters thinking you were trying to steal their dog. On this day

Junebug's Cough Translated

Recently the TV reality show of musical auditions THE VOICE has got a lot of mileage playing over and over Blake covering his mouth and pretending to be clearing his throat but actually saying, "BULLCRAP!" Blake's imitation cough to deliver a message of blended words reminds me a person I worked with at the post office that I will call Junebug. Junebug was a strange character to say the least. He worked beside me on Window Service for the 2 or 3 years I worked the window. Sometimes when he waited on a person and he found them, say intriguing he would do the imitation cough thing and run his words quickly together. Most people didn't understand or thought he was actually clearing his throat. One lady didn't. Junebug (hands over mouth): igotabigdick,wanttosuckit? Lady (eyes popped opened wide, looking inflamed): Pardon me? Junebug: I was just clearing my throat (mumbling) . Lady: No, you said something not nice, what was it? Junebug: I was just clearing my throat. Lady: What did you say? Junebug: (face red) Nothing, just clearing my throat! Lady: I want to speak to your supervisor (Junebug cleared his throat to the wrong lady). Supervisor: May I help you? They went into the office. A little while later the lady emerged and walked out glaring at Junebug. I think the supervisor defended Junebug. Nothing was said. Oh, did I mention that Junebug's father was a big shot in the Postal Service?

WHAT TYPE OF MAN READS CHICKEN-FAT?

James Caudell - reader of Chicken-fat. Do you remember the ad in PLAYBOY magazine saying "What type of man reads Playboy?" They show a sophisticated dignified young man, well dressed doing something like leaning against is sports car, or reading the New York Times and a model's arms are around him and tells some of the statistics that he is above average in earnings and intelligence, and bla bla. I'm thinking about running a similar ad on what sort of man reads Chicken-fat. James is retired and on the day this picture was taken he was at the Pre-Varners Reunion meeting in March 2009. James died a few years ago, We miss him.

Don's Blackeye

emember when you were a kid and you broke your arm, got a deep cut, or got a black-eye you wanted to show it off in a subtle way, like “nothing to it!”? I know I did. This picture was my Navy friend Don Lash, on the outside stairs of our Navy baracks showing me his blackeye he received the night before. How it happened, we were station at NAS LAKEHURST, NJ 08733*, deep in the winter, literally snowed in. No one could come or go. People were getting stir-crazy and cabin fever. We couldn’t leave the base, even if they said we may, we still couldn’t. Too much snow. But we could walk to the EM Cllub! Back in the near mid 1960s all bars, it seemed, had video jukeboxes. The EM Club was no exceptions. The EM Club was full of drunk people. Many was irritable too. It seemed the Marines were louder and more irritable. One Marine were really dancing to the rock and roll music wildly. We started imitating him. One of his friends saw us and punched him and pointed to us. Mind-set he rushed over to us and smiling Don complemented him on his music moves. Then the guy floored him. That’s All Folks! *08733! Every time I type Lakehurst, NJ, I automatically type the zip code 08733. This is me bragging that I still remember the zip code there.

Fosters near Alpharetta, Ga.

Thanks to Joe Jenkins for the photo quality improvement. Charles Brooks Foster, 2nd from left, with his parents and siblings, someplace between Alpharetta and Cumming, Georgia.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! MAD comicbook's #18, HOWDY DOODIT

Story by edior Harvey Kurtzman; Illustrated by Will Elder.