Brydye Weblog: Earnest Sincerity, Seriously

 

 The chances of this were probably astronomical.

 And since childhood I always had the utmost fondness for Bob Hope, the great comedian. He was sincerely one of the greatest comedians and also humanitarians.

 When I was in college, I did many stupid things. Got drunk many times....Once, we mixed a bathtub full of "Hairy Buffaloes", which included several types of hard liquor and woozily we staggered off to watch Little 5.

 Where I went to college, Indiana University, there was 'Little Five Weekend"...you may have seen this in a movie entitled "Breaking Away" with Dennis Quaid.

 Anyway, it's billed as the "Worlds Greatest College Weekend" -and it may be -- and it's definitely a weeklong excuse to party and drink. Then, there's that bike race, too.

 So big name entertainers were featured there annually. This particular time, as my thoroughly-drunken accomplices and myself attended this bike race time trial, Bob Hope was introduced and was taking a walk around the track.

 I kept waving. I always loved the "Road Pictures" with Bing Crosby -I thought Mr. Hope was hilarious! But when he got close to me, looked in my face about 5 yards away, I hoarsely yelled (I assume to impress my friends, and because the alcohol had taken me over) "Hey Bob! Eat some shit!..."  He looked away disgustedly...

 Yes, it was ridiculous...even beyond drunkenness and childishness. For years, after I sobered up, I regretted that incident and am still not understanding what came over me....

 Fast forward to about 15 years later. I was with my mother in a major hotel in Merrillville, Indiana waiting for transportation. We sat in the lobby. We had just returned from California where we looked at property in San Diego...we had seen NO so-called celebrities there.

 I began teasing my mom, who was divorced. I was teasing about some of the "old" men walking by, about how I was going to "fix her up" with someone...she did well at humoring me...

 Finally, I told her I was going to seriously approach the very next man through the swinging door into the lobby, where she sat, and ask him to "meet her"....I was kidding, kinda..

 I stood right in front of the door; I saw two figures coming in from the other side. One, about 35, huge and burly -over 6 ft 4 tall...the other, obviously older...nearly bald...

 I looked towards my mom who was watching me....I sensed the men near me and started yapping before really looking...

 I said something like, "Excuse me sir....I got a lady for ya....I want ya to meet..."  I laughingly looked closely at the two men.

 The burly guy was carrying golf clubs. The older man had a huge head, as in too-big-for-his-body...a big skisloping nose, and was balding...and looked slightly disheveled.

 I recognized him immediately! Who wouldnt? It was Bob Hope, of all people.

 His eyes fixed a menacing stare at me (I know I deserved it)and his lip actually quivered as if he wanted to say something...and they kept walking...

 What are the odds I'd run into Mr. Bob Hope -twice! and both times in Indiana?????  Certainly he's had annoying fans before.....

 Many times, those Great Minds and Great Achievers also have Great memories.

 To this day, I wonder if he remembered me as the college kid who also once told him to 'eat some shit', or just passed it off as another asshole in the crowd.

 

 

Mood: Achtung! Der Fuhrer Bush!
Listening to: 'Der Fodderland'

 

 Dear Mr. President and Congress:

 This would be an excellent gesture on your parts. Initiate a voluntary pay cut for yourselves(I suggest at least 33%) in sympathy to, and somewhat mirroring the cuts to healthcare, education, low income, elderly and mid-to-poor income level people.

 Also: Ride in the convoys down battle-infested Iraq roadways. See what our soldiers go through. (I would positively LOVE seeing Bush's head sticking up out of a tank turret, checking the perimeter) if you feel this is too far-fetched, consider the massive numbers of men and women over 40 AND 50s who were recalled to active Nat'l Guard duty, and are in Iraq right now, even though many 'fulfilled' their active status years ago. This fact was on "60 Minutes" TV show.

 Pay for your own health care coverage: office visits, prescriptions,dental, checkups, surgeries --forget your insurance or other coverage. See what it's like for most/many Americans.

 Volunteer much of your time to helping organizations. We always seem to be asked to do that...it's right, and would be fair for you guys to contribute this way also.

 Initiate and legislate a bill that says Congress can lay off some of its Senators and Representatives, based on their need and usefulness-- then check out unemployment, welfare and so on. See what that's all about too.

 

 

Mood: Hungry & nostalgic
Listening to: O Sole Mio!

 I can remember a time when ordering and eating PIZZA was a real treat.....

 OK, you think it STILL is maybe...but it's just not like it used to be. You don't realize just what you're missing..and what 'they' did....

 I have to go back maybe 20 years to recall a really good pizza.....this would cover numerous territories and three states (Illinois, Indiana, and California)...WE ordered from specialty places named Roma's, Bianchi's, Mama Mia's and so on, where the pie makers took pride in their work!

 First, rarely did anyone order, or get stuck with, PEPPERONI! And aromatic steam seemed to always be rising from a freshly baked pizza, whether it was ordered in-house or delivered.

 Portions were always ample. Usually there was plenty left over....(in college, we'd 'lie in wait' sipping beers until some family ate and left 20-30% of their pizza -then we'd move in for freebies!)

 Pizzas were 'standard' with REAL Italian sausage! Mmmm-m-m-m-m! The crust was ALWAYS  very thick...not cardboard tasting and paper thin, like we find regularly today.

 There was always FREE cheese included .. Crusts were always somewhere between crispy, toasted and/or 'stiff'..in other words, NOT soggy and wilting, where the top ingredients fall off easily, like today.

 Mushrooms would be a tasty additional topping, along with other standbyes such as pepper, garlic, olives, etc.

 And that melt-in-your mouth while burning the 'roof' taste was Heaven!

 It's difficult to find anything except Pepperoni as the norm in today's market. The taste is poor by comarison usually, too. These 'wafers' don't offer much in the way of quantity either, in most cases.

 Of course, if one is lucky, a rare exception can be found.

 As with everything else, commercialism -the need to make a fast easy buck-drives the competition. Forget pride, effort, quality....

 ..And don't even get me started on frozen pizzas that you make at home yourself!

 Next time: real Italian Beef Sandwiches....where can I get one?

 

 

 

please also visit:

Perverse Flatulation

(same weblog)

 

 

 yIPES!   For now, please go to weblog: Perverse Flatulation