Cool Old Man, Again.
So today I drove out the nice stretch of two lane to visit the Cool Old Man. Nice drive, early fall weather. Had the sunroof open on the Myrtle. Zep, Bruce, old Silver Bullet crankin' through the speakers. Black Dog, Thunder Road and Roll Me Away. Outstanding driving music, could have kissed the D.J. at that classic rock station.
The Cool Old Man got himself wired into the net, found out that he worked for the Signal Corp in 1934, he was in the army years before WWII began, at least as far as U.S. involvement. So this guy is into it, showed him Google today, found a website called ScreamingEagles.org, it's the official site for 101st vets. Talk about stoked, should have seen his face light up. We spent a couple of hours just goofing around, I listened to him share some of his stories. He talked about his wife, how much he misses her. He told me how he and another guy once had to draw a map of the east coast, D.C. area to Portland, ME. It showed coastal defense artillery positions at various locations and the routes between them. He said the map took up an entire garage bay floor.
At one point in the conversation this Cool Old Man got real quiet, looking off into somewhere else. His eyes were fixed on the wall, he wasn't seeing the wall. I think he was looking at something or someone who resides in that long ago somewhere else. I saw a flash of hurt, maybe regret, maybe anger or fear. Based on my own experience I'd say it was some combination of all four, kind of rolled into one feeling. Hard to describe, I didn't say anything, didn't move an inch, just waited while he drifted through that long ago somewhere else.
So I'll call him during the week, he asked me if I'd visit again, I said sure. He's got kids and grown grandkids, I guess they don't visit that often. Maybe they do, I don't know, none of my business anyway. I gave him my e-mail address, my other one, not the one I use for this blog. He said he'd figure it out, if he can't I'll show him how to do that next week. He did figure out how to buy stuff, already ordered a DVD of an opera. I can't remember the name of the opera, don't know a lot about opera anyway. I do have a favorite opera, the one with Elmer Fudd singing "Kill the rabbit.....Kill the rabbit". Yeah, I like that one.
Hey Tommy, my wife finished up her first week at her new job. Started her second week last night......She likes it man, learned how to read a micrometer......Yeah, well it's a good job. This time next year she'll get paid for holidays off, that's a good thing. She's lookin' forward to some overtime soon......Yeah, Saturdays at time and a half, just in time for Christmas shopping. Yeah Tommy, life is pretty good bro. Catch you later.
The Cool Old Man got himself wired into the net, found out that he worked for the Signal Corp in 1934, he was in the army years before WWII began, at least as far as U.S. involvement. So this guy is into it, showed him Google today, found a website called ScreamingEagles.org, it's the official site for 101st vets. Talk about stoked, should have seen his face light up. We spent a couple of hours just goofing around, I listened to him share some of his stories. He talked about his wife, how much he misses her. He told me how he and another guy once had to draw a map of the east coast, D.C. area to Portland, ME. It showed coastal defense artillery positions at various locations and the routes between them. He said the map took up an entire garage bay floor.
At one point in the conversation this Cool Old Man got real quiet, looking off into somewhere else. His eyes were fixed on the wall, he wasn't seeing the wall. I think he was looking at something or someone who resides in that long ago somewhere else. I saw a flash of hurt, maybe regret, maybe anger or fear. Based on my own experience I'd say it was some combination of all four, kind of rolled into one feeling. Hard to describe, I didn't say anything, didn't move an inch, just waited while he drifted through that long ago somewhere else.
So I'll call him during the week, he asked me if I'd visit again, I said sure. He's got kids and grown grandkids, I guess they don't visit that often. Maybe they do, I don't know, none of my business anyway. I gave him my e-mail address, my other one, not the one I use for this blog. He said he'd figure it out, if he can't I'll show him how to do that next week. He did figure out how to buy stuff, already ordered a DVD of an opera. I can't remember the name of the opera, don't know a lot about opera anyway. I do have a favorite opera, the one with Elmer Fudd singing "Kill the rabbit.....Kill the rabbit". Yeah, I like that one.
Hey Tommy, my wife finished up her first week at her new job. Started her second week last night......She likes it man, learned how to read a micrometer......Yeah, well it's a good job. This time next year she'll get paid for holidays off, that's a good thing. She's lookin' forward to some overtime soon......Yeah, Saturdays at time and a half, just in time for Christmas shopping. Yeah Tommy, life is pretty good bro. Catch you later.
posted by Squarehead at 8:49 PM
4 Comments:
Heh heh...I know the "Kill the Wabbit" tune you're talking about. And just to show you that getting a degree in music is worth something, (though very little,) I can also tell you that that "Wabbit" thing is based upon "The Ride of the Valryrie," which is heard in Der Ring des Nibelungen (commonly called "The Ring" cycle,) a gigantic opera by Richard Wagner, who was Hitler's favorite composer.
All you ever need to know about opera....
This is cool, ok has jogged my memory. The name of the opera on DVD that the Cool Old Man ordered was "The Ring" cycle. I thought he was saying "Ring Tone", I thought he was talking about ring tones for his cell phone. I am familiar with that "Ride Of The Valkyrie" piece, that's what they played in "Apocalypse Now" when the cavalry was assaulting an enemy position.......... That's not a great date movie.......
The Ring cycle isn't a great date opera, either, unless you both want to grow old together...during the performance.
Wow, that good huh?
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