|
I made my apologies about the shirts, but
it didn't seem to matter to the folks. Luckily the printers *had* done the
one white one I had requested.
Roger _the other one was an original registered attendee, but a mishap during Vermort when a deer ran in front of his motorcycle had left him unable to make the party. The white shirt was for the others to sign and send to him along with the shirt he had requested. I had wanted to put it on one of those life size deer targets used by bowhunters and us all pose with it for a group picture, but after I saw the +$200 price tag I thought better of the idea. The neighbor I met during the beer run had 2 of those little deer lawn ornaments, but they were too small so I decided not to kidnap one of them. Instead I tore the T-shirt box apart and with Mike's help cut it so it would stretch the shirt out well enough to autograph. I had found a refrigerator magnet of a deer's head, so I placed it near the shirt's neck to remind folks what it was all about. |
There
must have been a reason I had to make another trip to town because as I came
back I saw *another* group of bikes, this time at the veterinary clinic. I told
EVLTWN, Willa, Nashville Jeff and Tim O'Brien they were almost there, just up
the road on the left.
Somewhere around this time a pickup pulled
into the front driveway with the johns in it. Finally! But I wanted them at the
other end of the yard so folks could see them as they came in and they wouldn't
be so near the main party area. Reluctantly the driver backed down the long
gravel drive and came to the store. I met him at the gate and told him he was better
off backing in, because I wanted them against the fence. Undaunted, he drove
straight in, and I explained again where I wanted them. Now he looked at me
like I was some kind of idiot, and rather than backing out and turning around
in the store's parking lot he turned, pulled forward, backed and turned, pulled
forward, backed and turned, pulled forward, backed and turned in the 20 or so
foot of area (too close to tents and bikes IMO) until he was in place. No
conversationalist, he grudgingly dropped the blue obelisks off the tailgate and
presented me the invoice. Odd, I noticed that it gave exact directions to the
store, never mentioning the address of my house and driveway. Bad attitude,
lack of reading comprehension, difficulty understanding directions. Well, at
least he left toilet paper.
Oh, geeze, I hadn't noticed how late it was
getting. More folks were here and I needed to get the grill going for the
smoked and polish sausages and the red hots. Check the coolers and make a trip
down to the store for more beer and ice. Pass out T-shirts and try and figure
out the arrival sequence.
Briquettes gray, I pierced some dogs and
placed them on the Brinkman. Too hot! I had just turned away for a second or
two and now the meat had turned to almost charcoal! Ahhhgh! Shit! Karen was
bringing out chips and condiments. Here, you do this! I've already dropped one
in the fire and can't get it back through the grill!
Check the coolers. Check for people who
hadn't gotten shirts. What? There's no toilet paper? Already?!? Let me check.
Grab the extra rolls Karen had picked up and headed that way. No, Rosie
checked, false alarm. Damn it's humid. Yeah I always sweat this much. Oh yeah,
this is great. How about you? Having fun?
(Photo credit: EVLTWN)