10 Random Things About Gadfly
OK, Future Was Yesterday, you asked for it! All pictures are from the internet. I don't have many pictures of my own.
1. There are 2 kinds of people that live in trailer parks. One kind is just folks. The other kind is what people call 'trailer trash'. I was born to the second category.I grew up fast, hard and mean and wild as a country buck. I had to to survive. My mom and pop were alkies and so were all their friends. Drinking beer and fighting was their main entertainment. People didn't think they had a good time on Saturday nights unless there was at least one good brawl. Then everybody would doctor their wounds and go back to drinking beer together. Mom was a pretty good cook though until Pop hid his wake-up beer in the oven and Mom lit it to bake biscuits. The beer exploded and blew the door off the oven and Mom refused to cook anymore. I know there is a joke about that but it really happened. Alkies and druggies aways hide their wake-up stuff so nobody else will get it first the next morning. I had to start doing the cooking. I was out on my own at sixteen.
The picture is not our trailer but kind of like it. One difference is that there isn't enough junk cars and old appliances in front. Mom planted cactuses in the thrown out commode. She thought that was really funny and always invited someone to use the pottie. Pop made a barbecue pit out of an old washing machine. I guess that was recycling before it became popular.
2. Friends are good to have and we had quite a few. They weren't very classy but most of the women were ok people. One woman actually used her front as a cup holder like this woman did, and carried her cigarettes in her tank top. Sometimes the pack would slide down and give her a strange squarish lump in her front.
We never had a hot tub like this, probably because that bunch of drunks never thought of it, but we did have an old bathtub that the little kids used as a swimming pool. This bunch looks sorta like some that hung out at our place.
3. I was very athletic and was a first class runner. That was a matter of survival too. As soon as I grew buds on my chest, males of all ages started chasing me. Old guys that looked like this:
thought they looked like this:
If they had looked like this, I probably wouldn't have run so fast. ;)
I also learned to be a good fighter, down and dirty, low and mean. Go straight for the eyeballs or gonads and act crazy wild. People learned to leave me alone.
4. I loved sports. I was a good shot and liked to hunt and sometimes went hunting with the guys. That sharpened my running and fighting skills too until I shot one of them's big toe off and threatened to shoot a little higher. After that we got along pretty good.
The Old Woman's friends went skiing in Colorado and places like that but when I was young we did mud skiing like in this picture. Guys would also pull a bike behind a pickup truck and if you fell off got road rash from hell. We'd also "surf" by riding on a car roof and hanging on to the framework of the windshield. If the driver made a swift turn or fast stop you went flying off and it hurt like hell. A couple of friends got hospital-hurt that way. It was pretty stupid but kids always think they're invincible.
5. My attitude towards men wasn't too good, kind of two way. Couldn't live with them and couldn't live without them. I liked men pretty good but from early experiences didn't trust them too much. I was no prude and liked sex just fine but it had to be MY choice and on MY terms. It could be bed or battle and sometimes both. Most of the time I had to be in a relationship with a guy to bed him. That's not to say I didn't have a few one-nighters, usually after too much Jose Cuervo and lime. Just like in the song:
Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine
I like to drink you with a little salt and lime
Did I kiss all the cowboys?
Did I shoot out the lights?
Did I dance on the bar?
Did I start any fights?
Now wait a minute
Things don't look too familiar
Who is this cowboy
Who's sleepin' beside me?
He's awful cute, but how'd I
Get his shirt on?
I had too much Tequila last night
Yeh, I had a few nights like that. Sounds like my theme song back in the day. Probably did it all. I worked hard, played hard, drank hard, and fought hard. My background and role models wasn't the best. Not making excuses, just stating facts. I don't excuse anything I did.
6. Somewhere along the way I met Old Woman, but she wasn't old then. We didn't become friends right away. Damn but she was a knockout, so damn pretty and always dressed up. I thought she was a snotty rich bitch and I was jealous as hell of her. We traveled in completely different circles and I don't even remember where I first met her. Probably when she was wrapped up in her do gooder work and slumming it. I'd see her once in a while and finally she started talking to me, and little by little we became friends, a very unlikely pair. The rest is history, as they say. Damn if she didn't civilize me! More or less. ;) I even went to school and got my GED and job training. Got a good job and found a better class of friends. I'm almost respectible now. I said ALMOST! Caught me a real good husband and it broke my heart when he died. Too g**d*** early!
7. Kids are cool. I like the little scoundrels. I have a couple but no great grands like Old Woman and Granny Ann have. Too many young people these days want careers first and wait too long to start a family. I'm not as kid orientated as Old Woman is but I believe like she does that grownups need to protect and take care of them and raise them with good standards.
8. I'm a good dancer and love to dance. That's one thing Old Woman and I have in common, or used to, before she got too arthritic to cut it any more. We had some times out dancing. She hardly ever drank anything and I cut down a lot; we weren't looking for dates or to get soused - we just wanted to dance. Some guys didn't understand that but if one got too pushy, I'd step back a notch or two to my old habits and discourage him real quick. I can be real discouraging when I've a mind to. Can be real ENcouraging too if the notion strikes me, but rarely when I was out with the Old Woman.
9. Art: I wasn't much of an art lover in my younger years. Never found much value in pictures of dogs playing poker or nearly naked women on calendars issued by the local wrecker company.
At the trailer park, tattoos like this one were greatly admired as high art and hilarious:
In her efforts to civilize me, the Old Woman turned me on to real art. She's a great art lover. For me, I think that Picasso and Dali dudes are a load of crap but I do like some of the stuff she admires so much. It's real pretty. That Van Gogh painted some real pretty pictures but I don't know why he whacked off his ear. Are all artists nuts? Wading through the bios of some of them it looks like a lot were squirrelly or dope users. Now I do like that Michaelangelo's statues and paintings. I think he was a genius.
10. Music: Mostly I like the old fashioned honkytonking country and western music. Belly rubbing music. I like some contemporary music but I never learned to like those damned operas Old Woman and Granny Ann likes. Her last husband was an a$hat but I had to agree with him on one thing. Why can't the actors simply speak their lines instead of catterwalling it? And do it in English? I did learn to like the ballet, though. It is really pretty and graceful.
All righty now, The Future Was Yesterday. Is that enough random stuff on me or too much? If it's too much, too bad. It's already posted. Not as good as yours but.....it's all mine.
You are an all right dude.
Comments:
1. There are 2 kinds of people that live in trailer parks. One kind is just folks. The other kind is what people call 'trailer trash'. I was born to the second category.I grew up fast, hard and mean and wild as a country buck. I had to to survive. My mom and pop were alkies and so were all their friends. Drinking beer and fighting was their main entertainment. People didn't think they had a good time on Saturday nights unless there was at least one good brawl. Then everybody would doctor their wounds and go back to drinking beer together. Mom was a pretty good cook though until Pop hid his wake-up beer in the oven and Mom lit it to bake biscuits. The beer exploded and blew the door off the oven and Mom refused to cook anymore. I know there is a joke about that but it really happened. Alkies and druggies aways hide their wake-up stuff so nobody else will get it first the next morning. I had to start doing the cooking. I was out on my own at sixteen.
The picture is not our trailer but kind of like it. One difference is that there isn't enough junk cars and old appliances in front. Mom planted cactuses in the thrown out commode. She thought that was really funny and always invited someone to use the pottie. Pop made a barbecue pit out of an old washing machine. I guess that was recycling before it became popular.
2. Friends are good to have and we had quite a few. They weren't very classy but most of the women were ok people. One woman actually used her front as a cup holder like this woman did, and carried her cigarettes in her tank top. Sometimes the pack would slide down and give her a strange squarish lump in her front.
We never had a hot tub like this, probably because that bunch of drunks never thought of it, but we did have an old bathtub that the little kids used as a swimming pool. This bunch looks sorta like some that hung out at our place.
3. I was very athletic and was a first class runner. That was a matter of survival too. As soon as I grew buds on my chest, males of all ages started chasing me. Old guys that looked like this:
thought they looked like this:
If they had looked like this, I probably wouldn't have run so fast. ;)
I also learned to be a good fighter, down and dirty, low and mean. Go straight for the eyeballs or gonads and act crazy wild. People learned to leave me alone.
4. I loved sports. I was a good shot and liked to hunt and sometimes went hunting with the guys. That sharpened my running and fighting skills too until I shot one of them's big toe off and threatened to shoot a little higher. After that we got along pretty good.
The Old Woman's friends went skiing in Colorado and places like that but when I was young we did mud skiing like in this picture. Guys would also pull a bike behind a pickup truck and if you fell off got road rash from hell. We'd also "surf" by riding on a car roof and hanging on to the framework of the windshield. If the driver made a swift turn or fast stop you went flying off and it hurt like hell. A couple of friends got hospital-hurt that way. It was pretty stupid but kids always think they're invincible.
5. My attitude towards men wasn't too good, kind of two way. Couldn't live with them and couldn't live without them. I liked men pretty good but from early experiences didn't trust them too much. I was no prude and liked sex just fine but it had to be MY choice and on MY terms. It could be bed or battle and sometimes both. Most of the time I had to be in a relationship with a guy to bed him. That's not to say I didn't have a few one-nighters, usually after too much Jose Cuervo and lime. Just like in the song:
Jose Cuervo you are a friend of mine
I like to drink you with a little salt and lime
Did I kiss all the cowboys?
Did I shoot out the lights?
Did I dance on the bar?
Did I start any fights?
Now wait a minute
Things don't look too familiar
Who is this cowboy
Who's sleepin' beside me?
He's awful cute, but how'd I
Get his shirt on?
I had too much Tequila last night
Yeh, I had a few nights like that. Sounds like my theme song back in the day. Probably did it all. I worked hard, played hard, drank hard, and fought hard. My background and role models wasn't the best. Not making excuses, just stating facts. I don't excuse anything I did.
6. Somewhere along the way I met Old Woman, but she wasn't old then. We didn't become friends right away. Damn but she was a knockout, so damn pretty and always dressed up. I thought she was a snotty rich bitch and I was jealous as hell of her. We traveled in completely different circles and I don't even remember where I first met her. Probably when she was wrapped up in her do gooder work and slumming it. I'd see her once in a while and finally she started talking to me, and little by little we became friends, a very unlikely pair. The rest is history, as they say. Damn if she didn't civilize me! More or less. ;) I even went to school and got my GED and job training. Got a good job and found a better class of friends. I'm almost respectible now. I said ALMOST! Caught me a real good husband and it broke my heart when he died. Too g**d*** early!
7. Kids are cool. I like the little scoundrels. I have a couple but no great grands like Old Woman and Granny Ann have. Too many young people these days want careers first and wait too long to start a family. I'm not as kid orientated as Old Woman is but I believe like she does that grownups need to protect and take care of them and raise them with good standards.
8. I'm a good dancer and love to dance. That's one thing Old Woman and I have in common, or used to, before she got too arthritic to cut it any more. We had some times out dancing. She hardly ever drank anything and I cut down a lot; we weren't looking for dates or to get soused - we just wanted to dance. Some guys didn't understand that but if one got too pushy, I'd step back a notch or two to my old habits and discourage him real quick. I can be real discouraging when I've a mind to. Can be real ENcouraging too if the notion strikes me, but rarely when I was out with the Old Woman.
9. Art: I wasn't much of an art lover in my younger years. Never found much value in pictures of dogs playing poker or nearly naked women on calendars issued by the local wrecker company.
At the trailer park, tattoos like this one were greatly admired as high art and hilarious:
In her efforts to civilize me, the Old Woman turned me on to real art. She's a great art lover. For me, I think that Picasso and Dali dudes are a load of crap but I do like some of the stuff she admires so much. It's real pretty. That Van Gogh painted some real pretty pictures but I don't know why he whacked off his ear. Are all artists nuts? Wading through the bios of some of them it looks like a lot were squirrelly or dope users. Now I do like that Michaelangelo's statues and paintings. I think he was a genius.
10. Music: Mostly I like the old fashioned honkytonking country and western music. Belly rubbing music. I like some contemporary music but I never learned to like those damned operas Old Woman and Granny Ann likes. Her last husband was an a$hat but I had to agree with him on one thing. Why can't the actors simply speak their lines instead of catterwalling it? And do it in English? I did learn to like the ballet, though. It is really pretty and graceful.
All righty now, The Future Was Yesterday. Is that enough random stuff on me or too much? If it's too much, too bad. It's already posted. Not as good as yours but.....it's all mine.
You are an all right dude.
Comments:
Labels: Gadfly meme - 10 random
posted by Gadfly @ 11/25/2007 08:31:00 AM
i don't care what tua says- i think it was great! oh... did i say that out loud? hi dan'l :)
gadfly, you ain't foolin' us- we all see that you are a talented writer with a couple of rough edges. thanks for this :)
Sunday, November 25, 2007 8:44:00 AM
That was I.
I think it was great too and a rough act to follow so I'm glad I don't have to.
I can hardly wait to see what WA has to say.
Sunday, November 25, 2007 8:57:00 AM
Gadfly, my old friend, you give me far too much credit.There is no doubt that you were a flaming hell on wheels (and still are to a certain extent :-) ). But any changes wrought in your life were your choices, your decisions, your desires, efforts and determination. All I did was show you that there was a wider world and life than that which you knew. No one can change another person. Any "civilizing" that was done, you did it yourself. All that you are today was already inside you and you are a far better person than you give yourself credit for. As we mature, each of us learns, grows and evolves but changes are not made unless the basic character is inside us. You are a good ole gal, my Friend.
Sunday, November 25, 2007 1:35:00 PM
Aw Shucks! (Blush) Thanks, you guys.
Betmo, I haven't forgotten that you said I could come to your blog and cuss if I wanted to. :)
Granny: Yeh, Granny, I gather that you were kind of frisky in your day too. And you know about those motorcycles. ;) Ever get any road rash? Believe it or not, the Old Woman mounted the bitch seat a few times but never got any road rash. She does have her down to earth side.
Sunday, November 25, 2007 2:47:00 PM
PS: what is tua? Who is dan'l?
Sunday, November 25, 2007 2:48:00 PM
I'm TUA (The Unhappy American), and I sign all my email Dan'l, as I once wanted to be Daniel Boone and my name is Dan so.....
I think you are my soul Sister! I'm former trailer trash myself, some fifteen years of it. The kind where if your bud didn't get his ass out of bed and take that cold beer you had for him, you walked in and dragged him out, whether Momma was naked or not!:) It wasn't Momma I was after, anyway. I personally was responsible for three junk cars in my front yard at one time, plus one that ran occasionally. One had a big ole target on it we used for years till the cops made us quit.
"I also learned to be a good fighter, down and dirty, low and mean. Go straight for the eyeballs or gonads and act crazy wild. People learned to leave me alone.
You better believe it, Honey! Get 'em down, keep 'em down by any means necessary, and make 'em sorry they had a Momma. Dew Drop Inn Rules, which meant there was none, except one: If you let them up, you deserved what you got.
until Pop hid his wake-up beer in the oven and Mom lit it to bake biscuits.
LMAO!! Some things are truly universal, and that's one. I had the damnedest time trying to hide my eye opener in that trailer from my first wife There's only so much space!!
You're not my equal; you're far better! You're not just the spice in the soup around here, you're truly the spice of life. Don't you ever quit being you!!
Sunday, November 25, 2007 7:43:00 PM
2007 7:43:00 PM
TUA sent me your link thinking I'd find this post funny, and he's right. It's hilarious. I love #3! But don't most guys think that way..LOL!
Monday, November 26, 2007 7:42:00 AM
Hey Gadfly. I came over by way of TUA. Your randoms are a great way to be introduced. Please to meet you.
Monday, November 26, 2007 7:43:00 AM
Hi Gadfly- I came over via TUA and I'm glad I followed the trail. I love your post and couldn't help but laugh at your reasons for running.
I'll check out more of your posts in the future. Glad to meet you!
Monday, November 26, 2007 3:10:00 PM
Is it true that Hollywood is going to make a film of your life, Gadfly? An R-rated one! Is it really going to be called 'Irrepressible'? Is it true that most top actresses are lining up for the lead role because they reckon that making the movie will be more fun than their day-to-day lives? Did the guy whose toe you shot off get the nickname Limpy perchance? Is it true you're really Dolly Parton?
Cheers!
Monday, November 26, 2007 6:54:00 PM
Holy Sh*t! I never expected so many nice comments! I really do appreciate all the nice things you guys have said.
FWY, tua, dan'l? What do I call you now? But thank you so much for linking me to your friends. That was so sweet of you.
Soul Sister? Yeh buddy. Glad to have a Soul Brother!
Goddess. Thank you for clicking over here and reading my stuff. I'm glad you thought it was funny. Yeh, lots of guys like #3.
Hi Mary. Glad to meet you. There's 3 of us on this blog. I hardly ever write anything because I didn't think I had much to say. I am surprised.
And Hi to you, Mary Ellen. I'm glad you stopped by, too. As for running, a woman likes to pick and choose instead of some slob pawing all over. I think all women have that happen at one time or another.
Hey Daniel; Nope, no movie in the works. Yeh, one would about have to be R rated. ;) That guy whose toe I shot was sometimes called Gimpy and sometimes Four Toes and sometimes something the Old Woman won't let me say on the blog. Realy, I only shot about half of it off, just behind the toenail but he sure did complain a lot for a long time.
Dolly Parton? I wish!! At least I wish I had her income!
Monday, November 26, 2007 8:46:00 PM
Amazing what you learn about people by just passing by. Quite interesting to be sure. Thanks for your candor.
Peace to All.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 7:45:00 AM