When our oldest of three ‘baby girls’ approached age three years, her main vocabulary consisted of questions: Why? How? What’s that? Asking why her Mommy was expanding at the middle, she was told another little sister was inside, on the way. The next day, she shocked the elderly couple who came to dinner when she asked: “Mommy, is the food you’re eating falling on the baby’s head?” Another time
Category: Family
Science Fair Family Feud
The Elam and Crutchfield families were the best of friends. But once a year friends became the worst of enemies—when the Abilene city schools sponsored the Science Fair. On the run-up to that annual event, the Crutchfield father of five let his chicanery slip. While sharing a libation or two, John bragged he and son Joe had installed laboratory equipment to help grow experimental ‘cultures’ for the upcoming Science Fair. Holy Pasteur—what were the odds my
Famous Christmas Givers
Annie was a great gal. Her only niece Margo remembers, as I do, a ‘cornucopia’ of Christmas presents that Anne Van Buren mailed from Colorado to our homes. However my sister-in-law insisted on specific Christmas tree rules. To wit: NO presents opened before Christmas morning. Excepting when the northern cat smelled the ‘nip’ wrapped and sent by the Colorado feline who always signed as ‘Claws.’ ONLY one present from ‘Auntie’ or ‘Sister.’ All other wrapped presents
Smartest Dog
Magazine article just read rated the Border Collie as world’s smartest dog. I agree. Our first dog ‘Brownie’ was primarily Border Collie, although relegated to the Animal Shelter because of his mixed bloodline. That’s where my bride of one month found him. Maxine wanted a dog in the house while I worked the morning newspaper shift. The duplex neighbors thought that was a good idea. They renamed him ‘The Brown Bomber.’ Later, the three little
Dowry Questionnaire
“Oh Daddy, you wouldn’t do that….would you?” When the teenage boys got ‘wheels’ and started asking my daughters for dates, I threatened to require each boy to complete a questionnaire so I could check his credentials. I didn’t. But #3 Daughter never forgot. And when she accepted his invitation, she helped Jack Wood write the questionnaire he presented when they announced their engagement. Questionnaire for the Father of the Bride Asset Value of Daughter 1.
An Auction for a Veteran
“You wiggle your hand, Honey, you bought something.” The auctioneer got a laugh from the 90 plus people gathered in the VFW hall. Another laugh came when he put the Victoria Secret tote bag up for bids. “And there are other secrets in this bag.” Family and motorcycle friends were there on this Sunday afternoon to raise money for my second cousin Mike. Many had donated items for the auction. Mike wasn’t there. He is in
When Mama Flew Solo
Drop in on any hanger flying session and somebody is probably retelling their first solo flight when the instructor steps out of the plane and says, “Fly around the field twice and then come in.” The mother of four wrote that her heart started palpitating. Slightly “rattled” she turned onto the wrong taxi strip, a mistake similar to driving the wrong way on a one-way street. She called the airport tower and asked permission to
A Few Words about Weddings
You answer, “I do.” And you remember the words forever. A few words really count at weddings. Not only for the newly-married, but also for the Father of the Bride. To answer “who gives this woman…” with only two words “I do” doesn’t begin to express a father’s emotion at that moment. Many times we fathers answer “Her Mother and I.” That’s four words and I don’t remember any of those four words costing me
Teach me to trade
I was working in the same office with my Dad as I listened to his half of a telephone call. A.R. (Red) Elam, Sr. was trading for some oilfield pipe. If the trade occurred, he would dispatch an A.R. Elam Trucking Co. driver and a swamper to load the pipe. I listened for several minutes. I couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation but I heard Dad’s quoted numbers rise and fall. Finally Dad