his name is earl. .

[i found this old gem today whilst looking through my old facebook 'notes'.]

so. . i was sitting quietly at work when an old man walks in(79 years old). . .he had been mowing all day. 15 acres across the street and another 80 acres down the road. unfortunately his boss forgot about him, so his truck which was down the road at the 80 acres had his lunch and "ice cold" water in it. after about number 3. . i started taking notes.

the following are the multiple topics (my only responses for the duration of this one-sided conversation (45 min) were a series of "hmmm's" and nods.) [in order]

1.) the DL on mowing.

2.) once when he was mowing, there was a big ole coyote that jumps out of the trees. and into a pile of grass into a rats nest. but today, in the 15 acres and the 80 acres he hadn't "jumped a rat yet".

3.) "i married a girl at 17 and had me two kids by 18, now how'd that happen?. . . twins! ole eddie dean and freddy gene." they are still alive.

4.) his wife died and he misses her.

5.) there is a restaurant down the road (in newcastle) that used to be called Bob's Wrangler. you could get a cup of coffee for 27cents. now a cup of coffee sells for $1.70, if you get food. if you only get coffee, it's $1.78.

6.) "have you ever drove an 18-wheeler across the golden gate bridge?" you can see it in the distance. the closer you get, the more excited you get. he's driven in boston. new york city. chicago. all them towns. [he may have said something racist about chicago. . but i can't be sure]

7.) "tried to learn smoking once. in 1950. you know we'd go back behind the gym and light up then go to class. i threw up for 4 days in a row. so i guess i never learned to smoke good."

8.) he guzzlesd a pint of whiskey once and passed out. [1950 also] he wanted to die the next day. never drank or lit up since.

9.) "i wanted a motorcycle so i got me one. boss wouldn't let me take it to kansas though. loaded it up anyway"

10.) had a girlfriend in kansas named Vilda.

11.) broke his arms in several places. [pointed them out] and his hand was dead.

12.) "ran into a train cuz i was thinking about that girl." (vilda) he was unconscious for 14 days and his mama had to save some money to come see him.

13.) he got married in 1951 when he got back to oklahoma. not to vilda.

14.) "told the doctor in '52 in san diego that my left hand was dead. doc said 'we'll just see about that' and he took a needle about this long and poked me. blood was squirtin out this high. then he did it again there and there in my hand. doctor scratched his head and said 'i know how to fix that'. then he went and got a hammer and hit me in the hand. i didn't move and the doctor goes 'that hand is DEAD!' then i said i know."

15.) "1960 the Lord saved me."

16.) 1963 the Lord heeled his hand.

17.) "Got a steel plate in my head. train crushed my skull. folks at the airfield will flock atcha."

18.) he got zapped once while welding and passed out.

19.) "worked at tinker field. they had some pipe there."

20.) his boss made him crawl down a manhole then forgot about him. there were gas and chemical fumes down there so he passed out. an hour later they remembered he was down there and had to drag him out. scraped him all up.

21.) "i haven't been sick in 40 years. i feel just fine."

22.) "my daughter went on a boat tour. i think they call it a cruise now."

23.) "gotta go to festivals by myself."

24.) there is a festival in el reno. they make a big burger with 5 cans of onions and a lot of mustard.

25.) "im so proud of my john deere. she's got air condition."