My 1000th post; Story request.

[driveby]

Well, it has taken me almost 5 years but I finally reached the 1K mark. During this time I have made some new friends here and I appreciate every one of you. I have yet to meet any of you that didn’t turn out to be extremely nice. There are some good folks here that I haven’t met in person but have still been very kind and helpful and I intend to meet all of you as well some day. So, as most people do for their 1K post, I’d like to share a story at the request of Mossyisland. I told Rocky this story a few days ago and he suggested I post it so I thought this was good a time as any.
It being the holiday season, I was thinking about some of my favorite things from this time of year. One thing I love is the movie, “A Christmas Story”. What I like about it so much is it brings back childhood memories of a “simpler time”. I was born in 1970 but I honestly wish I had grown up in Ralphie’s day. All of you know about Ralphie’s dad and his “Major Award” of the leg lamp. You will remember how he talked about all the things the award could be when he got the notice and how excited he was, only to get the lamp. He was proud of it none the less. This is very similar to something that happened to me and my dad back in the mid 80’s. My dad and I would go to Pickwick and catch smallmouth during the winter. We were pretty good at it too and would catch several nice ones. One day he and I both caught tagged smallmouths. Talk about luck, 2 tagged smallmouths in one trip. The tag had in very tiny print that we could send it in and receive a prize. Hot Dog!!! We had heard about fish being tagged for contests and how some of them were worth real good money or nice prizes. We were just like Ralphie’s dad when we sent those tags in. We talked about getting hundreds of dollars, nice new fishing equipment, or even a new boat!! We had hit the jackpot and just new it. Well a couple weeks went by and our prizes both arrived the same day. When we got home they were waiting on the front porch. There were 2 boxes about a foot square each. Wooohooo!!! What could it be? Before we could get them open we talked about how it was probably some new high dollar fishing reels and some lures or something similar. Well we got the boxes open and there before our eyes was, you guessed it, 2 new hats. Not just any hats mind you. These were the high rise trucker hats with white foam fronts and red mesh backs. Emblazoned across the front in red lettering was the letter “I”, a big old heart, and the word “SMALLMOUTH”. Needless to say, we weren’t near as happy as Ralphie’s dad, we were rather let down. Oh well, lesson learned. Never count your chickens before they hatch. Every time I watch “A Christmas Story” and Ralphie’s dad get’s that lamp, I think about those hats. I don’t know what happened to those hats but the funny thing is, I wish I still had one of them as a token of the “good old days”.

[cwink]

I hear those hats are coming back in style.. Congrats on the 1k post and the Major Awards..

[redleg3316]

congrats

[skywalker]

Congrats....I am getting there.

[JDgator]

You are a good man, Driveby.

How is the old 4runner?

[driveby]

Still kickin'. I don't drive it as much now as I'm hauling more junk but I do enjoy driving it.

[mudsucker]

Nice guys,eh?


You have not met ME yet! We's even in the same club!
I have been stuck out here since Dec.17th. SUPPOSE to get off on the 11th. Hope to get to BDDC to meet ya!

[stray1]

A good guy? Driveby's a twinkie-eating jackleg!

Good story, Jerry. Going to be COLD at the camp this weekend!

[driveby]

i guess I'll just have to crawl in between you and Jonathan.

[blgros1]

Dang Jerry, Never took you fer that kind of fella.

i guess I'll just have to crawl in between you and Jonathan.