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  • Sh*t My Kid Says…

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    I’d start a Twitter account for this sort of thing, but I just don’t have time. Besides which, I’d just get myself accused of trying to capitalize on the “Dad Says” dude, and his success.

    So, anyway, there we were, on vacation. I should probably write a vacation blog and tell all sorts of stories about how E K made us march through the woods and over huge boulders, all in the sweltering 95+ heat, with 12,000,000% humidity, but I’ll have to get to that later… Maybe… I guess it’s a we’ll see sort of thing.

    Okay, so back to the real story here. There we were, on vacation, last night of the trip, and we were staying at The Davie School Inn. When we asked about “eats” the owner directed us to The Brick House restaurant, a couple of blocks away. A little eclectic fusion sort of bistro with interesting decor and good food. We even sat at the “Twister Table”… Seriously. It was painted like a Twister mat. Kinda weird, but kinda cool at the same time. After ordering up a couple of Mothership Wits for ourselves, and a Root Beer for the O-spring, we set about perusing the menu. When all was said and done, after salivating over the many wonderful sounding selections, believe it or not we all ordered sort of the same thing – E K had steamed mussels and a house specialty salad. I had steamed mussels and a spinach salad. The O-spring had… Yes… Steamed mussels, but instead of a salad she opted for French Fries. Odd combination, yeah, but hey… She’s a 10 year old. Besides, how many 10 year olds do you know who willingly order steamed mussels and then rave about them for two hours? Yeah, that’s our kid. Go figure…

    But, that’s not what this is really about. Well… It is sorta, but not exactly. You see, as we sat there enjoying a wonderful dinner, some tunes were wafting in from above. This prompted E K and I to discuss our Vinyl Collection, because it has yet to be all converted to CD. In particular, we were talking about The Police and Sting. Why? Because a song by Sting was playing, silly.

    Anywho, fast forward 10 minutes or so. The kid is blowing bubbles in her root beer, shoving French Fries into one side of her mouth, and discovering the creamy goodness of the steamed mussel broth at the bottom of her bowl. Yet another song by Sting begins pouring in from overhead. Being old, and because of that a bit addled, I looked at The Evil Redhead with a puzzled expression.

    “That isn’t the same song we just heard a few minutes ago, is it?” I asked.

    E K, being in the middle of masticating a mussel, held up a finger to indicate I should wait a second for her answer. However, before she was able to engage peristalsis and swallow the food, the O-spring spoke up.

    “No, it isn’t the same song,” she said, then by way of explanation offered her personal analysis of the brass section content. “The other one was a lot more horny.”

    E K choked on the half swallowed mussel. I spewed Mothership Wit all over the wall across from me. The server applied the Heimlich Maneuver to the redhead, propelling the glob of  seafood along a bizarre trajectory that landed it in the pale blue beehive of a 97 year old patron across the room who was trying desperately to enjoy a Bruschetta, even though she had forgotten her teeth. Another server who was attempting to avoid the shellfish projectile slipped, sending a tray full of chilled soup cascading across a party of 18 several feet away, prompting the…

    Okay… So it wasn’t that dramatic. But, EKay’s eyes got really big, she half choked on the piece of garlic bread in her mouth, and I almost – not quite, but almost – spewed a mouthful of Mothership Wit across the table.

    The O-spring looked at us and said, “What?”

    E K leaned over and whispered, “You probably should have said brassy, because horny is a slang word that means someone really wants to have sex a lot.”

    The O-spring having been through the “talk” at school, besides being brilliant as well, knew what sex happened to be – in theory.  Also, being 10, while she is familiar with the non-specific theory behind it, the subject is still residing in that “EWWW, GROSS!” area of her psyche. Personally, I’d like for it to stay that way until I’m dead, but hey, I’m a dad, and that’s how dads are.

    So, since that’s where the concept resides, that’s what the O-spring said. “EWWW, GROSS!”

    This was somewhat heartening, to say the least…

    There was a moment of quiet, then she looked across the table and said, “You’re going to write a blog about this, aren’t you, Dad?”

    Obviously, she hadn’t lost her faith in me…

    (Aww, come on, quit groaning… you knew I would have to make at least one Sting song lyric related pun…)

    More to come…

    Murv

  • The Big Three Oh…

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    Well, when it comes to “age” the proverbial Big Three Oh is languishing somewhere in a valley well behind a mountain range that is rapidly shrinking in my rear view mirror. That is to say, 30 was a long, long time ago… An entire voting and drafting age adult ago, in fact. However, if you do the math it works out that I took my final bow at Ritenour Senior High thirty years ago this past June. And, like most high school alumni association type folks, mine tossed a shindig to celebrate this milestone.

    The party – or parties, I should say – in question occurred this past weekend (July 16 & 17), at two different locations, beginning with a “Multi Year Happy Hour” at the Lemp Mansion on Friday evening, which saw graduates spanning ’73 – ’84.  (Yours truly was a member of the “hosting class” for the shindig, 1980). Much fun was had, many old faces seen. Some old faces with new construction. Some old faces that hadn’t changed. But mostly, we were all just old. I visited with friends I hadn’t seen in 30 years, and some I hadn’t seen in 5. I even visited with people I didn’t know that I knew and am still not entirely certain that I know, if that makes any sense. As a rule, it seemed a healthy chunk of the folks knew me – or of me – whereas I had a passing familiarity with a much smaller percentage, and am friends with an even smaller number than that.

    This can be a little disconcerting, but beer helps. Several beers helps even more…

    Night two was the “Class of 80 Reunion Proper” and it was held at the Missouri Athletic Club – a posh private club in downtown Saint Louis with fancy ballrooms and high end food. Suffice it to say, when the elaborate appetizer table features plenty of Stilton and Brie among the countless selections, you definitely aren’t talking “supermarket cheese tray” here. This is some upscale digs.

    At any rate, the evening was filled with more chatting, old faces, new old faces, old new faces, and as always seems to be the case with me, a bit of the bizarre. What follows here is a Facebook note I put out there to recap the evening. Since many of my blog readers aren’t on FB, I thought I’d re-run it here:

    RHS Class of ’80 30 Year Reunion Recap…

    ...from the perspective of a satire slinging suspense-thriller author, of course.

    Drive… Drive… Drive.
    Park
    Walk… Walk… Walk…

    Check in table…

    Kathy (Not EK): MURV!
    Me: KATHY!
    Teri: Here’s your nametag.
    Me: I have a nametag? YAY! I’m SOMEBODY!!!
    Teri: Have fun.
    Me: We’ll try. But if we don’t it’s your fault and I’m going to come looking for you.
    Teri: SECURITY!

    Mingle… Mingle…

    Me: Yeah, the redhead will have a tonic with a twist. What kind of beer do you have?
    Bartender: AB this… AB that… AB the other… AB… AB…
    Me: What, no C?
    Bartender: AB this… AB that… AB the other… AB… AB…

    Random Classmate: Hi.
    Me: Hi, ummm, do I know you?
    Random Classmate: I don’t know, but I know you.
    Me: Sorry… I just can’t place you.
    Random Classmate: You’re that guy.
    Me: I am?
    Random Classmate: Yeah.
    Me: Oh, uh, okay.

    Mingle… Mingle…

    Random Classmate: Hi. We went to school together.
    Me: Ummm, yeah. I think that could be said for most everyone in the room. Here’s your sign.

    Random Classmate: Picture, picture. I need a picture.
    (smile) {flash}
    Random Classmate: Me too! Me too!
    (smile) {flash}
    Random Classmate: Over here, Murv!
    (smile) {flash}
    (smile) {flash}
    (smile) {flash}
    {little floaty spots in front of my face}
    Music in my head: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT, REVVED UP LIKE A…

    [hug]
    [hug}
    [handshake]
    [hug]
    [handshake]

    E K: Who was that?
    Me: I have no effing idea.

    [hug]
    [hug]
    [handshake]

    Random Classmate: Murv! How are you? Remember that time when we blah blah whatchmacallit blah?
    Me: Ummm. No?
    Random Classmate: Oh come on. We blah blah, then bla… Oh… Wait… That wasn’t you. Sorry.
    Me: No problem. I get that a lot.
    Random Classmate: Ummmm… I hear you write books now.
    Me: That’s the rumor.
    Random Classmate: You’re going to put this in a book aren’t you?
    Me: (nodding) Yeah. Probably. At the very least I’ll make fun of you in a blog or something.

    Random Classmate: Hi.
    Me: Hi.
    Random Classmate: Do you know me?
    Me: Hell no, I don’t even know myself.
    Random Classmate: You’re that guy, right?
    Me: That’s what I’ve been hearing.
    Random Classmate: No. Really. You’re that guy.
    Me: Okay, you got me. I’m that guy. But, sometimes when I’m feeling pretty, I’m that girl.
    Random Classmate: O_o.
    Me: Yeah, kinda scary, huh? (Especially since I look nothing at all like Marlo Thomas.)

    BUFFET LINE…

    E K: Woohoo! VEGGIES!
    Random Classmate: (pointing) Ummm… What’s that?
    Me: (pointing) Grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, grilled asparagus, grilled portabello mushroom, grilled peppers…
    Random Classmate: Oh… those are vegetables, right? I’ll pass…
    Me: You’d have a much easier time with that if you actually ate some of the veggies. Fiber, ya’know.
    Random Classmate: O_o

    Eat… Eat…Eat…

    DJ Jazzy J And The Funky Bunch – YO! {{{feedback… buzzzzz… squeal… feedback}}}
    [MYOO-ZIK – Thumpita Thumpita TWANG THUMPA]

    Random Classmate: HI!
    Me: WHAT?
    Random Classmate: HI!
    Me: WHAT?
    Random Classmate: YOU’RE MURV, RIGHT?
    Me: OH, I THINK IT’S JUST DOWN THE HALL.
    Random Classmate: WHAT?

    Me: (relating an anecdote to friends) …And then at my last book launch I had someone who actually believed she’s a “REAL vampire slayer” and wanted to “slay” my fans when they showed up.
    Steve, Cathy, and Nathan: You actually get crazy people showing up?
    Me: At least one at every event. Sometimes more…
    (frantic high heels coming closer – clickity, clackity, clickety, clackety…)
    Random Classmate: You don’t know me, but I know about you!
    Me: What will it take for you to not call the police? I really can’t afford another strike on my record right now.
    Random Classmate: O_o… Ummm… I know who you are.
    Me: I’m glad someone does, because I lost my wallet.
    Random Classmate: No… You don’t understand… I know what you do.
    Me: Like I said, how much for you to not call the police?
    Random Classmate: No… You write books.
    Me: I’ve heard that about me.
    Random Classmate: Well, have I got a story for you!
    Me: Really? What is it?
    Random Classmate: I can’t tell you because you’ll steal it.
    Me: Yeah, I don’t blame you. Just can’t trust us author types.
    Random Classmate: But I’ll sell it to you.
    Me: Sugar, no offense, but I have more ideas running around in my head than I’ll be able to write in my lifetime, so I’m not going to steal it or buy it.
    Random Classmate: But this has never been done before and it will make a great movie.
    Me: So, what is it?
    Random Classmate: I can’t tell you. You’ll steal it.
    E K: [giggle]
    Steve, Cathy, Nathan: Crap… You weren’t kidding, were you?

    {flash} {flash}
    [hug hug]

    Random Classmate: Hmmnimmm… Wharz baffoom?
    Me: Hall to the left.
    Random Classmate: Hmmmnim.
    clickety, clackety, clickety, clackety, CRASH!
    Steve, Nathan, Cathy, EK, Me: (checking on the noise) Are you okay?
    Random Classmate: Hmminnmm rmmm hhmminnimmmmm…

    (frantic high heels coming closer – clickity, clackity, clickety, clackety…)
    Previous Random Classmate: I’ve got a story… I’ve got a story… I’ve got a story…
    Steve, Cathy, and Nathan: This is going in a book, isn’t it?
    Me: Probably.

    Various Classmates: Bye… See you in five years.
    Me: Bye. See you on Facebook.

    Many of my friends keep telling me that my experience has something to do with celebrity. I think they’re wrong, because we didn’t have any celebrities at the reunion, other than the folks who worked so hard to put the shindig together.

    Rumor has it the 35th is going to be a 4 day cruise. I have to wonder if I’ll be hearing clickity, clackity, clickety, clackety… stumble… gaaahhhhhhh! SPLASH!

    I hope not, but if I do I’ll have no choice but to put it in a book. After laughing so hard that my drink shoots out my nose... Why? Because I’m that guy.

    More to come…

    Murv

    (Pictured: Photo 1 – Dave Perkins, M. R. Sellars, E K… Photo 2 – Kathy Patterson Inkley, M. R. Sellars…)