Category: Crazy Times

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, The Early Days2 Comments

Men Never Stop To Ask For Directions ……….or at least that’s the reputation we have

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Once when Madeline and I were newly married we decided to go to Six Flags in Arlington. I was somewhat familiar with the area so I figured I could drive right to our hotel without looking at a map. I admit that once we got close I became slightly disoriented. I may have driven in a circle for a moment. It was late and Madeline wanted me to stop and ask for directions, which wasn’t something I would have ever done. I had her busy looking at a roadmap while I drove. Finally, exasperated she said “pull in here and … Continue reading Men Never Stop To Ask For Directions ……….or at least that’s the reputation we have

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Meeting New People, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

The Money Collector

lewisotr

Eddie was our welder for a good number of years. There wasn’t a better welder or a better feller around. Eddie told the story of his brother, also a welder up in Oklahoma, that ran his own shop. He was having a terrible time getting people to pay him for the work he did. Then he heard of a guy that would help him out and was given a business card. He called the number and told the man the problem he was having. He was told to expect a visit. A couple of days later a long black sedan, … Continue reading The Money Collector

Crazy Times, My Friends, The Construction BizLeave a comment

Dink And The Big Wastewater Line Break

lewisotr

One day when Dink and I had our “partnership” going, he drilled through a 24″ wastewater line that we were relocating over at 5th and West Lynn St. for the new Mopac Highway that was being built. This was in the early 70s. Rather than tell anyone about breaking the line he put a big piece of tin over it, then parked a machine over the top. The plan was to return in the middle of the night when everyone went to sleep and put a “fix” on it when the flows were low. He enlisted me to meet him … Continue reading Dink And The Big Wastewater Line Break

Crazy Times, My Friends, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

I Would Be Considered Dink’s Stalker In Today’s Terms

lewisotr

Back in the days when Dink would come through Austin and borrow money for a venture or a vehicle to drive until his boat would come in, it always kept me needing to contact him. This was during a time he would be headed off to Alaska to mine gold one time and then off to Africa to mine for diamonds the next time. Or another time when he made a little remote controlled oil gobbler that would go out into the water and clean up oil spills. Yes this was different than the containment diaper to strap onto barges … Continue reading I Would Be Considered Dink’s Stalker In Today’s Terms

Crazy Times, My Friends, The Early DaysLeave a comment

Dink And The Jeep

lewisotr

Dink had fallen on hard times at some point in the early 80’s. He flew into Austin and caught a cab ride over to my office. He ask if I had a spare vehicle he could drive while he was in town on business. All I had sitting around was a 77 Jeep Cherokee Chief. It had pretty well been placed in retirement. It was the same one that I told about that Kenny and I made the epic journey across Texas in and it jumped time over in Lufkin. He drove it a couple of days and stopped by … Continue reading Dink And The Jeep

Crazy Times, My FriendsLeave a comment

A Lincoln Town Car With Dual Tires And Wheels All The Way Around It was

lewisotr

Down south of Dallas at the town of Waxahachie, my friend Gerry and I would meet at the Colonial House Restaurant every morning. This one morning we got there at the same time. As we were walking in we saw a really strange sight. A new Lincoln Continental Town Car was parked front and center. It looked like any other car of that make, except it was equipped with dual tires all the way around. The tires each were about half way in size between and car tire and a motorcycle tire. It was the strangest thing I’d seen in … Continue reading A Lincoln Town Car With Dual Tires And Wheels All The Way Around It was

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, Smithwick, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Telephoning Catfish (As told by Kenny Lewis)

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I suppose the statue of limitations has run out on this story, so maybe I can tell this without Joe or me going to jail. As I’ve said earlier Brown Parker was one of my Dad’s best friends as was Joe Alderson. Brown lived in California and he and his wife owned a very successful Commercial Laundry business. Every summer they traveled back to Smithwick for two weeks of vacation. He almost always brought his boat and a case of Jim Beam whiskey. It was always a happy time for the community.Cec and Joe made sure they had ample time … Continue reading Telephoning Catfish (As told by Kenny Lewis)

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, Smithwick, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Cec and the Riviera

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Kenny (my brother), Cec (my dad) & I headed off one Saturday morning to buy Kenny a new car to go off to college in. Cec was sure that Kenny should have something economical, so a nice 63 Oldsmobile Cutlass 4 door was acquired for him. It was a pretty common looking little car. It looked more like our grandmother should have been driving it. Kenny was less than pleased, but knew that life was going to be tough for him, with his going to school and plans to get married soon. So he went along with it. On the … Continue reading Cec and the Riviera

Crazy Times, The Early Days, The Jollyville YearsLeave a comment

Cecil Lewis Knew How To Have Fun

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If I start talking about a telephone used for fishing, there are a few that wouldn’t have a clue what I’m talking about. But it would also prove they aren’t from Smithwick. A telephone is actually an electrical generator box that was used with the old-timey crank telephones. For whatever reason if you were in the lake and you possessed one of these boxes and you dropped a couple of wires over the side of the boat and started cranking on telephone, for some reason the fish (only catfish) would come to the top of water and take a short … Continue reading Cecil Lewis Knew How To Have Fun

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Cec And The Big Billy Goat

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When we were building the Guadalupe River State Park my dad, Cecil took his small travel trailer down at the very end of the park at the rivers hairpin bend, to stay away from everyone else. The park land extends across the river at that narrow point and has some primitive camping and hiking over there. Between the time we bid that project and it actually getting under way, there was the huge flood that snapped off gigantic cypress trees and altered the landscape forever. Cec would sit and watch a herd of Spanish Goats that climbed the rock bluffs … Continue reading Cec And The Big Billy Goat