Category: Crazy Times

Crazy Times, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

A Typical Friday Night Growing Up in Marble Falls in the 1960s

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We would drive through town, go up the roadside park up on the hill, south of town, turn around then drive to the far north end of town. Turn around and repeat that same course dozens of times during a Friday or Saturday night. The whole circle would be no more than a couple of miles. Very few cars would speed, mostly just cruising up and down looking cool. Gasoline cost 35 cents per gallon, so for $5.00 you could drive around all night long. Most of us were drinking beer and having a good ol time. There were drugs … Continue reading A Typical Friday Night Growing Up in Marble Falls in the 1960s

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, On The Job, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Death By Seatbelt

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Once when we were doing a project in Dallas, my Suburban was having mechanical problems so I took it to the shop. They gave me a rental car. This was in the early 90s. Kenny was up helping me on that project so we would go eat before we would go to our apartment each evening. This night we determined where to go eat on our way home, but then I changed my mind. He was following me when we stop at a red light. I just opened the drivers door and stuck my head out to tell him to … Continue reading Death By Seatbelt

Crazy Times, Kenny LewisLeave a comment

An Encounter With A Big Ol’ Sow (this happened back in June 2019, so you don’t need to send him any get-well cards – he’s fine)

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The lady from down under the hill that owns one of his lease pastures called to say there was a hog back in the hay field. Kenny headed that way, it was just before dusk last night. He could see a really big sow out in the middle of the field. He leveled down on her with his .223 and pulled the trigger. She didn’t stay down, so he shot again. She ran for the thick brush. Knowing she was injured he grabbed his 9mm pistol and went in pursuit. He found her laying down but still alive. He shot … Continue reading An Encounter With A Big Ol’ Sow (this happened back in June 2019, so you don’t need to send him any get-well cards – he’s fine)

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Man – Goat Head – 2008

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This story is one of the more puzzling things I have ever encountered. In about 2010, I pulled up to the Shell Station and dropped someone off that had been riding with me. I was on the side of the building at the back, with a clear view of the backend where the trash dumpster was located. I was just sitting there, reading an email after the other party had left. There was a red Hummer, an H3, drove up. A young man maybe in his early 30s got out and surveilled the area. I suppose he couldn’t tell that … Continue reading The Man – Goat Head – 2008

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Meeting New People, No Place Like Bertram, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Sometimes I Think Trouble Finds Me, Before It Even Looks For Anyone Else

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This adventure started on Saturday morning Jan. 11th, 2014. I received a call from a young man that I’ve known his entire life, but haven’t had much contact with for many years. Johnny, as I’ll call him here, said he was down on his luck and could I give him some work. Being in Corpus Christi, 250 miles from Bertram, I said no I really didn’t have any work. I cut the conversation pretty short. A few minutes later I got a text from Johnny. Would I loan him $300. The answer was “NO”. Telling my wife about the call … Continue reading Sometimes I Think Trouble Finds Me, Before It Even Looks For Anyone Else

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, The Early Days2 Comments

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

lewisotr

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

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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

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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

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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