JB Bradshaw
He not only did all this below, he was a heck of a Pump Salesman and Installer of big pumps. He worked doing just that for my company back in the 80s. Continue reading JB Bradshaw
Category: My Friends
Just Imagine My Surprise
I haven’t been posting much lately. Call it being tired and worn out. Or I could blame it on a bout of COVID 19 back in March and then a pinched nerve and in my neck and left shoulder. All the above hasn’t made be feel all that much liking getting out and doing things and writing about them. Before I go on, let me tell you I’m also not all that pleased with FaceBook and how they have treated many of us. Therefore doing business with a business that is 180° from where I am on about 99.99% of … Continue reading Just Imagine My Surprise
My Friend Dave
I first got to know Dave in 1972. He was a successful underground utility contractor and very well respected in the business. His office was located in Lubbock. My first subcontract was working for him installing water lines in Burnet, Texas. It was actually more complicated than that. I was a sub to another sub that subcontracted to Dave’s company. That happens in our business a lot. Ok if you aren’t too confused I’ll continue. Throughout the 1970s I worked with Dave several times. He had an enormous capacity for numbers. I learned a lot from him. There came a … Continue reading My Friend Dave
@@@My Own Take On Funerals
I don’t want this to sound morbid, but I have attended so many funerals that I’ve almost developed a classifying system for them. There are the personal ones, that you have to attend. Those are family and very close friends. They are mostly sad affairs. Seldom are we ready to lose those people. While they are sad, there can be moments of joy mixed in. There are the ones that are children and there is never a way to put a happy face on that. Those are always sad, heart wrenching affairs. They haven’t got to experience nearly enough of … Continue reading @@@My Own Take On Funerals
The Fiasco Of The Wooden Dolphins
This is the story of making the Wooden Dolphins. During our time living in Corpus Christi a few years ago is when I carved the largest of my projects, a pair of Dolphins. It was during a time when I was really suffering a lot of lower back pain. I received several steroid injections, was seeing a chiropractor often, but nothing was working. A very nice lady that lived out on The Island helped us with our interior decorating. One day I was complaining about my back and she told me about a next door neighbor lady of hers that … Continue reading The Fiasco Of The Wooden Dolphins
The Difficulties Growing Up A Black Kid In Today’s World
As hard as it is growing up in this world for teens now, it has to be so much harder for black youth, especially in any of the large urban areas. I often think back to a half dozen black kids I befriended in the Oak Cliff in the late 1980s while doing a job there. I’ve written before about them; Freddy, Herman, Terry and the others names escape me just now. I would load them up in my suburban, after checking with their mother, grandmother or other guardian, (always a female – never remember even one of them having … Continue reading The Difficulties Growing Up A Black Kid In Today’s World
My Friend And Mentor Dave
I first got to know Dave in 1972. He was a successful underground utility contractor and very well respected in the business. His office was located in Lubbock. Dave was my mentor, someone I could learn from. I figured if I watch him and handle my business like he did, I surely be successful. My first subcontract was working for him installing water lines in Burnet, Texas. It was actually more complicated than that. I was a sub to another sub that subcontracted to Dave’s company. That happens in our business a lot. Ok if you aren’t too confused I’ll … Continue reading My Friend And Mentor Dave
My Old Friend Fred
Fred was an old bachelor and had served his country in World War 2. He had traveled the state helping to build bridges in his younger days. When I got to know him he was in his late 70’s, maybe even early 80’s. I met Fred through Woody, my old accountant. Woody’s wife Lucy had a sister that lived in College Station Texas. Her name was Josie. Josie and Fred dated. Fred had retired and lived out on his sizable farm out east of Bryan near the little town of Kurten. He mostly just tended to his cows and would … Continue reading My Old Friend Fred
The Things That Young Men Do
A while back I was reminded of a happening by my long time friend Clay Simmons. He, Kenny and I were making a mad dash from somewhere to Marble Falls by way of Hwy 281 north, with Kenny behind the wheel. What the hurry was escapes me, but we were always in a hurry. When we approached the railroad tracks north of town the pickup sputtered as it started to run out of gas. Having a fleet of dump trucks we commonly had a barrel of gasoline tied off on the back with a pump in it, to rescue a … Continue reading The Things That Young Men Do
Before I Became Civilized
Back in high school driving around and drinking beer or even stronger libations was a common practice. Most all the nights run together, one not being different from the other. Occasionally something happened that sets certain nights apart. Getting intoxicated and left up at Roadside without any clothes on, ending up in jail for the night, now that was memorable. A night when a quite a bit older fellow decided I needed to be taken down a notch or two, so we met up in the Lakeland Minimax parking lot and entered into an extended slugfest that could have lasted … Continue reading Before I Became Civilized
