We had to wait for a weekend when Sis and them were out of town, this weekend they were to her parents' home in Western Nebraska. We gathered our phono records to use on Joe's player and some food things for refreshments.
My friend, Other Jim, had sampled some more wine from his uncle where he was staying. The uncle had two barrels in his basement which we were free to tap. As I remember none of us were twenty-one yet. We mixed the wine with 7UP and it would last all night.
There weren't any girls there, shouldn't have been as this was a Bachelor Party for Joe. So we talked the night away, until everyone who could was asleep someplace in the basement. The last record on our stack was "Night Train", very appropriate for our little get-to-gather celebration.
That was our party for Joe.
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We had another for a buddy who left for the Army, a Going Away Party. Only thing, the buddy had already left for basic training. It was about the same though I think there were some girls there. And our drinks may have been different.
I did go to another meeting, a funeral, where the guest was absent, this was years later for a working friend. (I posted about this one in my comment below.)
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- Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2020, All Rights Reserved
- I am linked with Rosemary at the Weekly Scribblings # 46, https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2020/11/weekly-scribblings-46-lets-celebrate.html
Rosemary has asked us to write something celebratory, or to tell us about a particular celebration, real or imagined
- My first comment I wrote, and told more about the party for the working friend.
The friend who missed his own funeral, some more:
ReplyDeleteHe had died in Wisconsin at his girl friend's home. The body was snowed in so he was late for his own funeral. We had told him that several times, he should get timely or he could be late for his own funeral.
At the eulogy another friend told of his affection for for women and vice versa. He finished that tale by saying, and that is in evidence here today as all five of his ex's were there with us at the funeral. I only knew his first wife during his first marriage.
..
I enjoyed these reminiscences, Jim.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I fixed your links. As far as I could see, they were both correct, but anyway this is the second one, which you originally labelled 'better'.
This reminded me of my late teens when I tried everything until I met this beautiful girl in the street going to her workplace. We were married less than two years later.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading about your past, Jim, so different to mine. I can’t imagine my youth with a car – my dad didn’t have one until long after I left home – and I know nothing about cruising. It seems to me you had plenty to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteGood memories even though sad events occurred
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day Jim
Much💝love
Night Train and Cruising down Collinsville IL Main Street with Eddie 'Dutch' Heitemeier who played a 'mean' sax in his Chevy convertible... highlights of my youth ..... Cheers, Jim.
ReplyDeleteSounds like every young guy in small town America in the l950s! A fun read.
ReplyDeleteCruising was dying out when I was a teen, by my older brother never missed it each week! He was a trouble maker besides! I always wondered about that locking the door at curfew bit. Wasn't that just ensuring the girls had to stay out all night with the boys?
ReplyDeleteLove the description of the bachelor party. You could tell the time by the mix of wine and soda.
ReplyDelete