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ShopTalk Sunday: Texas Frog Floater & Confessional

Let’s do the graphics story first.

I told you iet rained this week?  Lots?  What Oilman2 calls a “Texas Frog Floater?”

Here’s how to have a flood on the side of our mountain.  Step out to the welding table where an antenna project was  in progress (before the rains hit).

Right at the foot of the zero-gravity recliner had been a yellow 5-gallon steel diesel safety can. It was empty.  It was also gone.  It was time to put on my tracking skills.

I followed the new water course out towards the woods…

 

Yes, past the back up satcoms pole.  My, that’s a fair bit of water still running.  Let’s see where it leads, shall we?

 

Except for all the shade from the big pines, this would make a dandy spot to put in a rice paddy, don’t you think?  But, no, let’s see where the delta dumps into the woods…

 

Yes, this is more like it!  A new “baby mountain river” to slosh and stomp in.

And as I walked the banks of the mighty Ure-a-sappi River, there it was – hugging a big pine for dear life!

Sneak up time… See that yellow can just to the right of the middleground trees cocked up to the tree?

 

Obviously, I had to paint up my face at this point; putting on my best Texas Fierce Woodsman look in order to sneak up on it.  Common knowledge around these parts that swimming 5-gallon diesel cans can bolt if you interrupt them in mid-swim.

Then suddenly it hit me!

I forgot to check the Texas Wildlife website!  I couldn’t remember is safety can season was open, or not.  You know, taking a petroleum container out of season in oil country us a dirething; it may even be a felony these days. A feller can’t be too cautious.

Quietly, dropping onto all fours, I crawled up the new river bed toward the shop.

 

On the way back, I made a note to contact our congressman’s office up in Athens, Texas.  Tell them how important it will be to have a Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Station here on the side of the Concorde Mountains.

According to the gauge, we only got about 6-inches of rain.  But obviously, this is the second wettest 6-inches I’ve ever done seen.

Why, one more month like this and I’ll be opening a mud wrestling academy. Right here on the shores of Dunn Bayou.

Cue Richie Havens?

Not sufficiently wakey-wakey? Here’s a hint.

Solar panel update: parts started arriving this week. Including the heavier cast galvanized panel holding clamps that look suspiciously like 3/4″ pipe hanging clamps…

‘

These are a lot heavier duty than the stamped sheet metal clamps and thus, it will give us more time to fire warning shots into would-be panel thieves.

Tool Slut Confessionals

New 45-piece every odd-ball small screw and fastener in the world kit.

They run about $26-bucks at the ‘Zon.

Another dandy (did I mention this previously?) When the eyes are slowly going (along with everything else, especially the one-liners) you can use one of these useful ($30 class) “kid’s electronic handheld microscopes” to help you out of a jam now and then.

Rechargeable, And on the Zon here.

Last tool:  I finally broke down and bought a small (bigger than one quart capacity) HVLP electric paint sprayer.

Reason is? I am an impatient fellow. I do everything with the same urgency as a devout beer drinker waiting in a line at a sporting event, if you follow.

I finally had it (on the last deck build) wasting my time with paint brushes.  You take a roll of Saran wrap to cover the paint cup between outings and using paint cup liners (because they stand between end of painting and getting to the cold brewskis…) I figure they will prevent some of the back pain from bendng over, painting or staining dozens of five-quarter boards for the next deck project.

I’m not saying to run out and buy one, but a) it’s a power tool and the familiar b) “Honey, you know how you’ve been after me to….” sales pitch is all you should need. If you can’t sell the spousal unit a $50 dollar tool bill, read a book on sales (or marriage counseling).

When you go in to the local Sherwin-Williams to get some obscure paint color (they have all your house colors in a computer once you buy from ’em) you can, says a little birdie) get them to make the exterior prime/color a little thinner for easier spraying.  Not a big deal in hot weather, but when you try to spray Jell-O thickness paint with a 300-watt Weiner/wimp sprayer, remember who warned you.

Boner of the Week

Seapking of…Bought 16 gb of RAM for my little cheap Lenovo IdeaPad which has only like 4GB of ram and I don’t have all day…

Thing is, this particular IdeaPad doesn’t have the drop in memory slot holder – the super cheapies use soldered-in RAM.

Maybe the blender (or the clothes dryer) could use more RAM… I’m keeping my eyes open.

The good news: With the new iddybiddy screwdriver set and plastic pry tools, getting into and out of disappointment was faster.

There.  Thanks for receiving my confessional, this fine Sunday morning.  Too early for a nip of communion juice?

Write when you..um…er…where are we?  What day did you say it is? Am I late for…oh, never mind.

George@Ure.net

60 thoughts on “ShopTalk Sunday: Texas Frog Floater & Confessional”

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  1. so here we go and guess what this week . ceasefires eveywhere !!! isreal and iran even russia ukraine . yep the mamas and papas and love music everywhere . gotta trap the fools in oil futures , cool gold and wack the USD for the europeeyan to get more bonds before FOMC . gotta quiten things down for the eccles gang to ride into town for their monthly supplies’. yes folks its ceasefire time and king donny 1 gunna talk friendly to everyone . the rat juice is still numbing the spiked zombies they couldnt care , yep dopamine od as well . yep mark my words when armstrong talks war its about to be peace . and when he talks about the greek laptop do the opposite

      • [Admin Disclaimer – we ain’t seeing rads on offishul channels, so take the BCN with a grain or two on this…]

        Tell “Peace, peace” to the Gulf States – currently bathing in high dose Rads from israHells heinous aggression at civilian nuke power site in Iran.

        Genius .

        Dark, souless zio’s done irradiated the entire Gulf.

        Yeah orange jesus – you did it gay boy, YOU DID IT!

        Congratulations – “forfeited” PoOS.

        • That war was brewing before the so-called orange man Check with your soul brother president for the starting time of the religious hatred in that neck of the woods, in basic fact that hatred dates back hundreds
          of years

  3. Yo Snakeman,

    Looking like youse got Ureself a first class snake friendly back 20 there Pilgrim. You guys got many Amphibians and or Turtles ?

    Up here in Pennsyltucky we dont get those warm weather Viperidaes and Elapidaes that you folks get ..no water moccasins, mojave rattlers or coral snakes. Pennsyltucky be home to Eastern Rattlers and Copperheads, and thats about it for Poisonous fork tongues, thankfully no eastern obamas, or st james island bushwhackers in these parts..

    Not even year of the snake, and yet things feel Naga-ish right now.

    Cant shake the feeling, but maybe just leftover NRG effects from yesterdays festivities at the racetrack with GrandDaughter and Fam for Fathers Day celebration – racetrack closed Sundays..plus its raining today.
    Spent most of day pretending to be a Horse with my GrandDaughter..yeah yeah horses ass I got covered, smart asses’.

    We galloped all day, making Horsie noises, all over that place – big Delaware Derby Stakes Race day festivities were enjoyed by several “herds” of Children..face painting, ballon art, Pony Rides.

    We may have created a monster putting GD on a Pony at 2yr, 10 month old – she absolutely vibrated out of her socks and shoes she was so excited to ride and pat that Pony.
    Lady luck was very kind to have attended the outing with us, as we all left with more $ than came in with..small potatoes > $100.

    But the NRG exchanges with GrandDaughter = INVALUABLE.

    • Amphibians we leave to the local gyrene contingent and turtles? Sounds like army. But now talk forked tongues? From the George Washington Memorial Parkway, you take exit for Route 123 and follow like you’re going to McLean. Third light, turn right. Park for the NHB – you’ll enter on the 4th floor because most of it’s built into the hill. Just one floor up you’ll find a lifetime supply of forked tongues… (If you need more, visit the top floors of the OHB. May be busy weekends for a while, though. Invitations are mandatory. More exclusive might be the WTC over in Fauquier County, but few forked tongues. They do feature plenty of pet GIGO’s though. Ure welcome.)

  5. So what is the first wettest 6 inches you ever done seen?
    Now off to Mass. I’ll need to add that question to my list of things to confess.
    Have a happy Fathers day.
    Stay safe. 73

  6. You have a refrigerated toolbox? Cool! Otherwise, why is the glass of scotch sweating in your hand? Sweating glass would mean condensation in your humid shop is forming on the glass that’s cooler than its surroundings.

    Never mind me, I’m just an olfart with an eye for detail.

  7. I love that sprayer!!!
    I finally have to fire up the extruder today… getting a shield so the corn curls are directed to the container..

  8. Oh, and if no one else says it to you
    Happy Fathers Day!
    Now you don’t have to Justify the tools!

  9. All you all can thank me later – secret video recorded yesterday INSIDE WH – this is Fourizzle !

    Iran v israHell press conference no one saw..till today. Not the press conferences you see on the boobtubes – this is from the Intel Briefing conference.

    -https://youtu.be/nCP3LZoxABs?si=d_jTxoBeUUzzbHDD

    Shhhh

  10. That was an amazing tale George. Thanks for taking us along for the adventure in pictures. That bucket really traveled! I usually think of high winds sending kid pools and balls out on adventures. High winds have totally cleared my yard a few times. I forgot about the traveling power of water.

  11. Another adventure in pictures, visual graph of U.S. precipitation increases, TX in the higher than normal rate:
    https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-and-global-precipitation

    TX has highest daily rainfall record in contiguous U.S:
    https://weather.com/storms/severe/news/2024-07-17-united-states-record-rainfall-24-hours-50-states

    13 dead in San Antonio’s latest flooding, preppers, better have that mini-ark (rowboat or kayak) handy! You heard it from Moses lol!
    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/deadly-san-antonio-flooding/

  12. Let me include another historical record set,
    San Antonio doubled it’s previous rain record set in 1973:

    https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/friday-saturday-flood-threat-south-plains-severe
    ‘San Antonio recorded 6.11 inches of rain, making it the second-wettest June day on record in 12 years. The half-foot of rain also nearly doubles the previous daily record of 3.26 inches set back in 1973 and made Thursday the 10th-wettest day ever recorded at San Antonio International Airport.’

  13. Summertime down here we would get 6″ every day for two or three days. It is just plain wet.
    Nice water but needs minerals to be healthy to drink. Over the summer, which is also tropical drippy hot I got some sort of ugly red spots on arms and chest. Local doc said it was ‘champignon’ (fungus). Bathed in precription Betadyne for a few weeks, left it on for ten minutes according to his instruction, took Lamisil daily for a month and most important, started drinking mineral water, lots of it. Six weeks now and the symptoms are gone.
    Like Terrance McKenna said, the fungus is the power on the planet. Food of the Gods.
    Happy Father’s Day, George.
    Stiks

    • Find a good drug store..(rare out there, I understand) that sells

      HIBICLENS® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate solution 4.0%

      or other generic store-brand ‘Antiseptic Skin Cleanser that contains the Chlorhexidine Gluconate 4%. Walmart or other large chain drug stores have it. According to my surgeon, it kills EVERYTHING. Apply with a good scrubbing pad to really work it into the live skin area of the fungus, and to exfoliate the dead skin. It kills the spores that keep propagating the fungal infection. Leave it on for 3 minutes or more.

      I live in the tropics also, so I’m quite familiar with battling ‘the fungus among us’. This is absolutely the best treatment I have ever found. Wipes out the infection with a single scrubbing at times. Thoroughly wash clothes or other things that have come in contact with the infection. They can spread spores and re-infect.

      Beats the hell out of those wimpy ‘anti-fungal’ creams that need reapplication for weeks.
      FWIW I am not a fan of the ‘necessity’ for mineralized water. Our tropical water is all volcanic rock filtered and measures 60 or 70 PPM volcanic minerals. Some people prefer the ‘taste’. I use a ZERO WATER filter on my drinking water as it is much ‘fresher’ and thirst quenching for me. 60ppm water is not a significant mineral intake for the body. Your foods have much more.

      • I should think a bath (a real, actual bath), taken in water that’s REALLY over enhanced in “pool bleach” would kill the spores on contact…

    • I live in the tropics also, so I am familiar with the ‘fungus among us’. Find a good drug store. (rare out there, I know). Walmart or other large chain drug stores have this:

      HIBICLENS® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate solution 4.0%

      Or other store-brand ‘Antiseptic skin cleanser’ that contains the
      Chlorhexidine Gluconate solution 4.0%. Apply with a good stiff scrubbing pad to exfoliate dead skin cells, and work the cleanser into live skin. Leave on for 3 minutes. (My surgeon tells me it kills EVERYTHING, and they use it before surgery). I have had it kill a massive infection with a single application, and kills the spores that keep re-infecting the place. Beats the hell out of wimpy ‘antifungal creams’ that take weeks to be effective.
      Thoroughly wash clothing and other things you have come in contact with. They can contain spores that will re-infect you. This stuff should be standard stock for your first aid kit.

    • https://archive.org/details/TerenceMckenna-FoodOfTheGods.pdf

      dam..now I have to reread the book.. I have the hardcover but am afraid its in my hidden stash in the garage.. wife wanted to park in the garage..who ever heard of such a thing..she made me donate books … I kept a few of my favorite ones but had to hide them.. here’s a link to the digital version.. great book.. never got the chance to visit with him when I was young ..his brother was A great professor and he gave a few lecturer in the wastelands great guy to visit with..

  14. “Tell them how important it will be to have a Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Station here on the side of the Concorde Mountains.”

    Nein! Nein! The Feds will then claim Ure land as ‘Navigable Waterways’ and then where will you be? Up sh1#$ creek without a paddle!!

    • Not to mention that the ‘Tree Farm’ will suddenly be reclassified as ‘Protected Wetlands Growth’… unable to harvest.

    • and THEN you will find it illegal to reside on Federal protected lands, forcing you to remove the home and restore the land to it’s natural state.
      Don’t mind me… I’m from the Government and I’m just here to help!

  15. G, a few weeks ago, we had tornado risk weather that induced A LOT of rain and some wind sheers of epic proportions. At the time, I also had two cracked laundry baskets that are utilized outdoors by the house to hold recyclables that get taken to the local dump/recycle center every few weeks. Likewise at this time of this storm, there wasn’t much in it, thankfully, because while I and my disabled husband sat in the car waiting for the relentless rain to slow enough to go inside, those sheer winds came on with hurricane force and lifted them up, sailing 30-40 feet up and to the forest behind our home!! I wasn’t looking up at the time, but when I turned to my husband to talk to him, he had the weirdest look on his face and said, well say goodbye to your recycle bins. He saw them fly off, lol. I went searching for them and couldn’t find them myself, but my son saw the orange one not too long ago in a different direction than I expected they had taken. What can I say except it’s friggin Indiana.

    • I like friggin’ Indiana — and Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, KY, TN, WV, and PA. They’re “God’s country,” but ya gots ta understand God is da boss, and what we want, desire, or believe we need, may not be “a part of the plan…”

      • I would want to live in southern canada..beautiful country..or Tennessee or Kentucky Missouri.. regular garden land.. can’t never had a goose walk up to her before lol.. she didn’t know what those critters were..lol lol lol

        • I am convinced that Canadian geese are evil incarnation and to be avoided at all costs. lol

  16. Sorry for the repost. G must have been updating when I sent the first one and it disappeared.

  17. I’m posting my first short story here – our host may move it to where ever it should go.
    I wanted it on the paying side. I didn’t have anyone proof / edit it – it’s all on me.

    My First Job
    – Part one

    At this time in my life I was living large and having a great time. I was enrolled in university for a degree in Math & Physics.., had just moved into a brand new house boat moored at the end of the Marina in Sausalito [ much thanks to the VA loan officer – who truly hated the VA.]., and playing poker once, or twice a month in the back rooms of the casino’s at Lake Tahoe, bringing home more money in a month then most people made in six [ high rollers – bad players ]., bought my first new car and riding around on a ’49 Panhead chopper. Life was great.
    My telephone? I kept that in drawer. No one had my number. And for some reason that I never could explain to myself, I deliberately kept where I lived a secret. It was just something I decided to do. Only two people knew and one of them was now living in Japan., and she wasn’t coming back any time soon. [.., but a good excuse to fly to Osaka once in a while.]
    The other? He just knocked on my door.

    Montgomery was a lawyer. Maritime law. Married, two kids – doing really well. We first met in a class room. Criminal Psychology. ., and became friends. He was a ex Green Beret, Intelligence, one tour in Vietnam – so we had some common ground.
    After a few minutes of meet-n-greet, he handed me a six pack of ale and we went out on the floating deck and sat at the round wrought iron breakfast table. [The Bay winds couldn’t blow this one away.]
    “I was wondering if you could do me a favor?” He took the bottle opener and popped the caps off of two beers. “I need help.”
    Interesting – he has never asked me for anything. I looked at him and could see the serious expression and thoughts crossing his face.
    “Be glad too.” I took a sip of beer and sat back. An ex Green Beret and lawyer – that needs my help. This ought to be good.
    “You remember were I live.., ” It wasn’t a question.
    “Sure. Nice neighborhood.”
    “It was., and that’s the problem.” He stared at me for just a brief second. He hesitated.
    “Look…, what ever you have to say will go no further then this house.” I grinned at him. “I will repeat it to no one.” .., and held up the Boy Scout Salute.
    He gave a slight smile and nodded.., ” Three weeks ago a motorcycle gang moved into an abandoned gas station.., two blocks from my house. The station has been closed down for over five years and has sat empty. We’ve been trying to get it removed. Some how they got their hands on it and are now using it as their club house.” He took a sip of beer.
    I didn’t say anything. Kind of hard to imagine a motorcycle gang living in that upscale neighborhood.
    “They are terrorizing the neighborhood.”
    “Police?” I asked.
    “Nothing. The gang hasn’t done anything illegal – that anyone knows about and the police have been there a couple of times., but legally can’t do anything about them.” He started to pick at the label on his bottle. He didn’t want to ask.
    “Legally. So.., that is why you are here.”
    “Yes.” he snapped and looked at me. “They are scaring the hell out of everyone., harassing the people walking down the street of their own homes. Something bad is going to come from this.” He sat back and set his beer on the table. ” Em is afraid to walk to store now. And that pisses me off.” [ Em is his wife.., Emily ]
    “And you would like me to look into it. The Ranger way.”
    “Oh.., lord. I don’t want a huge massacre – bodies in the street…, ” He shook his head.
    “I won’t do that. Promise.” and took a sip. “I’m fairly civilized now. I even have a mortgage.” Grin.
    “Well.., that’s why I didn’t want to ask you. It’s a beautiful neighborhood.., I can’t be responsible for a nuke going off., and I can’t be involved.” Then he looked at me hard. “What did you say? So.., you will help.??”
    “Of course I will.” .., and gave my best Steve McQueen grin.
    “Oh.., lord ! What have I done….?” Montgomery hung his head…,

    • If you wish, you may “deal in” me as a proofreader. Your narrative is stellar — Your syntax is somewhat lacking, and is an area in which I excel.

      • Thank you very much for the offer.
        I do realize that it [ syntax ] is a weakness in my writing.., choppy and sometimes fragmented – but sometimes I write that way deliberately. Not sure why.

        Thanks again !

        • Agreed. I doubt his narrative would always be so (because I suspect he’s more SoF than private detective), but this first installment is definitely “Mike Hammerish.” I would not change a word he wrote — just punctuation. In-depth study of the Harbrace College Handbook was never a part of an undergrad Mathematics curriculum. It was only a part of mine because I was raised by an English teacher and carried an English minor…

  18. My First Job
    – Part Two

    The next morning I drove to Montgomery’s neighborhood.., with the directions he gave me, it wasn’t hard to find the old gas station. Two and half blocks from his house. I parked on the tree lined side street and slowly walked down to the corner across from the station.
    It was old. All the windows had been painted black. The gang had put up a six foot high chain linked fence all around the station. Only way in was the double gate in front. The pumps had been removed, so the front of the station was nothing but a big parking lot now.
    I knew the motorcycle gangs in the bay area. Hell’s Angels were in Oakland. Wonder if they knew about these guys moving in? Were they affiliated? I did not recognize their ‘colors’.., the flag flying from a makeshift pole in front. New to me. If they are not affiliated., this could become a war zone.
    Right then, there were five bikes out front., both gates were open. Montgomery said he had counted up to twelve. The door to what was once the office opened and a rather burly, hygiene challenged member came out., spit towards the bikes and threw a bag of bottles into the rusted fifty five gallon “trash can”. Only half of them made it. , and he went back in., making sure to slam the door as hard as he could.
    The double gates looked to be the only way in. As I drove away I slowly went past the station and checked out the back. Chain linked all around., one small gate., with a heavy chain and lock. Not used very much. I drove home.
    After I got home I took one of the ales that Montgomery had brought and sat out on the deck. By the time I had finished my third beer it was dark, but I had a plan.
    Tug boat drifted by – sixty footer? – I could almost feel the diesel engines – one powerful tug.
    The plan sounded pretty good to me.., and I ran it through the “screw-up list” several times, from different angles. Still ‘looked’ good. Visualized it. Pretty solid. All the pieces had to in place., but it was a workable plan.
    I smiled.., I still had the time for a short nap. I’ll leave at two thirty., three o’clock.

  19. My First Job
    – Part Three

    I parked the car a little over a block away. Not very many street lights and lots of trees make for a lot of welcomed deep shadows.
    I got to the corner directly across the street from the old station and stopped in the dark shadow of the corner tree., leaned up against a brick two story four-plex and studied the station.
    I checked my watch. 3:40. Gates were closed. ‘Colors’ still flying. Ten bikes parked in a row directly in front of the station. Just as I had hoped. All the lights were out. Not a sound. I listened to the neighborhood around me. Dead quiet. No traffic. No nothing.
    Perfect., so far.
    I crossed the street at an angle to the opposite corner and went down the chain linked fence to where it met the corner of the station. At that point there was only about a foot from the building and the fence. I knelt down and took out by wire cutters.., it was only then that noticed that the chain link was fastened to the galvanized poll by a series of nylon rope tied in a pretty fancy daisy chain. I put the wire cutters back in my coat pocket as took out my knife. Four cuts and the bottom part of the fence was free from the post. I pulled it back and slipped into the station., right at the corner of the building and the bike parking lot. I was in and right were I had planned to be.
    Perfect.., so far.
    I sat on my haunches for a minute just listening for any sound, or movement inside. Nothing. All were asleep, or passed out.
    Quickly I went to the first bike in the row.., reached up and unscrew the gas cap and with my wire cutters cut the fuel line. Gas started streaming out. Staying low, I went around the back of the bike and to the second one. Unscrew the gas cap – cut the fuel line.., on to the next.
    After all the bikes were pouring gas out onto the cement I stayed low and went back to the corner of the building – and listened again. Still nothing.
    Perfect.., so far.
    Out through the fence, down the side walk, across the street and back into the deep shadow next to the brick four plex. I could smell the gas from across the street. From inside my coat pocket I pulled out a pen flare. I don’t know if they make them anymore. They look like a regular fountain pen. Same shape, size and all chrome. Unscrew the cap and pull it off and small trigger pops-up.., aim and pull the trigger. A 22 caliber white phosphorous flare blasts out. Kind of startled me by it brightness in the dark street.
    The small flare made it through the chain linked unscathed, hit the base of the concrete office and bounced back between bike three and four. The ensuing vrooph! was damn impressive. All the gas fumes went off at once and the small fire ball went over the roof. All the gas that had poured from the bikes then ignited. Within a couple of seconds all ten bikes were engulfed and burning nicely. I stepped back a little deeper into the shadows. It was starting to get kind of bright. One chopper made a small pop and flipped onto it’s side, knocking the bike next to it over also. The fire really started to grow., and smell.
    Then my mistake showed up. There’s “always” one. From a distance I could hear the sound of a siren. Fire truck. I had not thought of looking to see where the closest fire station was. It sounded like it was just a dozen blocks away. …, damn ! But.., all the bikes were burning heavily., nothing was going to save them now.
    Three men came out the office door., two in t-shirts and one with a black vest., then immediately placed their arms over the faces and rushed back inside. The back was the only way out now.
    The siren was getting louder and I slowly started to back my way down the street. When I could see the reflection of the emergency lights bouncing off the houses and trees I turned and started walking away. No running allowed. I glanced back one last time as the fire truck slowly rolled by.., the front of the office was now on fire.
    On the way home I checked my pockets for all the things I brought with me. I had everything., even the chrome cap to the pen flare. I made a mental note to buy a box of those emergency pen flares. Handy.

  20. My First Job
    – Part Four

    The next day, Saturday, I had a few errands to run and didn’t get back home ’til around 2:30. I stopped at the Hippie Soup Shop for a late lunch. They always made great soups and stews and served them in fresh baked bread bowls. I ate a lot of meals there. Good people.
    Rode home – as I was walking down the pier to my house boat at the end I could see an envelope taped to the door.., as I got closer I could see a cardboard box leaning up against the door. It had a very familiar logo printed on it.
    Took them both inside. Set box down on the kitchen counter. Blanton’s Single Barrel – six bottles. Very few people knew my favorite bourbon. The envelope was thick. Inside was a thick stack of Benjamin’s and a hand written letter.
    “According to the news this morning there was an early morning fire at the old abandoned gas station. According to the Fire Chief the building was heavily damaged and ten motorcycles were destroyed. Cause of the fire is suspect to have started from one of the motorcycles leaking fuel. No injuries were reported. Due to the fire damage the building has been declared unsafe and condemned.”
    “Now that the building is fire damaged and condemned we can file to force the owner to tear it down and clear the lot.., and….. the biker problem is solved. Two for one.”
    “The cash is from me.., the Blantons is from Em.”
    “Out-fucking-standing ! I owe you one, Sergeant. ”
    I burned the note in the kitchen sink and washed the ashes down the drain. I thumbed the thick stack of 100’s. More money then most people make in a year. I pulled the horse and rider stopper from a brand new bottle.., poured myself a double, opened both sliding glass doors and walked out onto the deck and stared out over The Bay.

    Perfect.., so far.
    .
    Little did I know at the time that this was the start of close to eighteen years of helping people – my way. Some paid very well.., some couldn’t afford to take me out to lunch at the local taco wagon. But it all worked out. The bad guys lost.

    • I liked the first Equalizer series – mid 80’s I believe. With Woodward as the main character. It was pretty well written.
      The second series, which was just cancelled – was horrible.
      The movies – with Denzel – where ok., but not much more than a killing field, with bodies everywhere. Not something I would do. I wanted too, a couple of times., but always found a better way.

  22. dLynn : a real page turner. Thanks. I believe there’s a great collection of short stories in you Sir. Mostly I rise to post in the “yesterday” thread to say Go Rangers. Best Regards Pale Rider! Egor

  23. No disrespect but please get off the pot and write the whole book! I haven’t read a good story in a while! Thank you!

  24. Thanks to George and d’Lynn for enjoyable writing this Sunday:
    * Enjoyed George’s humorous story about the yellow can and photos
    * d’Lynn’s short tory was extremely intriguing and well written.

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