Jimmy had all prepared for the Spaghetti feed. The cause was the WWII Historical Hwy Project. Judy and I were donating to food, Jimmy was donating his time, the Band of Brothers were helping, and Bob and Jane from Lazy Boy Furniture were providing the Ice Cream. So, it was kind of a joint venture. All of the proceeds were to be given to the Bend Heroes Fund.
But, I had committed myself somewhere else also. I was to join some of the High Desert A's downtown to help the Historical Society raise funds at the old Fire Hall. I was to be a moonshiner and the society hoped to have a still to put in the back of my rig.
So, I came dressed to the Spaghetti feed in the same outfit. Our group was to get the front of the line and then leave early for the second event. Zin was given the honors of MC of the event and we set up a microphone in the corner for him to announce from.
But, at 3:45, we still did not have the till closed out from our regular eaters and the lobby was getting very full with spaghetti eaters. I asked Ted how quickly he felt he could get finished and he said to give him just a couple. People started packing in the entry and out the door but Ted soon finished and relinquished the till to Richard from the Band of Brothers who began ringing up the sales for the feed.
Right at 4, we opened up the line with the A's at the front of it. When I was sure that the flow was going well, I grabbed a plate and served myself from the rear and sat down with a couple of the group. I appreciate the support that the Model A club has given us in all of these events. The club has truly become a part of my family in many ways. I feel so comfortable around all of them.
After my plate of delicious spaghetti (I truly love our recipes there), I saw Bob Pfeifer for a scoop of Spumoni Ice Cream that he had donated along with the help of Eberhard Dairy. I sat down with our friend, Anne, who has also become one of the family in many ways also. When Anne comes in nearly every day for breakfast, one of us usually ends up sitting with her and talking. I really enjoy her presence and her smile.
As quickly as I can down the ice cream it is time to go and I ask Zin to give the announcements before we leave. I stood with him and Dick Tobiason in the corner as he spoke and then jumped in my A and drove in convoy downtown.
Kip had his old firetruck and parked it out front while the rest of us grabbed the parking lot in the back. The number of spaces was perfect and seven of us slid into them. I had gotten some mason jars from my mom's well room, washed them, and filled them with water looking very much like clear moonshine. The society could not get their hands on a still so I just place the jars on the tailgate.
An old heavy jeans coat that my crew way back in the 90's had given me helped to keep me warm as we all gathered around to assist the Deschutes County Historical Society as sort of eye candy for a fund raising event that was suppose to be like you were back in the early 30's. Scanlon's had been converted into a speak easy with it's back window overlooking our parking lot.
Steve from the Bend PD who always seems to be at these events has once again volunteered and shows up as the police officer who is to be always walking around primarily looking for someone like me. We joke around and he shows us his memorabilia of the day including a hand cuff device called a 'come along' and a night stick that doubles as a tear gas grenade launcher. I had no idea they had devices like that back then. Steve jokingly arrests me while others take pictures but soon lets me go when I promise him a 'swaller or two' of 'shine'.
Judy called me from the Spaghetti feed to let me know that they had raised over $1300 and that she was about to give the donation to Dick Tobiason and Bob Maxwell. She said that she had gotten a few good pictures including a very cute one of one of the brothers grandson who comes to the meetings with his grandpa every week.
The cold starts to get to our group and the society invited us inside for a cup of coffee. We all gladly came in with half of us in the 'speak easy' room and the other half out front just in front of the bar. The bar has the original slider pole from the old fire station running right in the middle of it. We are told that a lawyers office is at the top of the pole and someone jokes that he wonders if that is how the lawyer comes down after hours.
After a warm up, I went back outside and met up with Kip and Kathy out front looking in a store window that seems to have hats from that era in it. Across the street is the new Oxford Hotel and a couple walked out from the hotel entrance and crossed the street looking at Kip's truck that is parked right behind a larger old fire truck that was actually used by the early Bend Fire Station.
I thought I recognised the couple and were pleased to find them to indeed be the man who lives right behind my parents house along with his daughter who used to work for me years ago. They both came over and gave me a hug and explained that he was at the hotel for a orchestra event as he was in the orchestra. They had a few minutes and walked around back to see my rig.
The night begins to darken and soon the guys and gals are jumping in their rigs and heading out as most of us don't like driving them after dark. I jumped in mine with Speedy following and drove back to the diner. While they put their car up on the trailer, I checked out the diner to make sure it was ready for Monday and reset the alarms. I soon was back in my A and heading home.
I was bone tired but being somewhat of a "Lost" freak decided to watch the finale. The coffee did have me up a bit anyway but I just could not bring myself to drive over to Casey's house to join his 'Lost' party and just set myself up in my TV room.
While enjoying it, I was left with so many questions just like most of the rest of the viewers and decided to watch the show following it hoping to get some answers only to find out that the actual cast did not even have them. I was shocked when I looked at the clock and realized that it was 2AM.
I turned off the TV with visions of 'Lost' still bouncing around in my head. So, which life was real? Was it all about Jack? What happened to the guys in the plane that got off of the island? How were they able to get that large plane off of that small strip? My mind pondered on those things but was tired enough to pull itself into sleep to prepare for yet 'Another Busy Day'.
It is the life I have chose. And I wouldn't want it any other way.
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