This will cover the darker side I got a firsthand look I went from sleeping on a church
Pew at five years old to dancing with my sister in a tavern for nickels and dimes my dad traded holy fire
For fire water. He had three advantages in this world he was a decent musician an excellent mechanic
Pardon make that four he was a natural at working with heavy equipment this was his strongest suit he
Could have been a prize fighter don’t take my word ask those that went down under his fist especially
His left that was deadly. Fist fights actually sound like they do in westerns my dad and another brave
Man gave me my own show at the north end of the club Avalon on south fifty one not the mist of Avalon
In Camelot unfortunately well two knights were going to do battle in my dad‘s defense in the moral
Sense he didn’t need any defense in the physical this otherwise good man let drink lead him to the
Slaughter my dad did everything he could to prevent a fight there is a reson for the saying that says its better to let sleeping dogs lie when that fails a man takes care of business
They were even courteous one would smack the other in the face and then the other would wait his
Turn I often wonder if I would have been given a turn if dad lost no Buck wasn’t that kind of man. It went
On and on then the blows added up until buck’s legs gave out and he went down in a heap. One more
Telling this was a prize fool we lived in a shack behind the east end grocery my aunt was there and her
Dumb husband came in drunk and tried to fire up on her there I was again with a ring side seat dad and
Sorry brainless stood in the middle of the floor dad’s blow literally drove him across the floor he banged
The screen door it should have just stuck to the wall it slammed with such force all the time uncle was
Running backwards across the porch finally he to after covering the yard to the ditch his feet got all
Tangled up and down he went. That’s been over fifty years ago I can see him like it was minutes ago his
Nose broke forever more it would be crooked and the big round wet spot from the water in the ditch but
What stands out the most was the stupefied look on his face that should happen to ever low class idiot
That raises his hand to a woman.
Let’s get a little lighter sleepies tavern now well it is the last building down from Pizza man on the north
Side if you can’t place it you missed some of the best tenderloins in town we of course had to get ours at
The back door the tenderloin in San Francisco always made me hungry for eddies best cooking. This
Involves rich uncle probation and a long black car with unending chrome and a coloring book Probation
Comes because sleepy an big OAS were competing boot legers this now rich uncle left home at thirteen
And worked for OAS before finding salvation in the navy Sea Bees becoming a crane operator that was
Where my dad excelled in heavy equipment but nobody beats Jack Daniels when you leave Christ
Behind to mention another business uncle’s wife kate owned Meryl Normans and a dress shop in
Neighboring town now the car when I got out my uncle slammed the door the door was completely
Closed problem my fingers of my right hand were now part of the car I can’t explain the thoughts its
Impossible the door is completely shut but my fingers are in there now the feeling part ever hit your
Thumb with a hammer well just take a child have him lay his hand on a piece of hard steel then
Commence banging away with hammer I was having a hard time concentrating but this magic thought just kept a little
Ahead of the pain I had just hit the jack *** uncle had plenty of money for a coloring book and the more
The pain screamed I didn’t scream out loud but I was on the inside. That reminds me of a true rebel’s
Anthem a preacher made his son sit down this is what he heard I might be sitting down on the outside
But I’m standing on the inside like Porky Pig that’s all folks for this time.
