Just in case you are missing it - School is out and Saturday is the first Day of Summer "It's Summertime!!!"
It's summertime, school is out and tonight, a dance at St. Paul's on the south side. Dicko' is picking me up. Our girlfriends have already decided to go as a group. So . . no dates tonight.
Beer??? Of course . . . if we can find someone to buy it! Damn, it's tough being young! Maybe Oily will be there. He always finds a way to get beer.
Mom - "John! where are you going tonight?" Me - "Dick Burns is picking me up in just a bit. We're going to St Paul's . . they're having a teen dance there tonight. I'm pretty sure there will be some ministers and stuff there chaperoning". Mom - "OK have a good time!" Me - "Here's Dicko' . . . See ya Mom!"
Dick - "Hi Harv! Hey, where is this dance?" Me - "St Paul's Church. It's on the south side somewhere off of 10th street. We'll find it." Dick - "Why do girls do that?" Me - "Do what?"Dick - "You know, go to dances in groups rather than on a date?" Me - "I think it's because dancing is for girls. They like to dance the fast dances like jitterbug, the twist and all that newfangled stuff. Most of us don't like dancing so they can just dance with each other." Dick - "Whatever, Should give us an opportunity to "shop around".
Dick - "Notice how it's getting dark earlier? Man it seems like just when summer is getting started it's ending!!! OK! this looks like the place! Let's park over there! Hey! I think that Nitka's car! Wow the windows are totally fogged up. Let's give Nick a little surprise. I'll pull in over there and park. Then we can sneak up on both sides of the car, start banging on the windows and say "open up! this is the police! Step outside so we can search for beer!" Me - "Sounds like a plan!" Both -at Nick's car . . . Open up! This is the police! What's going on in there? are you drinking??? Nick - Rolling down the window - What the hell??? What do you guys think you're doing?? Dick - "we saw the windows fogged up and thought you guys might be suffocating from carbon monoxide or something. Just trying to keep you safe!"
Nick - "BS! next time I'm coming out there and giving you some training in "How to win friends" This course includes some bludgeoning!" Me - "OK! OK! . . . Ahhh . . . hey Nick . . . you sure you have no beer in there???" Nick -" Harv!!!!~ " Dick - "Well nothing going on here. Let's go see what's happening on the dance floor!" Me - "OK Dicko' lead the way!"
Dick - "Man lots of kids in here. Who's playing tonight?" Me - "Looks like the "Comets" Let me see . . . The guy on the left is Jerry Leyendecker playing the sax. They say Jerry learned to play that instrument by ear! That's Pete Christensen playing the drums - very popular with the women! That's why Donna always shows up at the dances. Kind of keeping an eye on Pete! Lynn Hanson on the guitar . . . . He is also the bands lead singer. Bill Rathman - On Base fiddle. I don't know who the guy is singing . . . but he's good! Dick - Hey! that's a really good song!
Beer??? Of course . . . if we can find someone to buy it! Damn, it's tough being young! Maybe Oily will be there. He always finds a way to get beer.
Mom - "John! where are you going tonight?" Me - "Dick Burns is picking me up in just a bit. We're going to St Paul's . . they're having a teen dance there tonight. I'm pretty sure there will be some ministers and stuff there chaperoning". Mom - "OK have a good time!" Me - "Here's Dicko' . . . See ya Mom!"
Dick - "Hi Harv! Hey, where is this dance?" Me - "St Paul's Church. It's on the south side somewhere off of 10th street. We'll find it." Dick - "Why do girls do that?" Me - "Do what?"Dick - "You know, go to dances in groups rather than on a date?" Me - "I think it's because dancing is for girls. They like to dance the fast dances like jitterbug, the twist and all that newfangled stuff. Most of us don't like dancing so they can just dance with each other." Dick - "Whatever, Should give us an opportunity to "shop around".
Dick - "Notice how it's getting dark earlier? Man it seems like just when summer is getting started it's ending!!! OK! this looks like the place! Let's park over there! Hey! I think that Nitka's car! Wow the windows are totally fogged up. Let's give Nick a little surprise. I'll pull in over there and park. Then we can sneak up on both sides of the car, start banging on the windows and say "open up! this is the police! Step outside so we can search for beer!" Me - "Sounds like a plan!" Both -at Nick's car . . . Open up! This is the police! What's going on in there? are you drinking??? Nick - Rolling down the window - What the hell??? What do you guys think you're doing?? Dick - "we saw the windows fogged up and thought you guys might be suffocating from carbon monoxide or something. Just trying to keep you safe!"
Nick - "BS! next time I'm coming out there and giving you some training in "How to win friends" This course includes some bludgeoning!" Me - "OK! OK! . . . Ahhh . . . hey Nick . . . you sure you have no beer in there???" Nick -" Harv!!!!~ " Dick - "Well nothing going on here. Let's go see what's happening on the dance floor!" Me - "OK Dicko' lead the way!"
Dick - "Man lots of kids in here. Who's playing tonight?" Me - "Looks like the "Comets" Let me see . . . The guy on the left is Jerry Leyendecker playing the sax. They say Jerry learned to play that instrument by ear! That's Pete Christensen playing the drums - very popular with the women! That's why Donna always shows up at the dances. Kind of keeping an eye on Pete! Lynn Hanson on the guitar . . . . He is also the bands lead singer. Bill Rathman - On Base fiddle. I don't know who the guy is singing . . . but he's good! Dick - Hey! that's a really good song!
Dick - "Hey Harv! There's Mike Crowley dancing with Carrie! and Sharon Heise dancing with Bob Ohlhues. Oh No! Bob's with Sharon! Well it looks like no beer tonight! There's always next week. Look Harv, I'm going to ask Karen Reibetanz to dance. She's really cute . . and smart! Why don't you go find someone to dance with?"
Me - "Hey Torr! Wanna Dance?? Just kidding! How's it going. Did you bring a date?" Torr - "No just shopping around." Me - "Now Torr, by shopping, do you mean". . . Torr - "HARV! Shopping is Shopping!" Me - "Well, did you bag anyone yet?" Torr - "Westover and Ohde are here tonight and Bill wanted to show us a copy of the logo he is working on for the club. Let's go talk to them." Me - "Hey Westy! have you seen Bill?" Westy - "Yup! he's right over there Hey Bill! come on over lets talk. Where's Hoffman? and Wojta?" Torr -"There they are! Hey guys! come on over Ohde has an update on the logo!" Bill - "Hi guys I have a copy of the new logo - here, what do you think?" ALL - "Really nice Bill! " Bill - "I'm having a seamstress sew a sample on a neat blue jacket I found. I think it will look great!" Torr - "I think I speak for all of us Bill when I say . . . Nice Job!!"
Westy - "Hey guys, I really love this song - I'm going to dance with one of those pretty girls in the group over there! See Ya!" Bill - "There's Karen Duenkel - I'm asking her to dance!" Me - "Hey Torr - have you seen Nitka?" Torr - "Yes! I think that him right there!!!" Me - "Who is he dancing with?" Torr - "Do you have to ask???"
Me - "Hey Torr! Wanna Dance?? Just kidding! How's it going. Did you bring a date?" Torr - "No just shopping around." Me - "Now Torr, by shopping, do you mean". . . Torr - "HARV! Shopping is Shopping!" Me - "Well, did you bag anyone yet?" Torr - "Westover and Ohde are here tonight and Bill wanted to show us a copy of the logo he is working on for the club. Let's go talk to them." Me - "Hey Westy! have you seen Bill?" Westy - "Yup! he's right over there Hey Bill! come on over lets talk. Where's Hoffman? and Wojta?" Torr -"There they are! Hey guys! come on over Ohde has an update on the logo!" Bill - "Hi guys I have a copy of the new logo - here, what do you think?" ALL - "Really nice Bill! " Bill - "I'm having a seamstress sew a sample on a neat blue jacket I found. I think it will look great!" Torr - "I think I speak for all of us Bill when I say . . . Nice Job!!"
Westy - "Hey guys, I really love this song - I'm going to dance with one of those pretty girls in the group over there! See Ya!" Bill - "There's Karen Duenkel - I'm asking her to dance!" Me - "Hey Torr - have you seen Nitka?" Torr - "Yes! I think that him right there!!!" Me - "Who is he dancing with?" Torr - "Do you have to ask???"
Torr - "Harv, let's go talk to Kenny, he's right over there. Hi Ken! how are things?" Ken -" Couldn't be better. We won our last game with Two Rivers! What a blast - It was a pretty wild scene." Me - "Nice going Ken - you certainly know how to throw a baseball!" Torr - "You'll have to excuse Harv . . . he's not into sports . . . unless drinking is classified as a sport!" Me - "Seriously Ken - Nice Job! - we're lucky to have you leading the team! Hey! there's Lovey Barbier - I'm going to ask her to dance - She says she can watch movies at the Lake Vue Drive In right from her bedroom window. Cool Huh?"
Me - "Hi Lovey! wanna dance?" Lovey - "Sure! You know I really love these dances in the summer. Kind of gives us something to do!" Me - "Me too!"
Me - "Hi Lovey! wanna dance?" Lovey - "Sure! You know I really love these dances in the summer. Kind of gives us something to do!" Me - "Me too!"
Me - "So, I understand that with the outdoor theatre right outside your window, you can "go to the movies" anytime you want. Can you hear the sound?" Lovey - "Sometimes, when the wind is in the right direction, I can hear the sound really well. Other times I just imagine what's being said. Kind of works for me." Me "You must have a great imagination! Let's go talk to Dick and Karen. Hi guys! Are you just about worn out?? You guys have been dancing together all night. Look, this event is about to wrap up . . . would you two beautiful young ladies like to go to Late's with Dick and I?" Karen - "I'll have to tell the girls but sure I'd like to go!" Lovey - "Me too - just have to let my group know where I am." Dick - "Tell them we'll give you guys a ride home!" Me - "Looks like the last dance of the night! Let's dance!"
To be continued!
Till Next Week
Harv
Till Next Week
Harv