It was his turn to plan the trip...doing the one thing he's done every summer for like the last 100 years... something I don't understand why any person would want to do...but being the good wife I go along...the big Dakota County Demolition Derby.
The folks down there have this derby 4 nights running!! and the place sells out every night. Ya gotta get in line for tickets by 5:00, the gates open at 6:00 and then you sit there on those dang uncomfortable aluminum bleachers until the races start at 7:30... pretty soon the ugliest, messed up cars come out and start smashing into each other... some have cutsey things painted to adorn the doors, and fenders... others have fake heads with wigs glued to the roof of the cars... must be a "man thing". Anyway, I never see Richie any happier all year long than when he's sitting at one of these demo derbys. This year they added something new... the "MINI-VAN" competition... all these little mini-vans come scootin' out on this dirt course with their wooden side panels and their wheels all painted and decorated and pretty soon, you realize you really don't want to ever ride in the back of one of those things again by the way you see they cave in so easily when broadsided. Of course my willingness to go along on the trip comes with what I call "TERMS".... this year my terms were to stop in Buffalo at the flea market going on downtown, and then to make a pit-stop at the Mall of America to see the Lennon Sisters perform!!
Much to my surprise, Richie was more than agreeable to both. So we left Fargo at 8AM... did our things for the day... and left the demo derby by 10PM due to a thunderstorm, getting drenched on the mile long walk back to try to find our car, (which by the way we had great diffculty doing). We arrived back home at 2AM and Richie changed clothes and went right back out to do his Sunday Forum deliveries. As I was driving on the way home while he slept, I realized how many ways he is like my Dad was. He loves to drive and take these little day road trips... so did Dad. He likes to sleep only in his own bed...so we most always have to come back home. I remember my Dad saying the same thing. He keeps his new car in the garage, and what does he drive around town and down to the cabin? His old, red paper route car that he bought for $800 bucks. Reminds me of my Dad in his old red and white pick-up, while the white caddy sat in the garage. He likes to talk to strangers about the weather... or just about anything. When getting a hotdog at the flea market, he was telling the seller all about the fish he caught and the fact it was raining on the way down from Fargo that morning... Who cares???? lol.... and he's always looking for a way to make money. So was my Dad. He can drive by a storage rental building for sale in Buffalo and say "hey, that's for sale, I bet that'd be a money maker". His current new business venture is to open up a roasted almond stand...talks about all the places he'll go and peddle his almonds... all while I respond "SUre honey, I"ll be at the lake floating on my air mattress, you go and have a great time!". Actually, he's told me several times he thinks that owning a resort would be great fun.... Hello DAD?????? Lord knows if I told him there was such a thing as a "gray uniform" and that my Dad used to wear one every single day, Richie would order himself a bunch and that'd be all I'd ever see him in... same as my Dad. I did find one thing he's very different about though... as we walked by Mom's red caddy at the lake the other night he said to me "does your Mom's car ever have a speck of dirt on it?".... I had to chuckle and say "Nope, Dad never let a dirty car leave the driveway"... anyone who has ever seen one of Richie's cars knows they never get washed. His proudest moment when we buried his old white paper route Kia with over 300,000 miles on it was "and she never once had a bath"....Now that would make my Dad shake his head and go "Sandra Louise! What were you thinking !"
1 comment:
Shortly before we were married and after before the first baby arrived I too sat thru alot of races and car demolitions. Not the best seats I agree. As far as business buying just wait till he comes home with papers and says woman sign these they are loans from bank. I looked at amounts and said how will we ever pay them off. WOW. Headaches and not many trips. At least you two dont have small kyss. I do really miss our road trips tho.
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