07:57
Faizan
A Neighborhood Escapade
I shall now inform our readers of an event which had brought a brawl into the Mouse Trap, that is the neighborhood bar called 'Bram's' back around 1972. I had come fresh out of the war in Vietnam, Larry the boxer, Jennie now his wife, Karin, John L's wife to be, we were all sitting in a bar booth when it took place. You must keep in mind, this is simply one of many brawls that took place back then in that corner bar. I was perhaps twenty-five years old at the time. Larry being several years my senior, and Jennie a year older than me, and Karin a year younger than me, and John, my age.
John L., whom I had went to California with, prior to going into the Army, in 1967-thereabouts-came through the front door of the tavern, who drank a lot at the time, and had a few other bad habits, like Johnny Cash in his younger day, if you get the drift, whom he and I ended up in Las Vegas, in '67, for less than 24-hours, thereabouts, I had to pull, I mean hug and pull like a mule driver, him out of the casino, lest he be brought up for charges by the casino officer who asked "Is he on some dope? Its life in prison for that kind of fellow here!" I said, "No officer, he's just a happy go lucky sort of fella who won some money, and we had a long drive from Southern California and we're headed back to Minnesota, he's bushed out tired." The officer looks at his winnings still sitting in the one-arm-bandit's mouth, and says, "Sure, all fifteen-cents of his winnings, get him out of here before I call the real police." So need I bear out his reputation anymore for back in those late 1960s, it was irrefutable!
Well the early 1970s were not much different, John came through the door like gangbusters at Bram's, a hooting and hollering as if he was back in Las Vegas at that same casino and won that same fifteen-cents, thinking he won $1400-dollars, as if he won anything, he was as if on a chariot race, and behind him was a good many Hell's Outcast, a notorious Minnesota motorcycle gang, and he looked like Lee Marvin in "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance," riding sideways drunk on his horse shooting up the town. When something like this happens, it is wise not to take anything for granted, and this night John and his companions were drunker than a skunk, he was over-positive, obstinate, and egotistic. Not unusual for a drunk, any drunk. Although I was a little more reserved in my drinking behavior, but I was a drunk nonetheless, myself. We all handle drinking, a little differently, when we get a little too much. Other than that, John was a great fellow, the life of the party you might say, and he could be the death of it too. And he would back you up if need be. He was a man also with more than one string to his elbow, if you know what I mean, but mum lest I reveal too much.
As for myself, patience, a blow delayed is not a blow lost.
Their dress, their manners all announced that they were looking to cause trouble. John wild-eyed, red faced, cockeyed drunk, all restless, with perhaps several of the gang members if not more, all in the same disorder-
The barkeep, held a disturbed countenance. It might be judged some powerful notion had had them come here. Larry, Jennie, myself, and Karin viewed them with increasing curiosity. As did Big Bopper, and Don G., and Gunner, and Rick G., were at the bar, as did the barkeep now startled by their full appearance, and in general surprise, said with impatience, "Leave, I've just alerted the police of your presence, they'll be here in the next ten- minutes."
I shall now inform our readers of an event which had brought a brawl into the Mouse Trap, that is the neighborhood bar called 'Bram's' back around 1972. I had come fresh out of the war in Vietnam, Larry the boxer, Jennie now his wife, Karin, John L's wife to be, we were all sitting in a bar booth when it took place. You must keep in mind, this is simply one of many brawls that took place back then in that corner bar. I was perhaps twenty-five years old at the time. Larry being several years my senior, and Jennie a year older than me, and Karin a year younger than me, and John, my age.
John L., whom I had went to California with, prior to going into the Army, in 1967-thereabouts-came through the front door of the tavern, who drank a lot at the time, and had a few other bad habits, like Johnny Cash in his younger day, if you get the drift, whom he and I ended up in Las Vegas, in '67, for less than 24-hours, thereabouts, I had to pull, I mean hug and pull like a mule driver, him out of the casino, lest he be brought up for charges by the casino officer who asked "Is he on some dope? Its life in prison for that kind of fellow here!" I said, "No officer, he's just a happy go lucky sort of fella who won some money, and we had a long drive from Southern California and we're headed back to Minnesota, he's bushed out tired." The officer looks at his winnings still sitting in the one-arm-bandit's mouth, and says, "Sure, all fifteen-cents of his winnings, get him out of here before I call the real police." So need I bear out his reputation anymore for back in those late 1960s, it was irrefutable!
Well the early 1970s were not much different, John came through the door like gangbusters at Bram's, a hooting and hollering as if he was back in Las Vegas at that same casino and won that same fifteen-cents, thinking he won $1400-dollars, as if he won anything, he was as if on a chariot race, and behind him was a good many Hell's Outcast, a notorious Minnesota motorcycle gang, and he looked like Lee Marvin in "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance," riding sideways drunk on his horse shooting up the town. When something like this happens, it is wise not to take anything for granted, and this night John and his companions were drunker than a skunk, he was over-positive, obstinate, and egotistic. Not unusual for a drunk, any drunk. Although I was a little more reserved in my drinking behavior, but I was a drunk nonetheless, myself. We all handle drinking, a little differently, when we get a little too much. Other than that, John was a great fellow, the life of the party you might say, and he could be the death of it too. And he would back you up if need be. He was a man also with more than one string to his elbow, if you know what I mean, but mum lest I reveal too much.
As for myself, patience, a blow delayed is not a blow lost.
Their dress, their manners all announced that they were looking to cause trouble. John wild-eyed, red faced, cockeyed drunk, all restless, with perhaps several of the gang members if not more, all in the same disorder-
The barkeep, held a disturbed countenance. It might be judged some powerful notion had had them come here. Larry, Jennie, myself, and Karin viewed them with increasing curiosity. As did Big Bopper, and Don G., and Gunner, and Rick G., were at the bar, as did the barkeep now startled by their full appearance, and in general surprise, said with impatience, "Leave, I've just alerted the police of your presence, they'll be here in the next ten- minutes."
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