o Hawaii with Jerry and Sue and Carol and I when Jerry and I retired from Manheim Township HIghSchool in 1999. I haven't seen him since he had his operation earlier this year. Seems that Harry was having heart problems and his doctor had to replace a heart valve. He was telling us all about it as we ate supper. Had to cut open his chest, sawed his sternum down the middle and spread it apart with clamps to expose his heart. Just then my burger arrived. He continued with telling us that they replaced the valve with one from a bull. Yep, a real bull! It was constructed and sewn together by Chinese women. Told us that is why he doesn't eat many burgers anymore, out of respect for bulls. Now Harry can say all this with a straight face, but I couldn't stop from laughing. Carol told me she couldn't listen to anymore because she was getting chest pains just listening to it. He had more problems after the operation when both his lungscollapsed. To hear Harry tell it, it was nothing, but seemed pretty scary to me. We eventually got to talking about his hobby, WWII. He has a very large collection of weapons, uniforms, photos, etc, from the war. He and Barb actually went to France for vacation so he could land on Normandy Beach as the troops did during WWII. Harry had stories to tell about Patton and Eisenhower, as if he were personal friends with both of them. And Barb's maiden name was Doolittle and was related to General Doolittle who was in the Air Force during WWII. Harry was full of stories about WWII. I asked him if he was ever in the service himself and he told me they wouldn't accept him since he only had vision in one eye. Then I remembered when that happened to him. He was working on a car and was hit in the eye by a tool. He worried for a long time that he wouldn't be able to drive again. Then I related to everyone that my dad only had one eye and I never knew that until I was a teenager and found a spare glass eye in his dresser drawer. Then Harry said, "I knew he only had one eye." Needless to say I was surprised with his comment. "How could you know about that, when I didn't even know it?" I asked him. "My mom told me about it." he said. Then I wondered how his mom would know when I didn't even know. Well, we laughed our way through the evening and said our good-byes. Said we have to do this soon again, and I know we will. Laughter is the best remedy for all your ills!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
Monday, December 27, 2010
The "That's A Lot of Bull, Harry!" Story
It was an ordinary day. We are meeting Harry and Barb for supper at the Roseville Tavern on Oregon Pike. The "We" is Carol and I and Jerry and Sue who are visiting from State College for the weekend. I have known Harry and his brother Tom for years. We grew up together at St. James Episcopal Church. Their mom was in charge of the women's group who made sandwiches and snacks for my wedding reception when Carol and I got married. Harry and his wife Barb traveled to Hawaii with Jerry and Sue and Carol and I when Jerry and I retired from Manheim Township HIghSchool in 1999. I haven't seen him since he had his operation earlier this year. Seems that Harry was having heart problems and his doctor had to replace a heart valve. He was telling us all about it as we ate supper. Had to cut open his chest, sawed his sternum down the middle and spread it apart with clamps to expose his heart. Just then my burger arrived. He continued with telling us that they replaced the valve with one from a bull. Yep, a real bull! It was constructed and sewn together by Chinese women. Told us that is why he doesn't eat many burgers anymore, out of respect for bulls. Now Harry can say all this with a straight face, but I couldn't stop from laughing. Carol told me she couldn't listen to anymore because she was getting chest pains just listening to it. He had more problems after the operation when both his lungscollapsed. To hear Harry tell it, it was nothing, but seemed pretty scary to me. We eventually got to talking about his hobby, WWII. He has a very large collection of weapons, uniforms, photos, etc, from the war. He and Barb actually went to France for vacation so he could land on Normandy Beach as the troops did during WWII. Harry had stories to tell about Patton and Eisenhower, as if he were personal friends with both of them. And Barb's maiden name was Doolittle and was related to General Doolittle who was in the Air Force during WWII. Harry was full of stories about WWII. I asked him if he was ever in the service himself and he told me they wouldn't accept him since he only had vision in one eye. Then I remembered when that happened to him. He was working on a car and was hit in the eye by a tool. He worried for a long time that he wouldn't be able to drive again. Then I related to everyone that my dad only had one eye and I never knew that until I was a teenager and found a spare glass eye in his dresser drawer. Then Harry said, "I knew he only had one eye." Needless to say I was surprised with his comment. "How could you know about that, when I didn't even know it?" I asked him. "My mom told me about it." he said. Then I wondered how his mom would know when I didn't even know. Well, we laughed our way through the evening and said our good-byes. Said we have to do this soon again, and I know we will. Laughter is the best remedy for all your ills!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
o Hawaii with Jerry and Sue and Carol and I when Jerry and I retired from Manheim Township HIghSchool in 1999. I haven't seen him since he had his operation earlier this year. Seems that Harry was having heart problems and his doctor had to replace a heart valve. He was telling us all about it as we ate supper. Had to cut open his chest, sawed his sternum down the middle and spread it apart with clamps to expose his heart. Just then my burger arrived. He continued with telling us that they replaced the valve with one from a bull. Yep, a real bull! It was constructed and sewn together by Chinese women. Told us that is why he doesn't eat many burgers anymore, out of respect for bulls. Now Harry can say all this with a straight face, but I couldn't stop from laughing. Carol told me she couldn't listen to anymore because she was getting chest pains just listening to it. He had more problems after the operation when both his lungscollapsed. To hear Harry tell it, it was nothing, but seemed pretty scary to me. We eventually got to talking about his hobby, WWII. He has a very large collection of weapons, uniforms, photos, etc, from the war. He and Barb actually went to France for vacation so he could land on Normandy Beach as the troops did during WWII. Harry had stories to tell about Patton and Eisenhower, as if he were personal friends with both of them. And Barb's maiden name was Doolittle and was related to General Doolittle who was in the Air Force during WWII. Harry was full of stories about WWII. I asked him if he was ever in the service himself and he told me they wouldn't accept him since he only had vision in one eye. Then I remembered when that happened to him. He was working on a car and was hit in the eye by a tool. He worried for a long time that he wouldn't be able to drive again. Then I related to everyone that my dad only had one eye and I never knew that until I was a teenager and found a spare glass eye in his dresser drawer. Then Harry said, "I knew he only had one eye." Needless to say I was surprised with his comment. "How could you know about that, when I didn't even know it?" I asked him. "My mom told me about it." he said. Then I wondered how his mom would know when I didn't even know. Well, we laughed our way through the evening and said our good-byes. Said we have to do this soon again, and I know we will. Laughter is the best remedy for all your ills!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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