I played High School basketball

Al Bundy ain't got nuttin' on me.  I played High School basketball. Embarrassed by the pic? Heavens no, I am hella proud to self depricate. Victor, it's always about you, as in, TMI. Ah, feel that way if you like, Freedom of Speech... and take another look at the pic, if you feel I'm gloating, that's kinda strange, but, certainly your choice to feel that way.

This and that.

I think I was 16. Look younger I guess, but, pretty sure that's correct. Junior year. I was sooooo proud to have made the varsity roster. Only three of us Juniors did.  One, was awesome, he started and actually lead the Varsity in scoring.  Me, and the other guy, and one more Senior... we sat on the end of the bench. (more in a sec on that)

My buddies, HS Juniors on the team that didn't make the Varsity, played JV and got oodles and oodles and oodles of playing time, thus, actually surpassing me in experience in no time, and probably ability as well.

VRD. Out with it Victor, what's that?  I hope I don't embarrass.  It's "Vic, Ralph, Doug".   We are the three guys who rarely, if ever, got to actually play in the varsity games that year.  In fact, we took masking tape, and we each taped our initials at the end of the bench where we'd sit, watch the games, talk about cheerleaders, pep club gals, occasionally cheer (we weren't a very good team) and, break ground for a lifelong VRD bond.

The haircut.  Yes, Moe comes to mind. I don't know why, but it was.  It looks, frankly, stupid, agreed.  The socks.  I'd like to say I was ahead of time (I was 'black sock cool' before it was a thing) but i think I simply forgot to pack white socks for a weekend stay at grannies. (Same with the black kicks, white Chuck Taylors were safely back in Liberty.)

One more basketball diddy. In the rare event I ever did get in the game, I was hesitant to shoot.  Why Victor, did you suck? Shoot with your elbow out too far?  Yes and yes, but not the reason.  My underarm hair was light, so light, that, from afar, it looked like I didn't have any, thus, embarassed to shoot.  Victor, are you really spilling your guts to the world about this, aren't you embarrassed?  Nope, sorry, ain't.

OK, just one more basketball diddy. In the rare event I did get in the game, and in the rare event I actually DID shoot, I distincly remember hearing in the background the voice of our vested Coach yelling "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" That, plus the crooked arm, light underarm hair, VRD tape, all, didn't bode well for confidence.  Oh well. (Oh Well happens to also be one of my alltime favorite songs!)

Enough about Moe, underarm hair, benchsitting, horrible field goal percent.

The dog.  The dog is Skippy.  If I've told you this story before, I'm sorry.... kinda.  Not really.

My, our, grandparents lived 6 or 7 blocks from Downtown Fulton, MO.  It was a thing, back in the day, for old folks, whether they needed anything from the store or not, to, go to town, visit with other old folks.  Every day of the week.

Daily, Grandma would let Skip out the door, then, 10 or so minutes later, they'd hop in the three speed on the column old Chevy, head to town.  There.  Yes, there. In their 'same ole same ole' everyday parking spot, would be Skip. Laying there, reserving it for them. No, not deserving of a statue like Jim the Wonderdog, but, I thought pretty cool and unique. I likes me some unique.

That is all. Have fun laughing at me, I will grab some popcorn, find my VRD seat and laugh right along with you.

Love, Victurd