Bro Mark sent a cryptic email to the family last night: “Gran can now check another box off her list.” He wouldn’t give me a hint, said she’d have to tell me.
I called Mother, but got a busy signal all morning; after that, the phone went to the answering machine. I figured she must be out skydiving or water skiing on the Mississippi.
She finally called me back to tell me about her excursion last night. She and several of her friends ended up at the Belly Up Bar and Grill in Oran. I can just about picture what that kind of establishment looked like. I usually didn’t frequent places like that until after the shootin’ and cuttin’ was over.
(For the record, that’s the Elk’s Club in Cairo, not the Belly Up Bar and Grill.)
When does the dancin’ start?
When she walked in, she noticed a couple of pool tables. “When do they start dancing on the tables?,” she asked.
“After about two beers,” she was told.
She met lots of friendly and interesting people, including a guy who was drinking a pink-colored beer. She got up enough nerve to ask him what it was. “Beer and tomato juice,” he answered. “I always drink it that way.”
(Note: that’s not the Belly Up Bar and Grill, either. It was taken at D’Ladiums in Cape.
Want to go for a ride?
When they got ready to leave, Mother paused to admire a motorcycle in the parking lot. She told the owner that she didn’t realize they were so big when they blasted past her on the highway.
After chatting a bit, the guy said, “Want to go for a ride?”
“I haven’t been on one since I’m a teenager, but, sure.”
They went blasting around Oran. (It doesn’t take long to lap Oran.) She said she was surprised that it was very comfortable: it was like riding in the back seat of a car.
She’s polling her friends to see if any of them snapped a picture of her before she roared off.
(Nope, not the Belly Up Bar and Grill: motorcycle racing at Arena Park.)
This is a poor substitute
I’ve sent a note to the neighbors telling them not to worry if they look out the window and see this. She’s just reliving her glory days at the Oran Belly Up Bar and Grill.
(You guessed it. This isn’t the Belly Up Bar and Grill. It’s Mother celebrating her 2004 Birthday Season. She turned 90 in 2011.)
Other Mother exploits
Mother says she can’t go to the store these days without someone coming up to her to ask her if she’s the one in the blog. Here are some of her past exploits in case you’ve missed them.
- Pulling the plug on Mother for her own good
- Mother and the 4th of July
- Mother and the riverboat accident (she hates for me to keep printing this one)
- Mother and Dad in the backyard
- Advance High School photos from the 1930s
- Mother and the Advance Glee Club
- Photos of Mother in high school and college
- 89th Birthday Season
- 90th Birthday party
- Christmas in 1969
- Mother with Abe Lincoln (they went to school together)
- Mother with Elvis in Alabama
- Road Trip Day 3, the last leg
you mother seems like a hoot…spunky keeps her young at heart..love it
Your mother has such great times. I envy her! Your story reminds me of learning to play pool at the Dutchtown Tavern when I was in college.
I just love your mom. She was always like a mom to me. Still is. She’s a hoot and a holler! Can’t wait to see her again.
By the way, is D’ladiums what used to be the Paladium. Now there was a dive!
Wally, Show up on a big Harley and you might make it into the will.
Ken, It’s called a “Red Beer”, My Mom used to consume her’s that way. and then my ex wife re-introduced me to them in Denver! Not my favorite tho.
I really admire your Mother! She is so sweet and young at heart! Also she look’s great,you would never guess her age!
Now that is funny stuff…love it!