NickRapheal.com
A collection of things that interest me.
Joe and Clara Smith were special people in our family. We miss them, but we also fondly remember them.
I worked in Joe’s cabinet shop one summer, but I probably did not help much. I wasn’t talented in that way. The first time I used a staple gun, I had it turned in the wrong direction and the staple zipped right by my ear. That was a close call! Joe had a BSA 650 motorcycle which he let me ride. Wow, did that thing have some power. I remember we took it to the drag races once. Uncle Fred was going to ride it down the stretch, but when he popped the clutch the front end reared up like a wild horse and Fred almost took out the starting lights. After I saw that, I decided not to take a turn on the drag strip.
I could always count on Joe for a great set of wheels to go to the prom. One year he let me take his Buick Wildcat, and another year he let me take his 1937 restored Chevy. It was canary yellow and was powered by a Corvette engine. I remember it had flame throwers installed in the exhaust pipes which looked really cool, especially at night! The truth is we could all learn a lesson from Joe, who was always willing to share his things.
Aunt Clara took me to her high school one day when I was just a young boy. That was a great day for me, almost as good as the time Uncle Fred took me out cruising in his car. He taught me how to stick my head out the car window and yell at the girls. He taught me to say, “Hey Good Lookin’” But back to Clara. She taught us to laugh and have a good time, especially at the lake. I still remember the day we had such a hard time getting her back in the boat. She thought the water was deep, but we learned later she could have stood up. I sure came to love that depth finder, but it didn’t help me catch any more fish.
Uncle Joe and Aunt Clara were a true reflection of life. They had good times and bad times. They knew about ups and downs, about success and failure, but they also knew about love. They loved and were loved by so many. I choose to remember the good times.