I don’t want to dunk your old inner tube either.
But I’m sure that won’t stop her from celebrating National Doughnut Week - she is the Queen after all.
There is still a National Doughnut Week (NDW) after all these years (May 18 to 26) and I suppose there may even be a “Donut Week Queen” like the one above, although these days it may be deemed sexist, racist, misogynist, or some kind of “..ist” or phobic.
The NDW dates all the way back to WW1 and it originally honored the female volunteers who served donuts and coffee to the troops in Europe. It quickly caught on, as does almost anything that has to do with donuts. My opinion, however, is that the whole concept of a national day, week, or month for something dumb or something that falls into the “most of us could care less category” could stand some revisiting. I’ll show you what I mean with just a very small sampling of dates that you absolutely must jot down in your calendars:
January 1 - First Foot Day (Hogamanay)
“ National Euro Day
“ National Bloody Mary Day
“ National Hangover Day
(That’s cool that National Bloody Mary Day and National Hangover Day share the same day!)
January 3 - National Drinking Straws Day
“ National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
“ National Missouri Day
January 5 National Whipped Cream Day
This goes on ad infinitum, or so it seems, and every day on the calendar seems to celebrate at least several odd things that we should really be appreciating. I’ll save you a little time and give you just a few more but you’ll have to look up their day of the month yourself.
National Cuddle Up Day
National Bobble Head Day
National Clean Off Your Desk Day
National Static Electricity Day
National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day
National Beer Can Appreciation Day
National Opposite Day
So there you go - your day has been made. You’re welcome. Now go and celebrate National Note Card Day by clicking HERE.
__________
Adios!
This is the LAST issue of “A Lingering Image”. I’ve been at it for a couple of years now and have enjoyed it immensely but sometimes I feel like I’ve been pounding sand, not really sure that I’m getting through to anyone. So many thanks to you who have actually taken the time to open up and peruse this modest little piece of work - I really appreciate you!
New Old Photo of the Week
I’ve scanned hundreds of old slides in the last few months and continue to find a gem here and there. This week I moved on to California, a state I know well and have explored thoroughly. Let’s see what pops up . . .
(Downtown Mendocino - © 2020 David Ryan)
The 2-Sentence Novel
© David Ryan 2023
I Wish I’d Known Earlier
Success had eluded Taylor most of his life and it was very frustrating.
But finally, when he had almost given up, he was given a sign.
Last Communion (100th Installment)
©2008 David Ryan
Chapter 29 (Cont’d)
It was good to hear Adam’s voice again. He began flashing his view into my eyes and I saw what he was talking about. The wall he mentioned was mostly rubble and I leaped over it easily. Looking up I saw the two guys he mentioned, trotting up the side of the hill in front of me. I clicked the elevation on my scope a couple of notches and dropped both of them with three round bursts. With Adam’s sight I saw four other figures from above scattered around the base of the hill. All of them had frozen at the sound of the shots. Two of them began running up the hill. Evidently it appeared from their viewpoint to be the best route of escape. It wasn’t. In a few seconds they came within view, seeming to follow more or less the same path as the first two. I nailed them as easily as the first. Three left. I began my fast trot again, jumping over rubble and weaving in and out of trees and shrubs. Each of the two I had seen split in opposite directions but there was still a last one that I hadn’t spotted yet. I had no idea where he might be but figured he was likely holed up in some cover. Adam would find him. Meanwhile, I ranged to my left, calculating I would cut one of them off in a few meters. The terrain was getting rougher and brushier and though I tried not to make a lot of noise I knew I was. A path led off through a break in an outer wall of very old and mature prickly pears that stood about six feet tall, a pretty formidable barrier. I charged through it and immediately stepped off the edge of an arroyo that I hadn’t had a clue about. In mid-air I caught motion to my right and realized I had timed my flight almost perfectly. The fellow I was looking for was charging in my direction at a full run. I must have startled the hell out of him because when he opened up with his fully automatic AK his shots went everywhere but at me. I hit the ground into a crouch and raised my rifle at him just as he emptied his magazine into the cactus I had just breached. The guy was obviously scared witless. He tried to come to a halt but his momentum tumbled him forward into the sandy bottom of the gulch. I shot him twice and continued running up the gulch to look for the other one. I checked Adam’s view and saw that the guy was running at a good clip up the gully away from me. I picked up my speed to full out, which I suppose is about 45 mph, about twice that of a top sprinter. The difference is that I can sustain it for quite a while longer. I’ll measure it someday. In any case, I knew I could tackle him in about ten seconds at this rate. Either the guy didn’t know I was behind him or he was just frightened out of his mind because he wasn’t doing much to evade his pursuer. I soon drew near enough to hear his heavy steps and even his ragged breath. At this pace he was going to have to take a break real soon. He did just that and as I ran around a bend in the gully, there he was bent over and breathing hard. He turned his head towards me without standing up straight. I stopped and smiled at him. He raised his hands above his head and faced me. I shot him.
“Adam, have you found the other fellow yet?”
“Yes, Daniel. You’ll have to turn around and go back the way you came until you reach the road. He’s hiding in a culvert that passes under it. You’re 155 meters from it now.”
“Great - thanks!”
I turned around and fast trotted back down from where I’d come. In a minute I jumped over the body of the previous encounter and slowed up a bit. I hadn’t yet had a chance to use one of the grenades I was carrying and I thought this might be the time to do it. I knew I was nearing the road so I quietly approached the next corner of the dry creek bed and peeked around the edge towards the culvert. The dark hole under the road was just that: a dark hole. I could see no sign of anyone there but I knew my target was there. I cranked up the sensitivity of my hearing and listened. Sure enough, I could just hear regular but fast panting of the guy holed up in there. It was an easy throw of the light little bomb and a very good one, I might say. It hid the edge of the culvert and rolled on in. I instinctively recoiled behind the corner of the side of the arroyo to protect myself from the blast, which was a big one. I stood up from my crouch and walked around the corner. Smoke and dust was billowing out of the tube. If the guy was still alive he was going to need a hearing aid. I approached the entrance and peered inside. There was a crumpled up mass about midway down the tube and that was enough proof for me.
“Any others, Adam?”
“Just the people you saw in the front of the establishment, Daniel. You may find one or two among them. I cannot discern their identities; you will have to see for yourself.”
“OK, thanks. I think we’ve been pretty effective. By the way, have you located the dope storage facility?”
“Yes, we did find a building that serves as a warehouse but it doesn’t contain as much as we might have thought. They pass the merchandise through very as soon as they get it or they store it elsewhere. I suspect the former. This seemed to have been a very efficient operation. You may want to inspect it later.”
“Yes, I will. Have you received those girls yet?” I asked.
“Yes, Tara has them now. Upon first examination they have been treated very roughly but we can easily heal their physical injuries. We fear, however, that psychologically and emotionally they have been severely traumatized. We will do what we can.”
“I know you will, thanks!”
“Rachel, did you hear that?”
“Of course I did, sweetie. Those poor girls! I’m afraid I had to sit down and have a good cry over it. I so hope we can do something for them. My heart bleeds for them.”
“I know, my love. If Adam and Tara can’t help them, no one can. We’ve got the resources to help restore their lives. It makes me feel much better about our treatment of these vermin. I’ve cleaned them up on this end and am heading for that spot where we came through the wall. I’ll meet you there.”
“I can’t wait! This was so exciting! I want to do it again!”
I think she meant it.
(More to come. . . but why wait? Buy the book HERE)