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May 22, 2006
Dapper Duds
I headed out to Baltimore on Friday to catch a plane to upstate New York. The people of Baltimore have a unique accent. The word "home" is pronounced "whom", and they say "you know" every other word. It's, you know, kinda, you know, interesting.
At the airport I noticed Southwest Airlines still have a number of those older planes with those nasty colors. Who the hell came up with the color combination of brown and red? It's like shit and blood. Thankfully, I did not fly Bloody Stool Airlines; I flew Air Tran, and it was a nice flight.
Once I arrived, I donned my dapper duds and drove to the death dance.
Before my uncle died, he made a list of the people he wanted to be pallbearers. I was one of them. Ugh. The last time I went to a funeral I was chosen to be a pallbearer. It was for my grandmother who lives in the hills of West Virginia. And she was buried on a fucking hill in West Virginia. There were six of us climbing Mount Hillbilly Everest carrying my grandmother's coffin. It was so steep I swear I could hear her poor little body shifting to the complete bottom of the coffin. I could her say, "I reckon y'all need to lift harder cuz I caint lay straight."
My uncle's funeral went very well. I got up and spoke about him. He was like a second father to me while I was growing up; I felt I had to say something. So I did. I didn't prepare a speech or even think that I would speak so I just rambled shit off the top of my head and was surprised at all the stuff I said.
After that, my sister sang "Wind Beneath My Wings." If I never hear that song again, it would be too soon. She asked me to be in charge of the CD player that would play the karaoke music for the song. There were lots of other 80's songs on the CD so I had to be sure I cued the right music. I pressed play and the first few notes of "She Blinded Me With Science" exploded inside the church. Oops, perhaps it's the next song. Nope, that's "Jessie's Girl" by Rick fucking Springfield. Shit, why did she have to make me in charge of the music. She gave me a dirty look. Whatever. Luckily, the next song was the right one. I whispered to my sister, "Don't screw it up." She didn't.
After the funeral, I quickly headed back to DC. It was a beautiful weekend. The sun was out, so I went to my favorite spot in the Circle, and watched all the cool freaks walking around. I love DC, you know.
Sucking Corporate America in the Circle
That chick behind me is totally checking me out.
Posted by durban bud at May 22, 2006 02:13 PM
Comments
Wow no hat in foto two! Very cute!
Since you mentioned it... SW has the ugly colors b/c of cost savings (originally now they are changing and painting things a little brighter) - the planes are that color (or close to it) when they are built so Southwest used to paint as little as they could to save $$$. American Airline is similar in that all their planes were either gray or the shiny silver... in addition to paint cost (and re-painting etc) for the entire plane there was also another factor...
Weight! Yes if you can believe it they did studies to figure out how much more fuel planes would use with a minimal amount of paint on it (paint does weigh something) b/c the heavier the plane the more fuel etc...
Ok so there you go... ;-)
Posted by: TOS at May 22, 2006 06:24 PM
You should have stopped by and said hi after you left the airport. You were literally just down the street from us. :-) We live in the landing strip!
Posted by: Bubala at May 22, 2006 08:57 PM
rock on. i'm kinda hoping someone slips up at my funeral and hits the button that'll make "Papa Don't Preach" start playing. Or maybe "Hey Ya!"
Posted by: t.todd at May 23, 2006 02:35 AM
Hi TJ, I'm so sorry about your Uncle. I remember meeting him way back when we were young 'uns in high school. Speaking of your sister singing an 80's song, I just had a fun mental flashback of listening to her play the piano in your family room singing that Richard Marx song 'right here waiting for you' when her (then) boyfriend was leaving town. HEE HEE!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh, the memories. Take care.
Posted by: Reenie at May 23, 2006 12:53 PM
TJ, sorry to hear about your uncle. 80's music? Wow, this is why I keep listening to new stuff, the 80's are long gone (but trying telling my partner that). Yeah us Balmore people have a accent....take care hon and see ya at the ocean (seriously we'll be at the beach this weekend, look us up).
Posted by: Donn at May 24, 2006 08:49 AM