A Christmas story

[Qwit Pushin]

As Christmas Eve approaches, I reflect back on a Christmas Eve long ago. I and my siblings were at home anxious with anticipation, when a winter storm temporarily knocked the power out. About 15 minutes after it was restored, my father came through the front door having returned from work. With a distressed look on his face, he asked,"Did the power go out here?" We responded, "Yes, how did you know?" He said that on the way home he had passed a grizzly site, "Santa hit the power lines up on High Road. There's toys and dead reindeer all over the highway!".....Ahh, memories.

My dad passed away about 8 years ago. Aside from being the car guy who infected me with the same bug, he was also a bit of a character, as evidenced by the story above. Merry Christmas, all!!

Edited December 24, 2011 by Qwit Pushin

[High octane]

As Christmas Eve approaches, I reflect back on a Christmas Eve long ago. I and my siblings were at home anxious with anticipation, when a winter storm temporarily knocked the power out. About 15 minutes after it was restored, my father came through the front door having returned from work. With a distressed look on his face, he asked,"Did the power go out here?" We responded, "Yes, how did you know?" He said that on the way home he had passed a grizzly site, "Santa hit the power lines up on High Road. There's toys and dead reindeer all over the highway!".....Ahh, memories.

My dad passed away about 8 years ago. Aside from being the car guy who infected me with the same bug, he was also a bit of a character, as evidenced by the story above. Merry Christmas, all!!

You're lucky that your dad was a car guy as mine was not and I had to pick up on cars on my own which I did.

[1zebra3]

Nice story. My dad past on the car bug to me when I was very young. I can still remember going to watch him race his stockcar back in the mid 50s & early 60s. Sorry to hear about your dad mine has also passed away.

[Greg Myers]

Yep, Dad was a car guy. I remember "The Talk" somewhere around the seventh grade. He started with " Mom says you're lookin' at girls at school . . ." "Hand me that wrench" and I guess it was down the automotive path from there. To this day I can't remember what we were working on in that engine bay of his '54 Ford.

[Agent G]

Mom was a bike person, as was dad to an extent. We always had a few 2 wheeled projects at the house. Mom came by it naturally.

This is the 1920 "Gypsy Tour" the photo is taken in St Louis' Forest Park. Grandma and Grandpa are the couple in the middle. Best I can tell, that's a 1919 J model Harley.Carbide headlight, sidecar and all. I wish I had that puppy.

G

[Qwit Pushin]

Yep, Dad was a car guy. I remember "The Talk" somewhere around the seventh grade. He started with " Mom says you're lookin' at girls at school . . ." "Hand me that wrench" and I guess it was down the automotive path from there. To this day I can't remember what we were working on in that engine bay of his '54 Ford.

That's it exactly!! My dad was a painter at American Motors in Kenosha for a few years and then switched to his life's work, auto-body repair. I can remember going to the body shop with him when I was 11 years old. I would be tasked with sanding cars that were in primer and then re-masking them for sealer and paint. I was paid $2.50 per car. He could have paid me nothing, it was the greatest environment for young kid smitten with cars. Added perk was that the shop was well-known for its custom fabrication and trick paint jobs, which meant I saw a lot of great hot rods and customs come together right there before my eyes. Ahhh, the memories....

[Qwit Pushin]

Mom was a bike person, as was dad to an extent. We always had a few 2 wheeled projects at the house. Mom came by it naturally.

This is the 1920 "Gypsy Tour" the photo is taken in St Louis' Forest Park. Grandma and Grandpa are the couple in the middle. Best I can tell, that's a 1919 J model Harley.Carbide headlight, sidecar and all. I wish I had that puppy.

G

Great image!! Yeah, my dad loved bikes as well, owning a number of them throughout his life. That bug, however, was inherited by my little brother who, along with his wife, own 2 Harley's currently.

[heatride]

Wayne the first thing I wondered was what did it cost in 1920 . I found this invoice 1914 invoice online .

[Agent G]

Oh My Goodness, a whopping $245.00 plus $10 shipping. "Presto Lite" was the name of that carbide lamp as I recall. I wonder if a price could even be put on a bike of that vintage now.

I know Grandpa had a few Harleys over the years, as well as Indians and at least one Excelcisor. The old boy passed in 1941, at the age of 43. Mom said he always had big bikes and fast cars. Hmmmm wish I would have met the man, he sounds a lot like me.

G