Sunday, April 18, 2010

Two stories...Both True



Mrs. T and I have a long standing double date on Friday nights. Sometimes a movie, this week was dinner.

I glanced across the restaurant and there was the father of a grade school classmate. A few seconds later it dawned on me I hadn't seen the man in some 40 years, and he was old then. The guy I was thinking of had probably been dead 25 years or more.

I was looking at my classmate.

I hadn't seen him in 40 years either. God, he was old. Turned into his father too.

II.



Someone did a post on the joys of cleaning her steam iron this week. Sadly, and I apologize, I couldn't for love nor money tell you whom, but my immediate reaction was you clean coffee makers the same way, so what. But the post stuck with me.

Somehow, that what we all hope our posts do.

I went to the cookie jar, grabbed another Madeleine, and was transported back a decade or more.

When we met, Mrs. T was addicted to television shopping. QVC, HSN, The Commercial Network, she was hooked on them all. She didn't shop much, but she did watch.

One day, she announced that thanks to her steady viewing she had found the iron of her dreams, and by gum she had ordered it. I didn't know her that well, and who was I to criticize. She wants it she should have it.

Curiosity finally overcame me and I had to ask. Guys, never ask. You don't want to know. Pray, I asked what's so special about this iron?

This iron is guaranteed to reduce ironing time by 20%.

I posit the iron has reduced ironing time 100%. After 3 moves, it still lies safe and secure in the box it arrived in. The things to be ironed basket is a proverbial black hole of laundry. I have shirts in there I haven't seen in 10 years. Mercifully, they no longer fit.

Before you get uppity, yes I can iron. I'm great on shirts, I simply prefer to send them to the cleaners. They use better starch.

Toad

7 comments:

Geriatric Trad said...

Two requests:

1) Explain the connection between Madeleines and being transported back to the past for those youngsters who think that Proust rhymes with Faust.

2) Try ironing with a steam generator. It's an aesthetic experience.

http://www.amazon.com/Rowenta-DG-980-Expert-Steam-Generator/dp/B00008ZPN6

Dutch Uncle said...

GT:

Let alone references to A la Recherce du Temps Perdu, college kids today wouldn't even recognize Lady and the Tramp.

Geriatric Trad said...

DU:

That's "Recherche", not "Recherce"!

Suburban Princess said...

I have a Lady and the Tramp cel from Disney in my kitchen :O) I love that movie! I got another one for my dad as the restaurant owner's name is Tony...just like my dad!

Bumping into people I knew from school is always a bit daunting - I dont like be reminded I'm not 12 anymore!

In answer to your wedding question - unless the bride requests it...no to the white! Especially if it is a dress! Even if the bride is not wearing white, you wouldn't want to be mistaken for her :O)

Anonymous said...

Mr. Toad,
Story #1 strikes home as I am commiserating re: posting about my being talked in to joining Facebook so I could "hook back up" with my 1969 high school classmates. Sixty-some Facebook invitations later...well, I'll post the cautionary tale soon.

But in the meantime, if an old acquaintence suggests to anyone reading this that it would be fun to join Facebook DO NOT DO IT!

--Enjoying your blog,
Best Regards,
LD

Toad said...

As exciting as the steam generator sounds, I would much prefer my mother's clothes press. Made short work of shirts.

For you young'ens, the smell, the taste the thought of homemade madeleines transports me instantly to the favorite summers of my youth. Once again I am a kid, without a worry in the world.

Commish about a year ago, I warned off Facebook. It's a bad deal.

http://to-the-manner-born.blogspot.com/2009/03/dear-miss-manners.html

TWJ said...

Toad,
Many moons ago my grandmother told my cousin and I that we needed to learn all things to be self sufficient. Task number one - ironing. She taught us the correct end of the ironing board to use and so forth. At the time I didn't think much about it.

However, while in college without "dry cleaning funds" from my parents. I set out to do my own shirts, (with heavy starch). At one of the many frat functions a sweet young southern belle asked me which cleaners I took my laundry. When I told her I did my own she smiled and walked away. Two days later I ran into her and some of her friends on campus. She came up to me and asked if I was seeing anyone and if not, would I like to go to her parents cabin for the weekend.

I did and the rest is, well, history.

I guess my grandmother really knew what she was doing teaching me those ironing skills. The girls do like a "well pressed man".
TWJ