The strangest things....

[Bikeguy Joe]

Alrighty kids, have a seat and I'll tell you a strange and bizarre, yet true story.....

The house where I grew up, in Montville, Ohio has long since fallen into the ground and turned into a giant pile of rubble- long story, won't go into the particulars here since they don't matter anyway.

I stopped in there a dozen times this past year on rides and sat under the 100 year old willow that still grows there. (The willow got so big right after my parents bought the house in 1960 it caused the dug well to go dry and a new modern well had to be punched in.)

I always wanted to "go through" the old rubble just to see what I could find.

Here's a little of what I found.

A couple of handfulls of old photos from my child hood.

Even more interesting- a portrait of me standing in a field with a red and white sweater, shorts, a red beret, and an old old wood golf club.

I was two years old when the photo was originally taken, and my uncle had it blown up, and then won some show or art thing with it...it became family legend. "Joe's picture."

Here's where it get's really, truly hard to believe strange.

I dug into the rubble deeper and found a dresser that was crushed and rotted for the most part. I pulled the only handle on it and the face came off the drawer....inside the drawer was a yellow coat I believe was my little sisters, and THE RED AND WHITE SWEATER I HAD ON IN THE "JOE'S PICTURE" PORTRAIT! Yes, for real.

So now I have the original portrait from 1963, the sweater I had on in the portrait, and this other photo I took when I was 11 years old-

[Bikeguy Joe]

The sign is painted with lead paint I suppose...I know it was painted on an asbestos/tar board we had all over the side of a chicken coop.

The sign is leaning up against our milk can mailbox post.

I never did get a customer.....

[TexasDav]

Post the picture you were talking about

"portrait of me standing in a field with a red and white sweater, shorts, a red beret, and an old old wood golf club"

[Spunout]

how 'bout that.

what were you feeling, at the time? i imagine alot like any of us, who have gone back to anyplace that we had sunk roots into.

life is short. you have to take a look back, now and then.

thanks for sharing that bit of nostalgia .

by the way, does the sign say "Minor" repairs, because you were just 11 yrs old?

[Dave31]

Very Cool Joe, thanks for sharing

[Bikeguy Joe]

I'll tell you what, I was about freaked out to find this stuff. I mean what are the chances? I haven't been in that house since way before it fell in. I grew up there, now it's just a pile of wood. I did take a few large pieces of the poplar framing (early 19th century- no nails) to make some boot jacks, key hangers and other stuff with for my bro and sister for Christmas.

The sign says "Minor" repairs because I was 11 and mis-spelled it. I was trying. I remember doing it, but now I think "What was I thinking?"

Here's a photo of the portrait and the sweater...not in the best shape but as found, I wiped most of the crud off of it.

[TexasDav]

That is something to hand down to your grandkids, plus the story behind it.

[Bikeguy Joe]

You sure got that one right. If I didn't do it myself, I wouldn't believe it.

[Spunout]

Originally Posted by Bikeguy Joe

The sign says "Minor" repairs because I was 11 and mis-spelled it. I was trying. I remember doing it, but now I think "What was I thinking?"

no, it's spelled correctly. i was making a pathetic attempt at a joke ('minor'.. meaning someone under 18). i crack me up. lame.

[NEAT TIMES]

Joe, Thanks For Sharing That With All Of Us !! I Think The Spelling (minor) Is Correct No Mater What You Meant. Nabor Guy Helped Me (maybe I Helped Him) Build A 3/4 Hp Bs Motor Bike When I Was 11, 58 Yrs Ago. I THINK GUYS LIKE MOTORS, SO THEY CAN CHASE GIRLS !!!???