Tag: humor

ROUNDUP TIME

I believe in the age-old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine!” A day doesn’t go by that I don’t laugh or chuckle at something. A few weeks ago, shopping in the grocery store with my wife was no exception.

Senior Day at Albertsons typically occurs on the first Wednesday of every month. On this day, customers aged 55 and older can receive a 10% discount at particular locations. Out of a warped sense of humor, and no apologies forthcoming, I sometimes refer to Senior Day as Dinosaur Day, or Geezer Day.

Older folks like myself were plugging up the narrow aisles, indecisive about what they were looking for, and not very observant of where they rolled their buggies. After a couple of near accidents, I quickly changed the name of Dinosaur Day to Obstacle Wednesday, because I could tell it was going to take plenty of patience maneuvering through that crowd.

While rolling down the soup aisle and attempting to not bump anyone or be hit, the image of a postcard I’d recently come across popped into my head. This card shows a cowboy riding a giant jackrabbit while punching cattle. I suddenly imagined myself riding the same and trying to lead seniors to the checkout stand, sometimes lassoing them.

For a brief few seconds, I cracked a smile thinking of such. It’s probably best that none of the older folks around me knew what was going through my mind. A few sour ones would definitely be offended as they easily are.

The card I refer to was mailed from Tucson, Arizona, in 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. C.V. Vinson in Weatherford, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens were the ones sending it. The Stevens had a great sense of humor for picking this card out. Their brief message to the Vinsons also had a humorous tone.

“7/9/41

How about sending you one of these ‘bunnies’ to use to round up your cows. We are on our way to California and are spending the night here in Tucson, Ariz. Will write you a letter when we get located. Hope you are both okay.

Mr. and Mrs. Stevens”

I discovered that the folks receiving the card owned the Circle W ranch in Weatherford, Texas. This much is known from the address the postcard was mailed to. Conrad Van Vinson, along with his wife, Huey Maude Seela-Vinson, were longtime ranchers there. The couple was married on February 22, 1925. They both lived long lives.

It appears from my research that the senders of the card were friends of the Vinsons from church. Mr. and Mrs. Jessie F. ‘Jess’ Stevens lived in Weatherford for most of their lives before retiring to California. I’m sure they got as much a laugh out of sending that card as the Vinsons did receiving it.

Humorous postcards used to be quite popular, but like anything, they are becoming rare to find. Locating a revolving rack of postcards in a store isn’t common anymore. Funny postcards have a rich history dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when inexpensive printing methods made it possible to mass-produce colorful, humorous images and jokes on cards.

These postcards became a playful way for people to communicate, often reflecting popular culture, regional humor, and social trends of their time. During their golden age, from about 1900 to the 1950s, funny cards were widely collected and sent, especially as souvenirs from travels or as lighthearted greetings among friends and family.

Over time, their popularity has waned, but vintage humorous postcards remain cherished collectibles, offering a window into the humor and everyday life of the past. Sadly, some things have changed over time, although I’m ever so thankful that my sense of humor hasn’t.

IT’S IN THE BAG

“Headed out the door, I decided one more bag wouldn’t hurt.”

I’ll keep things short and sweet, as this subject probably isn’t one to discuss at a breakfast table, although there is much significance to it. Each year, when my annual medical physical comes up, Dr. Angelo Ong-Veloso hands me a sample collection kit.

The unusual medical name for this kit is: Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test. Without going into detail, the sample needed comes from my bottom. Savvy readers should be able to figure things out at this point.

This is an important test for those of us over 50 because colorectal cancer is a major killer amongst men and women. My Grandfather Hankins died from this disease after it metastasized into his stomach. Early prevention is the key to beating things here.

The IFOB test detects blood in the stool, which indicates there could be major problems. Rather than refuse to take it as some ignorant men do, I’m a firm believer that going through with the test could be a real lifesaver.

After collecting my tiny sample, I put it into a sealed container and then slid it inside a sealed medical bag. To add a bit more safety, I placed that small puncture-proof bag into a zipper-style Glad sandwich bag. Headed out the door, I decided one more bag wouldn’t hurt.

An empty Walmart sack just happened to be sitting on my toolbox. Tossing everything inside of it, a knot was then tied just to make sure the contents couldn’t escape.

Walking into Dr. Ong-Veloso’s waiting room on Friday morning, I held my Wal-Mart bag up to the receptionist’s window. She asked with a curious tone, “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Dr. Ong-Veloso wanted me to bring this stool sample in.”

The surprised look in the woman’s eyes immediately caught my attention. They were as large as saucers. It took a few seconds for me to realize what she was thinking. Undoubtedly, my Walmart sack was reminiscent of ones she’d seen people use to pick up after their dogs. Realizing this, I offered a quick explanation.

“Uh, this is just an extra bag the other one is in!” That seemed to ease her concern.

Walking back to my truck, I couldn’t help but chuckle. I’m guessing she did the same. Sometimes, humor just happens and isn’t planned. Sunday morning newspaper stories often occur in the same fashion!