A Man Should Never Have to Pay

A Stodghill Says So blog:
I'm in the midst of updating a book on football at the local high school so I went to a game last night. I got in free, of course, because I have a deep and abiding hatred of paying to watch anything. I did spend a dime to see my first football game at the same field back in 1936. After that I made a point of finding a fence to climb over or crawl under, anything at all to avoid parting with cash.
As I grew older this seemed a less than dignified way of gaining entry so at the age of 21 I became a sportswriter. This not only got me in free but allowed me to sit in a warm, dry press box on rainy or snowy nights. This caused a bit of friction after Jackie and I were married. She always wanted to go along but had to sit out in the grandstand. Not too bad an arrangement at home games but after leaving the press box at Kokomo or Logansport on a rainy night and finding her dripping wet with an hour or more drive ahead of us showed her in neither her best light nor gracious mood.
Not that being a sportswriter didn't have its down side. When the game ended and others headed for a sandwich at a drive-in or a bit of refreshment at their favorite watering hole, the sportswriter had to go to work. As often as not this was after a long drive home. Being conscientious, or perhaps it was egotistical, I wanted my game story to be better than any other on the sports page. This sometimes meant toiling until one or two in the morning and having to be at my desk again five or six hours later. Still it was better than paying to get in.
Now I get in free at every stadium in the area. That's because I'm old. They just wave octogenarians by at the gate. I'm not sure if this is out of kindness and respect or because they are afraid one of us might drop dead on the spot and hold up others in line. Whatever, I got in free last night but Jackie refused to accompany me unless I took my rollator. A man has his dignity so I will not show up at a football game with a rollator. Having to slip a nitroglycerin tablet under my tongue on the way home was OK because nobody saw me do that. In many ways life was easier as a sportswriter.

A man always pays. It may not be money, but he pays.

Dick,

I understand your desire for independence and dignity, but I hope for all our sakes you will consider using that rollator.

Ann

haha...I had to google rollator to see what that was. A fancy name for wheelchair?

Men are supposed to pay. For everything.

Being a sportswriter is a noble profession, though not quite as noble as being a saint.

Malcolm

Don't you know, Marie, Rule 1 when choosing a man is that if he doesn't pay, there's a good chance he's a

I wondered why some things are called "lemon" and here is what I found.

The Online Etymology Dictionary indicates that there are several possible origins for ‘lemon’ being used to refer to an inferior product. One possibility is that it came from early 20th century American slang, where a ‘lemon’ referred to "a person who is a loser, a simpleton," as a lemon. Another possibility is that the term originated from British pool hall slang, where a ‘lemon game’ was a game played by a hustler. It seems most likely that that the use of a ‘lemon’ as a bad car came from another British slang term from the early 1900’s in which “to hand someone a lemon” was "to pass off a sub-standard article as a good one." (Online Etymology Dictionary).

When Martha Stewart was released from prison and asked what she had missed the most, her reply was "lemons".

Snort!

Love,
Betty

My favorite lemon story came in a mother's day card from my younger daughter Susan:

"When life hands you lemons....

Try putting them in your bra.
Can't hurt; might help."

Ann

LC, a rollator is a four-wheeled contraption that makes walking easier. The VA gave me a deluxe model so I'd walk more. I don't.
I have always figured the woman should pay because she is benefitting from my charming companionship. Then, too, most of my life I've been broke.

If I had to pay, we would starve.

Oh, but it is! I share every penny I own ... and my husband shares every pound.

What else is money for?
If it makes the ladies happy to spend it then "fair do's" I say.
It is only money after all..................Oh my god!....... I'm gonna be bankrupt why on earth did I say that?..................Honey put the purse down and move back slowly................Now step away from the purse................I said step away from the purse..........forget the new shoes, just step away from my money honey..........what? Sleep where tonight?........Ok ok you can have the shoes...... how much?

Dear David,
Congratulations on being the featured author.

You are a Doozie, and I do not say that lightly.

I love your poems and your wit and your postings.

Love,
Betty

What is a Doozie? I have often been called dozy but Doozie is new to me.
Thank you anyway Betty.

Ok I just googled it but I'm still none the wiser!

Dear David,
It means you are above and beyond being a dilly. It is all good. A doozie is a unique person, and that you are. Lovely and unique. I love words like doozie. It means you are one of a kind. Like Wooffer.

Love,
Betty

Just be glad she didn't call you a floozy, Dave, which of course you aren't. And don't make the mistake of calling her one.

Rollators...my grandmother in England had one in the UK, and they called it her Zimmer, because she was able to really motor with it. The darned things are kind of big to transport however, so they used to tie it to the top of my Aunt's car. Quite a site -- as I am sure you will be Dick. Make sure you get a good flag for it, so that Jackie can find you easily!

Hi Pam,
I've missed your smiling face.

Yes, rollators are bulky but you sure can move fast with one. So far I have never applied the brakes when cruising along at top speed. Hope I never will because the rollator stops on a dime and I may not.

Dmondeo, a doozie or doozy dates back to when I was a kid and it means Duesenberg, the best of all cars. So if you're a doozie you are No.1, top of the line, the best.

Dick I'm impressed I shall book myself in with a mechanic and get a service in that case. After a oil change I maybe a little slicker of a doozie.

I found a rollator a life-saver. It enabled me to go out in public and provides a place to sit if one can't find anything else suitable, or the little seat makes a great shelf to move things around on. The brakes are great but will make the thing stop on a dime. You can also lock them in place and the thing isn't going to go anywhere. Every morning I would serve coffee to my husband on the rollator, besides using it to transport other stuff.

I was fortunate enough to graduate from the rollator, but then let my granddaughter borrow it when she had foot surgery this summer.

I'm not getting rid of it, just going to store it in the basement in case it is needed again.

It is a little smaller and easier to set up than a wheel chair, and one stands and pushes it along on its wheels. It comes in great colors: purple, red, green, blue and some even have little baskets.

Carol

Mine has a little basket when I want to attach it. That isn't often as I haven't touched the rollator in months.