I didn't mention it when it happened because I was sidetracked

 but the last of the Grandfather's club grandfathers is no longer with us.

I have to get in touch with the oldest of the grandkids and have a word with him and tell him it's over. It's sad but without at least one of the grandfathers left I would feel uncomfortable hauling the kids around in the bed of the pickup. None of the kids are related to me in any way and in this day and age it's probably pretty inappropriate for me to even consider this.

It's OK, though because all of the kids involved have the memories of our evening trips.

For any of you newer readers, the Grandfather's club started as a four of us older guys were discussing things we did as youngsters. We would sometimes ride through the farm country sultry evenings on the open bed of a pickup. 

Today this is illegal as hell and is considered reckless endangerment of kids.

We discussed this and I offered my pickup. 

The grandads would drive their grandkids up to a rendezvous point. There the kids would pile into the bed of my pickup. One car would take the point and the other would ride tail end as we rode through the countryside at dizzying speeds of maybe twenty five or rarely thirty mph.

We'd drive in the darkness and the kids would enjoy themselves. What was interesting is that as the kids grew up they never seemed to outgrow the trips through Mercer county.

I believe the oldest is about 19 now and he very well may be older than that because I do a lousy job of keeping score of things like that.

After we'd drop the kids off we'd meet at my place for a drink. When the oldest got his driver's license he'd drive the guys home and we'd have a few drinks together.

I think I am going to do something illegal with the oldest grandson when I run into him. I'm going to 'just happen to have' a 16 ounce beer in the reefer and split it with him.

One of the lessons the kids learned is that there is one hell of a difference between a criminal and an outlaw. Giving an 18 year old young man an eight ounce serving of cold beer is definitely an illegal act.

Pounding down several beers with him would be not only illegal but just plain morally wrong. 

Still, giving the kid 2/3s of a normal serving while I have a talk with him would be the act of an outlaw. I see no problem with that. I think in this particular case it would be the right thing to do.

I'll probably wind up just offer him a Coke or cup of joe. I do want to have a talk with him and see how much he has learned about being an outlaw. The most important part of being a good outlaw is being responsible.

I have to say that when we hauled the kids around they followed the rules. They always stayed seated and behaved themselves. The older kids took care of the little ones. I kept the speed down and obeyed the traffic rules.

I suppose from a legal standpoint they kids were endangered, but in reality they were safe. When you look at why the laws against this were enacted in the first place is because people were being irresponsible and ruined it for everyone else.

The Grandfather's club was a lot of fun and served a purpose but all good things come to an end. I hope that the grandkids all had a good time, made some good memories and learned something. If they did I am happy to have been a part of such a criminal organization.



To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY