<a href="mailto:gordandk@aol.com">By GORDIE LITTLE</a>
Small Talk
June 29, 2008 05:06 am
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It's fun to reach into the past for tidbits to see how they fit with the whole picture.
"Jeezum crow" is one of those tidbits. I once wrote about that and other North Country sayings. I embraced it as a regional expression. I have since learned that my conclusion might be far afield. Vermont also claims to have originated the phrase. And regardless of where or when it was first uttered, "Jeezum crow" appears now to be widespread.
I thought I had laid the whole thing to rest until I picked up a novel by James Patterson titled "Mary Mary." Page 21 at the top. There it was. I hollered to Kaye in the kitchen. "Jeezum crow!" I exclaimed. "Here it is again. James Patterson, of all people, using Jeezum crow.'" She was not impressed.
A GOOD JAIL JOKE
My column on vegetable gardens led to lively responses.
One young man named Darin told me he recently built a house and decided it was time to plant his first vegetable garden. He started with the rototiller and turned up tons of rocks. He griped to a neighbor and was embarrassed to be reminded that when he did the landscaping, all the rocks and stumps from that effort had been taken out back -- precisely where he was now trying to plant a garden.
"At least," he reasoned, "my garden will have good drainage."
Wayne Miller sent me a joke that has to do with an elderly man who lived alone. He wanted to plant a tomato garden, but it was too difficult to dig in the hard ground.
His only son was in prison, and the old man wrote a note to describe the problem, saying he wished the young man were there to help him.
The response he received told him not to dig in the garden because "that's where the bodies are buried."
In the middle of the night, authorities swarmed onto the old man's property with shovels and dug up the entire area. Not finding any bodies, they said they were sorry and left.
Soon, there was another letter from the son in prison. It said something like, "Go ahead and plant the tomatoes, Pop. That's the best I could do under the circumstances."
If I knew who originated the story, I'd be happy to give credit.
KILROY ALL OVER
Romeyn Prescott, who was brought up in AuSable Forks and now hails from Potsdam, forwarded a letter he sent to a radio program that features comments from people who sample foods in various localities. Romeyn said he was dismayed to hear them belittle the "michigan," accusing them of "turning this hometown delight into a laughing stock."
We do defend our michigans, don't we!
I mentioned in a column that Easter was on March 23 and that hadn't happened since 1913. Richard Wingler sent me a note that made me smile. His mother was born on the exact date.
Cornell Rowbotham wrote from Washington, D.C., with his memories about "Kilroy was here." It's a story of having to search 5,000 booklets to find one containing "Kilroy."
Rob Young said he moved here from Massachusetts. They bought an old house and spotted something penciled on a door in one of their closets: "Kilroy was here." He had no clue what it meant until he read the column.
AIRPORT ANECDOTES
The "Titanic" piece with a connection between that disaster and a local church drew many comments. Phyllis Wells, who was so helpful with the Titanic information, sent me a long letter. She continues to work on a book about the "Churches of Clinton County." It should be a good one when finished.
I have corresponded with Neal Burdick of Canton who, as an eighth-grader in Plattsburgh 44 years ago, wrote a comprehensive historical transportation paper for a school project. I was given a copy of the paper and wrote about it. I then heard from others who remembered some of the names of teachers involved and connections with Burdick growing up here.
I received a number of anecdotes from folks who laughed when reading of our airport escapades and our pregnant granddaughter, Meeghan, running with my belt, trying to catch a plane. By the way, she had a beautiful baby daughter Rhyan Kimberlee Marlow on May 19.
Mary Margaret wrote from California about a time when she waited in a long line to catch a plane bound for Egypt. She was about to board when the person next to her said the plane was heading for Germany. She cried and ran to the next boarding door, barely making it under the wire.
KAZOO CONCERT
I wrote about my autograph from a member of the DeCastro Sisters. They recorded the hit "Teach Me Tonight" in the '50s. I enjoyed a phone call from the surviving sister in Vegas and also an e-mail and phone call from Doug McPueth in Arizona, who was trying to track down a cha-cha version of that song released in 1959.
As for kazoos, I heard from people who have either played one or wished they had. We also got to attend a Morrisonville concert involving a group that uses this unique "instrument" as part of their show.
Once again, I'm humbled that you have opened the Press-Republican to this page. Read the rest of the paper. You'll enjoy it.
Have a great day and please, drive carefully.
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