44 Bricks is the outcome to a contest of great skill. My dad and his best friends; Porfi, Art and Louie were cruising one evening when nature came calling. Deciding the high school gymnasium wall was an excellent location to relieve themselves, it soon be came a competition. Needless to say, my dad lost when his pal took a hop and took the title reaching 44 bricks high.

It began as a simple backcountry solo camping trip in Northern Colorado. When evening came, he found a nice overhang to bed down in his blue sleeping bag. He was later woke to a jerk on the foot. It was a black bear coming back to his home. My dad’s first response was to kick at the bear, scream and cover his head in his sleeping bag. The bear didn’t return.

Canal St. is a story of sheer determination to make it to Mardi Gras prior to Fat Tuesday. When the car my dad and his companions were driving broke down in Texas, they took to the road hitchhiking. One particular gentlenman and his son (who was asleep) picked them up near the last leg. The young boy finally woke, stretched and turned to see three strangers sitting in the back seat. Surprised the boy alerted his father there were strangers in the back, the man laughed and said yes there were. The group arrived in time for Fat Tuesday making accommodations under the LSU Football Staduim before the celebration began.

On a dark winter evening in Fort Collins, Colorado, three roommates set out to have drinks at the bar in Eric’s van. While drinking the other Eric started a fight. My dad was fed up so he left. While walking home in the snow, he crossed the road to avoid being accidentally hit from behind. He sees an oncoming vehicle, so he steps aside. As he resumes walking, he hears a roar of an engine, then wham he was face down in snow. He had been hit from behind. There was no vehicle insight. He gets up, grumbles a few choice words and started walking again. Another roar followed by screeching tires. A door opens up and Eric yells “J.O. hop in, we just polished off a hitchhiker”. The hitchhiker was my dad, his roommates came back to the scene of the crime..