Drinking Alcohol taught me how to fly
Then it took away the sky....

Saturday, May 21, 2011

SOME DIMENSIONS NEVER CHANGE!

RIDE SAFE!

Recently—well several months ago—I came across two old family photos. The first was taken in October 1947. It is me riding my WHIZZER motorbike. I was age 14, really proud, and sort of (Ha!) a maverick. That means I did the exact opposite of whatever was expected of me or what I was told to do. P/S Still do sometimes.

This bike had 'power assist', i.e., the rider was the power, and he/she assisted by pedaling when the uphill journey demanded. I loved that bike—it did about 50 m/p/h with a tailwind—downhill—grin! (For this motorbike I paid $60...money from washing dishes in a large downtown Cincinnati restaurant.) Parents had said “No! Be smart! Deposit your money in a bank!”) Fat chance!


 
Photo #2 (below) is of me driving, a friend (Don) riding shotgun, on a 1948 Salsbury Motor Scooter (The last year they were manufactured). I bought it new in 1949, cost me $220, quite a lot of money in those days. I was 16 years old, a violin-practicing, farm working Peep (shoveled LOADS of you-know-what!) in an all-male high school. (What a screwed-up world!) I loved that scooter, it breezed along easily at 70 m/p/h/, ran circles around the competition. Automatic Drive, no gears to shift, no “owner-powered-assist”!)...


Can you see one of several Collies, "Lassie" 
in the background by front headlight? 
Also behind us is house where I lived 
from birth until "Goodbye"--about age 18
Hope you enjoyed this look at
Steve E in his 'yoot'...

NOTE:  During these years of youthful fun-and-frolic, 
I 'suffered' all the symptoms of alcoholism; 
Fear, Paranoia, Self-Centeredness, 
Pride, Anger, Greed, LUST, Envy, Vainglory.

Although I did not drink "TEN quarts of vodka each week, 
I  was never able to stop, once begun. 
Always wanted to feel better, to be someone else. 
And alcohol did that for me--from the first. 
Thank God for Alcoholics Anonymous!


 (Photo Credit: Norma E, my mother, died 1995)
 

22 comments:

  1. That is a very cool scooter - I want one!

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  2. OOOOOOOOOHHHHH! What fanTAStic photos!!! Vroom vrooooom!

    Now go to sleep!
    good night,
    tsup!

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  3. you had bike in your blood from way back eh? cool pics...glad you broke free, cause you are someone...

    now stop smelling my sicks please...haha

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  4. This is a heartwarming post, loved the story and the pics... a reminder of where you were... youthful dreams. $220 in 1949... that's a huge sum. But I am glad you got your dream even then. But most especially I am glad that you got rescued. That is indeed saving grace for you.

    THe picture of your great grandchild is beautiful.

    ENjoyed visiting here again. It's been a while...

    Blessings
    Lidj

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  5. So true! Some dimensions never change .You are still the same,babe. I love this post soooooo muchhh .Both bikes are nice.

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  6. I like looking at old photos--- thanks for sharing these.

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  7. I love love love old photos and the stories that go with them.

    It some of my favorite stuff!

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  8. I had to show your proud pictures to spouse Gunnar.
    He admired your vehicles, as did I and then added something about how well you had managed to get the background on that "rocket scooter"picture.
    "I must go down and work with my pictures." he mumbled dissatisfied,and stop all the unnecessaries, stealing my time".
    (That might just be me crying out when our cat brings in a living mouse, strange voices coming out of my lap top, a jar lid that will not be unscrewed or a volcano outburst on Iceland.)

    I do think you are harsh naming all the mortal sins, belonging to alcoholics only.
    I can relate to most of them,but this far I have avoided alcohol and drug abuse.
    Maybe I just got lucky...

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  9. IXY:
    Thanks for dropping by. Your words are exactly what I said about 64 years ago. LOVE it--grin!
    PEACE!

    BELLA:
    Thanks! ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

    BRIAN:
    Even as you flip through, making comments, your words are specialized...unique! (Hate that word, unless it's true--and it is!)

    CROWN OF BEAUTY:
    Lidj, when Peeps read YOUR blog, they realize it is SO rightly named. BTW, you are right...that figure $220 sound high...it well could have been $120. I'm going to change that--or maybe leave it--grin!
    PEACE with you and your PEEPS. I LOVE the names you and God have given them!

    IZDIHER:
    It is nice we are 'friends'. You compliment with ENTHUSIASM!!! Thank you, babe!

    HEAVEN:
    I'd enjoy seeing some 'old photos' in one of your posts. IN your INIMITABLE style, of course--grin!
    PEACE!

    JESS:
    Friend, I 'like' old stuff, too.
    Change Topic: Your own posts could be titled "AMAZING STORIES TOO"
    Peace, girl, enjoy what God gave us!!!

    FELISOL:
    NOW you see what alcoholism IS. It is NOT drinking--that is only a symptom. It is also physical. Then when that begins healing, what is left is MORAL...and THAT is what it IS. Look at me, I'm an alcoholic, but have not had a drink for 37 years...so what is really an "alcoholic" in the end? It is a morally misdirected life, which has been exacerbated but alcohol. And, if I have but ONE LITTLE TASTE--the phenomenon of craving will set in INSTANTLY. And so life goes on.

    I felt compelled to write this here and now--don't know why. Maybe someone, somewhere in the world is supposed to READ it. God takes care of that stuff, and I just GRIN!

    PEACE, Felisol, and thank you for raising the question for me.....You were RIGHT, BTW! (about those 'sins'--in order to reach more Peeps, we call them 'character defects' or 'shortcomings'--grin!

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  10. Those are two awesome bikes. Be worth a fortune in today's collector market. Great look back, my friend.

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  11. A maverick,indeed, and you still are. I love this photos. Seems you were bitten by the bike bug at a very early age.

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  12. Steve, I LOVE these pictures!!! I love looking at photographs from days gone by (notice I didn't say "old" photographs, lol!) Those are some nice looking motorbikes! That 2nd one looks so futuristic! THank you for sharing your "yoot" with us!!!!

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  13. Wheeeeeeeeee!!! I loveeee these photos! Yes man! So cool. Aaaaaaawwww, the past. We learn from it. Look at where you are now! These are really great.

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  14. I love photos like these...days gone by, but not forgotten. Simpler times? Maybe not, but hindsight does nice things. You maverick, you!

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  15. MONKEY MAN:
    Yep! If I had that Salsbury--in good condition--it would be a fairly good retirement fund!

    TESS KINCAID:
    "...bitten by bike bug." What a keeper, that line!!

    MINING FOR DIAMONDS:
    Kimberly (Hi, teacher Mrs. S!) Yep that Salsbury was a fine-looking machine, and it drove like an airplane--except it stayed on the ground--grin! Well, SOMETIMES!!!

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  16. CES ADORIO:
    HAHAHA. Yeah, look at me now? Oh, will you push my wheelchair closer please!!! (kidding!)

    MAGPIE:
    Simpler times...a resounding YESSS! At 50 mph, I was exceeding limit by 15 mph...everywhere was 25-35 limit. Every Sunday in our area was "horse-and-buggy" day. We hitched up and rode to all the township picnics--which were really 'drinking' excuses. TWENTY-ONE BEERS FOR A DOLLAR!!!

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  17. Wow! Maverick Steve! Seeing the pictures, I thought of old black and white movies where the young men get enlisted for the army. You look handsome dear Steve and those bikes make you look hotter. Lassie also looks like a dog out of old movies. It would be great to know more of your life when you were younger.

    History is always interesting esp personal ones.

    Joy always,
    Susan

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  18. wow these pictures are really old!coool!love the bike. I'd like to see more pictures

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  19. More, better, different- (MAIS OUI!)
    What stunning photo's! Such great history-
    love it thanks!

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  20. What great old photos. They are actually in pretty good shape, I think. But B&W always seem to fare better than colored shots. Love the scooters.

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  21. those are amazing photos. thanks for sharing parts of the steveroni from your past

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  22. You are so silly. No wheelchair for you for a long time. Ride safely. Paying my sleep debt. I do not like being on call. Up all night last night and then having to go to work the following day. I need to win the lottery. Good nightie aaawwie!

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