Excitement On the Street
Yesterday, Travis across the street came over. He said Joe C. called him and told him to rake Mrs. Cage's leaves, so he was going to let his boy attack them with the big mower. I thought, "That little boy?" I'd forgot that those two little kids across the street are now big old teenagers.
Anyway, Jonathan chugged over on the mower and cleaned a couple of strips across the front yard. Then the mower caught on fire, and neighbors converged from all directions. They couldn't put the fire out, but they got the mower out into the street, and nobody got burned or hurt. They kept saying, "When the fire gets to the gas tank, it's going to explode," and the flames and black smoke really looked fierce. But here came two fire trucks and twice that many firemen. They put out the fire and shoved the black metal skeleton over to Travis's curbside.
So when the excitement died down, Jonathan started raking leaves and stuffing them into bags, but in a little while it started raining so he had to desist.
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Hollingsworth Manor Is Empty
Leslie Nielsen, the very funny actor who played "Golden Girl" Dorothy's bridegroom, died Sunday at a very ripe old age. Of course Dorothy (Bea Arthur) herself had already passed on.
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Jed brought me Michael Caine's second autobiography, The Elephant to Hollywood, which was published this year. Yesterday afternoon I thought I'd glance at it, and turned out I couldn't put it down. Caine knew everybody in the world who had any connection to the entertainment industry. He didn't tell all their secrets, but his sketches of their personalities are very sharp. Besides, the book is a good travel diary; he went everywhere. He's a very good writer, and if he ever writes a novel, I'd like to read it. His mama had Alzheimer's, and I hope it doesn't trickle down to him. He's 77 and has escaped so far.
5 comments:
After reading that book, I made a list of 3-4 movies of his that I want to see. But my favorite Michael Caine movie has to be "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels."
Also, burning lawnmowers can be disconcerting! Glad that the entire property didn't disappear! Did it leave a big mark on the grass?
The grass was really green under the leaves, but now it's turning brown. I can't see any burnt spots. They got the mower into the street so the leaves on the yard didn't catch fire--fortunately. I guess the whole place would have gone up.
I can't wait to read this biography! I heard an interview on NPR, and thought it sounded great!
That's the last time I recommend Joe to do anything.
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