Jesse

Jesse was a 6'4" body building rugged male. He had a beard, with scruffy hair. He was one of the bad guys in town but he knew me so he left us guys alone. Another song lyric! I would see him walking and take him where he needed to go. I never saw him driving. I guess he had no car or license. I would see him in bars, and he always yelled, "Hi, Hoss!" Being under drinking age having a regular greet you, any place would let me drink, and remember me any time I went in.

I picked him up two or three times a week. He never went out of town, at least not with me. One very hot Saturday night I went to the sub shop on Prince & Liberty Street for supper at 11 PM. Liberty Street was one way then. My passenger side door was on the curb side. The top was up, and the A/C on.

I heard Jesse yell, "HOSS" really loud. I saw him in my passenger side mirror. He was limping with his right leg, not bending at the knee. He jumped in, not bending his knee. He pulled a double shotgun out of his pants leg. Now his knee would bend. He said he was in a fight, and might have shot someone, it was too dark to see if he hit them.

I could see myself in prison for being the getaway driver. I liked Jesse as a friend I could give rides to. I drove out of town, and dropped him at a friend's house. As he got out, he said, "Hoss, I will never forget you were there when I needed you most".

I was afraid to be in town for about four days. That was the longest time I did not appear on the loop. I never saw Jesse after that. The next day I checked the paper and TV news. There was no mention of gun shots, or someone hit by gunfire. I also was waiting for the police to be at my door with hand cuffs. For 50 years I have wondered if Jesse was really in a fight, or just scared someone (besides me).

Putting LADIES in their places!

I heard on a news show that in India they are trying to stop ladies from holding important offices. I say their PLACE should be everywhere.

My wife Mary has been in charge of our family since we decided to get married. I smoked four packs of cigarettes daily, drank a lot of alcohol every day and never went to the doctor. Mary slowly changed my life. I am bull headed, but she is breaking that habit too, 46 years so far. I quit nicotine by our 4th year of marriage. Alcohol by our 25th year of marriage. Nicotine was way harder to quit than alcohol. It is very addictive. These new vap smokes ought to be outlawed!! One vap I am told has as much nicotine as a carton of regular cigarettes. Nicotine is VERY addictive.

If WOMEN ran our world, I am sure there would be less killing of innocent victims. Old men start wars, young men die in them. Woman are equal to men as far as fighting wars, and dying in them. Women should be equal in every aspect of life, I believe. As you read my Ravings, I talk a lot about Marcy. She got me started, and named this blog RandysRavings. She knew I like to talk.

Having this sounding board has helped me cope with life's hard teachings. Yes, the world's happenings are not fair. Good people, young children, innocents of every age are given a bad hand in life, many times dying too soon. We ask WHY?

As an electrician for 52 years, I know much about electricity. I was involved in building cars and motorcycles, drag racing for eight years. I can explain most anything about how to increase horsepower and traction. Why ladies must take a back seat in life, is beyond  my thinking. My ladies take the FRONT seat in my life. Wife, daughter, 3 granddaughters, 1 daughter-in-law, they run things.

If you are a young man in search of a Mrs. be sure and hook up with a Lady that takes no crap from you or any other male. If I kept the finances we would be in terrible money shape. Because of Mary we live in a nice house, have enough money for a great life. We do not blow money on stuff we do not need. Since we decided to marry I gave her my check every Friday. Its been that way since 1972.

We help local people, our kids, Mary's younger sister, and several needy causes. We are not rich in money, but we are very rich in helping others. Mary snips coupons every day. If we won Publishers Clearing House's ten million dollars contest, she, every week would still be cutting out coupons. And many more times what she would save would still go to Charities.

We both grew up with not as much as we would have wished for. Mom took care of the money. We did not starve, our families owned their houses, had clothes that fit and were clean, and LOVE from mom and dad. Back then parents did not hug and kiss kids. We did to our kids and grandchildren, even though when young they wiped the kisses off!!  LOL

YES, I believe in putting LADIES in their place. That PLACE is wherever they want to be!

President of the USA

Queens of Industry

Corporation Presidents

Congress or House of Representatives

Doctors

and especially in The Armed Forces, doing what ever job they want!

I told all my kids they can be whatever they want! Our Daughter followed Mary in nursing, she goes to peoples homes that need 24 hour care. Our first son, getting his Doctorate in Child Psychology, Autism Specialist. Our second son, with his Masters of Divinity, works at UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital in the Clergy Department. His second year there.

I'm afraid he will not want to come home to Lancaster, PA to the cold, ice, and snow. Last Christmas he called us about 4 PM Christmas day and Mary said, "What did you do?". He took his beagle to the beach, it was 75 degrees. Here in PA it was 31 degrees!!  Brrrr!!

My Miniature Baseball Bat

My Father Lloyd had a beloved Boston Bull Dog, Bossey. I was about seven or eight years old when our cub Scout pack went to a ball game. I think it was at Harrisburg, PA.

We enjoyed the action of seeing the game from the bleachers for the first time. None of the men in our families were sports minded. It was a very big deal for me. I had a few dollars for food and souvenirs. I gave up the food, and bought a miniature baseball bat that had the name of the team on it. I was amazed, in grade school the only game we played was kick ball. We knew nothing of baseball.

When I got home I proudly showed everyone my new prized possession. I thought baseball was something new, and I was the first one to see it. It was about twelve inches long. Tapered, at the thick end and thinner where your hands grasp the bat. A mushroom like cap at the end. A mind blowing discovery for my young mind. I took it everywhere so I could show everyone the fantastic prize I had bought. I was telling people I had  a bat for a great new game. I knew this game would be a big deal someday.

Bossey was laying on the floor near me. I played with him a lot. We were great friends. He played with me, but mostly slept with Dad. He liked to lick faces, shoot gas, and just be a good friend.

I was swinging my bat like the baseball players I saw at the game. I spun around, and pretended I was running to first base. The  bar left my hand, and flew toward Bossey, and hit him on his forehead. He made no sound, just dropped to the floor. He got up, and staggered a little bit, and went to Dad on the couch. Dad rubbed his head, and everyone in the room burst out laughing. Including my little brother Mike. He was about 2 1/2 years old.

We all left the room, except daddy. We went to the kitchen for ice cream. I got a lecture about being careful with toys. Daddy was watching Mike. About ten minutes later Daddy came out to the kitchen. He told mom to get some ice and put it in a dishrag. He had a big bump on the back of his head. My cherished miniature baseball bat disappeared. I was told it was too dangerous for Mike and I to play with it.

I wondered for years what happened to my bat. One time we had company and my mom told the story of what happened to my bat. Daddy was the only one who was not laughing. I did not think it was funny either, I missed my bat!!

Danger is my business.

Yes, I took a lot of chances in my life. I am an adrenaline junkie. No drug you put in your body is better than adrenaline, to us. I believe that is why I stayed away from hard drugs. Sometimes you must take chances. The donor letter I send out has a link to my 15 minutes of fame on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/AofBV0HOtFg
https://youtu.be/LEy6tWWniwg

http://www.townlively.com/local-resident-launches-lloyds-rides

The Town Lively one on the front page of the Manheim edition of the Merchandiser got us a $500 donation from a Manheim couple. The biggest donation to date. I want people to see me. I need the publicity to get more donations to Stop PTSD Suicides in Veterans and First Responders.

If playing the clown brings in more donations, I will do it. If walking around the cruise-in's with a cop cam on my chest to record people telling me about the work on their hot rod, next year I start filming. I will send the video to Marcy, and she will edit it and post it.

I get no kicks from spending at least ten hours every day pounding this keyboard. In summer, out in the hot sun, being careful so that I do not get dehydrated and collapse. Four hours walking I struggle thru.

When I am ready to quit, I remember the poor souls that took my place in Vietnam. I enlisted in the Navy Reserve before Christmas, my senior year. My blood pressure kept me out. That is what killed Lloyd, he was 76. I am 70 now, and have been on blood pressure medicine since 1974.

My Registered Nurse since May 20, 1972 keeps me alive. She's a KEEPER! Marcy, another Gorgeous lady, checks everything I write. She makes me look like I know what I an doing. Mary is my spell checker when she is home. When she is gone, Marcy catches my mistakes. Thank you GORGEOUS ladies for keeping me alive, and catching all my mistakes.

I do not take many chances now. I am tired of being in the hospital, and recuperating at home. Having my own RN is great, but it still hurts to heal. Mary cuts me no slack, she knows I must get up no matter how much it hurts. Movement means quicker healing. Yes, I have had 4 bad concussions. But with a FATHER and SON to watch over me is great. I just don't try THEIR patience like I did when I was young. Pain is a great teacher. You certainly remember the painful lessons better.

Jesus Christ Superstar

I grew up attending St. Andrew's United Church of Christ, Lime and New streets in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Mom saw us kids got there every Sunday. This is where I met another Randy. Later he lived across the street from Lancaster County's Dead Man's Curve.

We attended dances and white elephant sales, though there were no animals there. We had father and son suppers. My dad worked at night, but a kind gentleman was dad to about 8 of us that were alone. He owned a construction company, and his name was Miles Ament, I believe.

I heard the Bible stories, I knew them by heart. I learned the 23rd Psalm by heart. It was Grandma's Hess's favorite. I even recited it in Sunday school adult class upstairs. In my early teens I helped my older brother Richard on the audio visual crew. When he was drafted in 1959, I took it over. I started the sound systems, checked mikes, and set up equipment where needed every Sunday. Later when I was 16, I set up a projector at a big hotel near our house. I had to leave, it was about kids on drugs, adults only. Someone else brought the equipment back to Church.

Mary and I married on May 20, 1972. In 1973 Jesus Christ Superstar came out. When I saw it, this movie changed my life. I knew what took place the last three days of Jesus Christ's life, but it did not burn in my soul till I saw the movie. Hearing a teacher read the story, even reading it yourself, is nothing like seeing what took place, and seeing it on the big screen.

Mary and I were married, ready to raise kids, being a family, and seeing what  Jesus Christ suffered through to save us, it really sank in. The local radio station played the whole album a lot. There was a call in hour on WGAL 1390 AM, that was a way to sound off about what you want. It played a lot of local rock and roll. One night everyone that called in was raving about J.C.Superstar. About half way through the hour show, a gentleman called in with a Dutchified accent. Meaning he was Mennonite, or Amish. He said it is blasphemy, Jesus was not a Superstar, someone in sweaty socks, he was Lord!!

I was always told GOD sent Jesus to earth to learn what being a human being was like. My Jesus would sweat, get dirty, have pains and sore muscles when he overworked them. If he fell he would feel pain, he would feel hunger, go to the toilet like everyone else. He was a male human being. When they whipped him, he felt pain. When two of the twelve betrayed him, he felt loss. But unlike everyone else he knew what he must do.

I ask GOD and Jesus Christ for guidance every day. That night so many kids like me called in with the same feelings I had, they had to answer calls for an extra hour that night.

Thankfully Lloyd found his way to Jesus Christ before he died. It was GOD leading him. He lived a good Christian life. His reward for the life he lived was joining St. Andrew's church. He was saved. His good works were noticed by GOD and his Son.

I am 70, my time is I hope not too soon to leave. I have a lot more work to do with Lloyd. I have made mistakes in my life. I have helped a lot of people. My work at  Oasis Youth Services Charity and lloydsrides.org my own Charity now. I, like Marcy, do not seek that pat on the back.

I have a lot of titanium and stainless steel holding me together. I was an electrical contractor, got thousands of shocks. Spent a large part of my life up ladders, walking across 10 inch wide cement block walls. Taking chances.

When I started in 1966, there were no laws about harnesses to keep us from falling. Now my son-in-law Rich a construction painter, when he goes over six foot high in a cherry picker he must hook his harness to the basket. I worry about Rich, our daughter Laura, their 3 kids if Rich gets hurt and cannot work. I am glad I have a GREAT FRIEND from above to talk to. After all HE watched over me for 70 plus years! You have time to change your life, do it! NOW!

Bike naming; 4 min. not cool!

My  super hawk was "The Quarter Hawg" Quarter mile racer. Old Harleys were called Hawgs. I stole HAWG from the Harley boys. You wanted to wear the name on your gas tank. We were very proud of our creations. The two cycle bikes were called smokers because you mixed the oil with the gas. A two cycle motor had a power stroke every other stroke. A four cycle motor has 1 power stroke every fourth stroke. Yes, two strokes made twice as much horsepower as four stroke bikes, they polluted the air, burning oil with the gas. They sounded different too. They were sold till the EPA banned two cycle motors sold in the USA. If you mixed the oil with  the gas wrong, the engine could freeze up. I mentioned that in another story. When oil injection was used, controlled metering of oil was great, as long as you did not forget to fill the oil tank.

Uncle Mitch, another friend, had "Good Vibrations" painted on his tank. At idle, there wer little vibrations on the handle bars of his Ducati, but when you revved the gas, it shook bad. Harley Davidson's Sportster ran great, but shook very bad. The motor was not balanced, and not rubber mounted. Most Bikes that were not Japanese were known as shakers My bike vibrated some, but was balanced, and not rubber mounted either. The rear light was rubber mounted. I told you my license plate story on a different page. We were TOUGH, we need no stinking rubber mounted anything!! After about 2 or 4 hundred mile days we were feeling great. You believe that don't you. Remember we cannot be hurt!! Now you know why I am so sarcastic today, Heck I was sarcastic as long as I can remember.

Ed's BSA was Bugger Stopped Again. Not exactly right, you can imagine what I mean. Norton, Matchless, and all the English bikes were lymie bikes. Their electrics were prone to failure when it rained and they got wet. Across Prince Street from Helen Weaver's bar, Sunday mornings there were several lymie bikes sitting. The owners kicked, and kicked, and finally accepted a ride home. A 650 or 750 lymie high compression bike is hard to kick when you are loaded with antifreeze. Alcohol, if you don't speak biker language.

One time my Quarter Hawg let me down. I was at a bar, had 3 beers, went out to my bike right outside the main entrance. I had to show off for several young ladies standing right behind my bike talking. I pulled the foot pad out, and put my right foot on the pad. I stood up, my one foot on the starter pad, and put all my weight on the right leg. They were spring loaded to return back in when you moved your foot. NO PROBLEMO right, EXCEPT I did not pull the pad all the way out. It swiveled in from my foot movement, the wrong way. My foot dropped to the asphalt, I lost my balance, my right foot went under my bike. My kickstand was on the left side and I pulled the bike over on me.

Luckily three bikers were coming in. They lifted my bike off my leg. No rips in my jeans, no blood gushing out. Nothing broken, bones at least. My body saved my Iron Horse from road rash, just my leg.  HEY I saved my baby!  Don't tell anyone I was not COOL for 4 minutes!! That day I remember well. Disgrace is hard to forget.  LOL

Drive Carefully!

I mentioned before I am bi-polar, my mind going a mile a second. I don't know if that helps me to keep my eyes scanning both sides of the highway and straight ahead or not. There were a lot of children hurt and I believe five killed within 1 month. The flashing lights of a school bus should jolt any oncoming vehicle to stop. I also warned my kids to not stand on the edge of the road so they could be the first in line for the bus. One morning when it was really foggy I saw a lot of kids standing right up to the road line, any vehicle just over too far to the right would hit them. I guess parents do not think of that and warn their children. 

  

I worry a lot, my mom did too. She must have been bi-polar too. When I raced bikes and cars being bi-polar was a great help. When the light turned green I was always ahead of the racer beside me. You see a lot of people, phone to ear driving. I have noticed a lot of tractor- trailer drivers holding a phone to their ear. 90,000 pounds of terror traveling without two eyes on what's ahead. I think that is why we  were rear-ended by a loaded tractor-trailer, and pushed the back of our Toyota Sienna in 24 inches. Had the grandchildren been in the back seats they would not have survived. He had a high front bumper, hit us above our rear bumper, on the sheet metal. That should be illegal, his bumper should be low enough for all car & van bumpers.

Including myself, I never use phone or text while driving we must change our attitude what is important. NOT the call or text, changing the radio station, that is what killed Motorcycle Dave's brother Danny, or turning your head and yelling at the kids. For us guys, not eyeballing the hot looking girl, either walking or riding in the car beside us. When I was young I had two accidents because of not paying attention to what was ahead of me, from age 16 to 18. Yes I have learned my lessons, and it cost me a lot of money.

My granddaughter is going for her drivers test the end on November 2018. She will be 19 in January. I think it is good the kids wait to get their drivers license. Another granddaughter will be sixteen, one year away. Today the driving tests are tougher than 50 years ago. The kids waiting 2 years have better grown-up attitudes. I am glad my accidents were not serious, no one hurt. I can offer a lot of wisdom now that I am 70. But at 16 or 18, I would not have accepted the wisdom either. At 16 or 18, nothing can happen to us?? I have said that a lot, but it is what the young mind thinks. 

I did not find out I was bi-polar till I was 50 years old. Medicine has helped me a lot. I am on the smallest dose possible. I still have bouts of depression and manic behavior, but now I know why. If you see yourself in my writing, get checked out. Please. Do not suffer 50 years like I did.

Rising Sun, Maryland Keep safe!

Fruitville Pike, road I grew up on turns into Prince Street. Straight thru into Lancaster, Pa. Prince Street goes straight past Willow Valley, Pa. Straight for more miles, you cross the border between Lancaster County PA. and you cross to Maryland. When you come to a T in the road, you turn right.

Left takes you to Rising Sun Maryland. Yes, another 1/4 mile race track. I never raced there. After turning right you travel about 2 miles and you see Conawingo Dam.

A two lane dam. Very high, and on the right side the water was about 15 feet from the roadbed. This dam was the electrical provider for a thousands of buildings, and houses. You traveled the length of the dam, and there was a hill to go up. About 1500 feet past the end of the dam was a road to the left.

There was a park, with picnic tables, and a parking lot for picnic parking, and tours of the demos that made electrical from the falling water. The road started to turn toward the water below.

Several houses were on the road. When you got to the bottom of the road, it turned into a parking lot. The dam was about 80 feet tall. There was a front open roofed area with vending machines with fishing supplies. About 10 stationary grills that you supply the wood or charcoal to cook your fish. With the vending machines was a big counter to clean your fish. Drinks, everything for cooking fish, spices, oil and several things I never knew you need for fish.

We usually got there about 2 AM, parked our bikes and rapped with the people. from the parking lot there was an angled drop of about 16 feet to the waters edge. Lots of flat rocks near the water to sit on while fishing.

About 20 years before this the fish could not get up the dam. People started a ruckus about all the dead fish at the high side of the dam. Try as they could, they tried to get past, and died trying. The Electrical Company put in fish ladders between the dam and the picnic area. The ladders were right beside the roofed vending machine area. The fish were put back in this side, the low side, and hungry.

Fishing was very good. A lot of us bikers were offered fish sandwiches. When they were kids, we gave them a couple bucks. The parents always refused money, they just liked to fish.

In April 2002, Mary bought me a new Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, yes, she is a KEEPER! It is a bagger, like a Cadillac. Yes, I now enjoy comfort over performance. I am 70 now!! LOL

The end of summer 2002 Mary and I decided to go to see the old fishing hole again. When the kids were young and we had a pickup camper we took them there late at night. We started up the hill, turned to the right past the picnic tables. Past the several houses, and saw the big parking lot again. Memories flooded back, when we saw the parking lot again, memories of bikes, then our camper hit me; BUT there was a big surprise.

There was a heavy chain fence with a guard house with 2 guards. I forgot it was after 911 ! We got caught with our pants down again. It will not happen again! The dam if destroyed, thousands of lives would be wiped out in the flood. We are not so trusting. We can no longer go anywhere we want. There are now cement barriers protecting the White House and many other places. 

It is sad the things we must do to keep safe. Now with the killing with guns is troubling, but we will never quit doing what we can do. I wish I could have taken my grand children down for a fresh fish sandwich. But we will do other things.

We give up a lot for safety. The dangerous things I did at 18 years old, I cannot do now. Since my hit & run motorcycle accident, I lost a lot. Titanium left shoulder and knee. Bad concussion, damage to the left part of my brain. Tests showed my short memory brain cells not getting good blood supply.

Marcy checks everything I write. I have trouble spelling and punctuation, Doctor giving me pills for better blood flow. Some memories coming back. I have sticky notes all over the place. Never caught the person that tried to kill me. I do not hate that person, I feel sympathy for that poor devil. They probably suffering a lot of guilt.

If you U C Something !

If you see something, say something! We cannot let the IDIOTS get away with anything more. If you see something lying there, package, or backpack, DO NOT TOUCH, call 911. The police would rather investigate a false alarm than have something explode and hurt or kill a lot of people.

Three years ago I called 911 about a big blanket piled up in the middle of the road. It was just on the downside of a small hill. I knew if I parked and got out to move it, I could be hit by an oncoming car. I put my car at  the  top of the hill, with my car about 3 feet in the lane with my flashers on.

I walk with a cane and have trouble walking. The people when they saw the blockage in the middle of the roadway were able to pass around it. The officer was there in about 2 minutes. He kicked it, and found nothing. He got rid of it, and waved to me. I saw, I did!

We must reclaim our sense of duty to help our fellow citizens to be  aware of our surroundings. I am bi-polar, my mind goes a million miles a minute. When I drive or ride my motorcycle I am working my eyes left and right constantly. I  see what is passing by. I notice things most people do not. I hope this is not bad. I see what is in front of me each time my eyes are pointing front.

When I played computer games with the kids, I always did better when I went faster and faster. If you are bi-polar, let me know how you are doing.  My E-Mail is  randal3967@gmail.com  I always did my homework better with the TV on. Now I have the TV on at my computer desk on while I type. I am going to donate my body when I die. I want more work done on bi-polar people so Doctors understand it better.

Being Bi-Polar is a blessing; or a curse. I can do 4 or 5 things at a time. I interrupt when someone is talking to me. I think of things differently than normal people. What ever normal is? I am upset when people with money will not help those who do not. Mary and I have put almost $4,000 into our Charity. We are both 70, on fixed income, but we manage to always find money for needy causes. Marcy who does all my computer work doesn't need a pat on the back either. I write this, she makes me look smart by correcting my mistakes.

Bumble BEE, Windshields on Bikes. Biker Jeff!

It is bad if you ride with your mouth open. You learn that soon after you start riding motorcycle. At 60 MPH, big bugs hurt, hitting your face. We rode around town with no helmet in the mid 1960s. Any long trips we wore helmets with a clear shield for our face. We were not stupid, just dumb.

When you are in your teens, nothing can hurt you; RIGHT?? Well we thought so. We were riding with a group of about 9 or 10 bikes. Like when the two cycle bike froze up and locked the back wheel, and skidded off the road. It was toothless Bill this time.

We were about 60 miles from home, on a four lane divided highway. We worked out hand signals to communicate. Need gas, need to drain the lizard, stop for eats, and waved both hands if trouble. Toothless Bill was third in line. I was leader again, and Bob my mechanic was always next to me.

Bob hit his horn wildly and pointed back to Bill. Bill was in trouble. He was clawing at his helmet, trying to get it off. He slowly swung right to the grass beside the cement roadway. With both hands off the handle bars, the bike turned which way you leaned. Bill was trying to get on the grass, it is a little softer than concrete.

On the grass, he grabbed one hand on the bars, hit the rear brake and laid the bike down. He jumped off the bike as it was almost down. A smart move. Bill ripped off his helmet. Out came the biggest Yellow Jacket any of us had ever seen. It was in his ear canal, making noise. Bill had no shield on his helmet, the bug was jammed in where his helmet met his head. I think he was allergic to bee stings. Don't know if this Yellow Jacket would have hurt him.

Next ride, Bill had a face shield. The other guys with us did too.

I never had a windshield until I got my four cylinder 650 in 1982. Jeff was soon joining our family. I was older and wiser. You believe I was wiser?

When Jeff was 18, he would ride this 650 to help with the Louisiana Flood twice, and once to the pan-handle of Florida. At the flood cleanup, Jeff told us he stayed in the Hotel that was flooded. The high water line there was 32 feet. I never realized they had that much water.

When Jeff asked me if he could get his cycle license, I told him he must take the class, and ride like they are out to get you. He did. On the 650, he went to pull out at a stop light, the pickup truck behind him was in a hurry, and rear ended him. He called me and said what to do.

He was 16, I told him call the police. I am glad he did. The guy was self insured, he paid the first $5,000 of any accident. The repair was close to $1,000. Always call the police, people will lie to avoid a bill. It happened to me February 2018. $3,500 damage to my 1998 Astro van. This story later.