Hobo Jungle

[RRRocky]

"So, Mum, what are you telling me now...that you are really an "undocumented illegal", and have been for fifty years plus? Who knew?!!!"

"Well, son it was different back then. we were together for only a few weeks your father and I , and he had asked me to marry him three times already. I finally said yes because he said he wasn't going to ask any more. Then right after, the British army unit commander asked if he would relocate to England along with the unit as they left Germany. He being Polish officer and a doctor was a valuable person, so they wanted him back in England.

However, I was just a civilian who had been snatched up by the Germans with other girls to come to Germany to work in the factories. I didn't have any special status so they would send me back. But Zygmunt wouldn't hear of it. He said to the commander:

"Either Maria comes with me or I am not going".

They had a special train, that would take all the personnel down to Italy first, and then to England later.

The commander said he couldn't take me, but if I had some papers, as if I were an official member of the unit I could of course ride along with no problems. They had nine or 10 nurses on the unit's roster.

So your father went out and found somebody to make some papers for me.

Then I got a nurses uniform, khaki, you know when they aren't wearing white, and I got on. I didn't know a word of English at that time, but I began to learn and Zygmunt taught me and so did the other
ladies there. They were all very helpful when they found out my story.
I was practicing all the time, as quickly to learn the language as I could.

"So you got on, got to England, got to America, and you have been an illegal for all these years?? Wow. That must have been some exciting train ride, running with shakey papers that said you were a British Army nurse and you couldn't speak a word of English!!"

"Illegal??? isn't everybody who came here an illegal at one time or another?" Did the Indians demand to see anybody's papers? They just welcomed them, fed them, showed them the good spots, wasn't it the way originally?"

Yes. How times have changed.


Peter, in shock and awe.

[2railjon]

" Gimmie a bloodhound in the hay with some yellow paint, pin a rose on it, a cold fifty-five and let it walk."

[Tramp]

Jon, we ready for a beer? Good Friday. Good Friday for beer?

Hey, do you still lift weights? I did some bench presses today and thought I'd die. I lifted for 20 years, but my body seems to have forgotten that fact.

Did you notice the pigeon checking the sodas?

[2railjon]

Tramp, I'm putting in a bit of overtime today for what would normally be a holiday, please start without me!!! (2 hours and 4 minutes, but who's counting.)
We've got a weightroom right next door to my shop. Sometimes I'll lose my senses and head in there only to ache for three days!! It's interesting but the muscle mass you developed 20 years ago from weight-lifting is actually still there. So it really would'nt take you that long to get back in the swing of things again.

[Tramp]

D thinks I still work out secretly at night . I learned today that I don't. I'm going to try to get back, but I doubt I can. How much do you weigh?

[2railjon]

Before a beer bash, I'm whimpy 237lbs. Never had any problem passing my yearly weigh-in/body fat count. Since my wife has started this new diet-thing my cholesterol is below 200 again. Hey, we got released an hour early, CHEERS!!

[Mitch]

Hey, in the morning I weight 337: after coffee, a cigarette, and a trip to the bathroom, 325. LOL

[Tramp]

Jon, thanks for the pep. I need it. It's not fat; it's sitting in a chair writing all day. Though certain efforts keep the stomach hard.

[2railjon]

Tramp, I hope you never stop writing. People like you (and Pete, when he's into it) are so talented at putting story and life to paper. I'm a richer man for it. Cheers.

[Will]

I'll take a beer. But no more for Rocky.

Hi Rock. Talk about coming out of left field. Anyway, I'm glad you got that off your chest. Twice. Maybe you can translate it now.

[RRRocky]

It is all very cool...in my mind at least.

Thanks for the concern, Will. Del Mar called me this morning too. It is true, 99.5% anyway.

More reminiscenses. A good way to be.

Peter

[2railjon]

Will, ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING MY *** OFF!!!!!!
I think Rockey is trying to let us know he's for the illegal immigrant cause.
Drinks are on me, fella's!!!!

[2railjon]

Tramp, Ease back into it with lighter weights and more reps, until you feel that "burn" for a few weeks. When you feel comfortable, start power lifting again for bulk, your muscles will actually remember even 20 years later. You'll be amazed at how fast your arms swell back up again!! I've been called upon to save many a railroad from disaster.

[Daisy]

My gog what's going on in here? And what's all this about arms swelling up again? Your m ind kind of skips over all that and through that i suppose simultaneaously while you see Tramp dancing there next to you on the dance floor. You have NO idea what I'm talking about. I mean NONE.

ps. Jon!##*$()&! nice boots.


ps. Either Maria comes with me or I am not going!

[MartyE]

Hey bos...Well I just spent the last 6 hours upgrading my ME machine to XP. The upgrade went fine but Norton had a real issue with it. It took me several reloads to finally get it going. Ah curumba. Hope all are well.