I met a friend and he mentioned that it was 12yr. since an old friend of ours past. So I was sitting thinking of him with a smile on my face and thought I would share. Sorry if this gets long I have a lot of memory's. I first met him I think I was about 11 and he had got out of veitnam about 2yrs before and had just moved back to our small town. Everyone was scared of him as he had bikes and belonged to a club. My grandma had and old house that she rented out the back half, when she rented it to him everyone thought she had lost lost her mind. My folks both worked so I would stay with my grandma during the day my first memory of him was when he came home from work and grandma, all 5' 4'' of her met him in the driveway explaining to him that she had just mowed the yard and couldn't finish because ''them damn bikes were parked in my yard '' and that the lawn mower was still out and to move them and he was to finish mowing. From then on every time I would see him he would always smile and say " How's that *****'y old grandma of yours doing ''. He had what I think was about a 58 fl as I remember it had shocks that I never saw him ride and his rider an 74'' pan hardtail that everyone knew as '' old stretch '' . He might take off with some friends and party for the weekend and leave Stretch sit on main street for three days, like I said everyone was scared of him know one would bother it and the cops wouldn't ticket it.
I always remember him from my granny's, My dad had always taught me not to ask a bunch of stupid questions so when he was out in the yard I would just walk up and see what kind of mood he was in. He had about three moods that later I figured out there where reasons for. If it was morning he was quiet '' hungover'' and wanted to be left alone . Sometimes he would be sitting on the ground with model paint and a brush and wouldn't even know anyone was around ''stoned '' painting girls, *****, strips whatever all over ''stretch '', fork tubes everywhere, god that was the ugliest bike I ever saw but also the coolest, Another time I had an old pedal car that I had out grown and he told me I needed to go fast and started pushing me allover '' I think he had to many crosses that time '' LOL. But he always treated me and my grandma with respect. The last story is about when I was 17 the drinking age was 18 then and the buddies bet me I wouldn't go into our biker bar and try and get us some beer. As soon as I walked in I knew I was in trouble but I still walked up to the bar. about that time I felt an arm on my shoulder and heard '' How's that *****'y old granny of yours'' all was good then. In my 20s and 30s we had a lot of fun together.He was a scary man but to the people that spent the time to get know him he was a good person and friend.

 

Very cool.

 

Sounds just like my wife's uncle. Spent a ton of time in Korea. Never married, a bunch crazy, but extremely cool once you got to know him. He had an old harley painted pink with a white seat and white fringe. Rode like he was on fire from what the family remembers.

 

Yea he was crazy as hell, I think he had a lot of demons. I've known some Vets that talk about their time in the service and three that never do he was one of them, If it was brought up you could tell by the look in his eyes and body language it's not something he wanted to talk about. Once and a while he would let a little slip but then quickly change the subject. There has got to be a special place in your heart & heaven for the men that have been witness what no man should go through.

I didn't mean for this to go there and as he would like to remember the good times and parties instead. peace out.

 

Once again, sounds exactly like him, peace out

 

Thanks for taking the time to share that. God bless vets and bikers.

 

Glad you made memories with him before he passed.

He sounds exactly like my crazy Uncle Bill. I was around 10 yrs old and he would throw my *** on the back of his chopper on his king/queen seat and rip thru town. I freaking loved it. My parents would have died if they found out. Everyone in town was scared of him and left him alone. Hell, i guess every town had that guy in the '70's....

Thanks for the story!!!!