Way out in the Mid-West there was this fella — fella I wanna tell ya about. Fella by the name of the Carp Hunter. At least that was the handle his loving parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. The Carp Hunter he called himself the Carp Hunter. Now, the Carp Hunter — he didn’t make a whole lot of sense. And a lot about where he lived, likewise.
Way out west there was this fella… fella I wanna tell ya about. Fella by the name of Koa Smith. At least that was the handle his loving parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. Mr. Smith, he called himself “The Dude”.
Now, “Dude” — that’s a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then there was a lot about the Dude that didn’t make a whole lot of sense. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that’s why I found the place so darned interestin’. They call Africa the “A Flaming Hellhole.” I didn’t find it to be that, exactly. But I’ll allow there are some nice folks there. ‘Course I can’t say I’ve seen London, and I ain’t never been to France. And I ain’t never seen no queen in her damned undies, so the feller says. But I’ll tell you what – after seeing Africa and this here story I’m about to unfold, well, I guess I seen somethin’ every bit as stupefyin’ as you’d see in any of them other places. And in English, too. So I can die with a smile on my face, without feelin’ like the good Lord gypped me.
Now this here story I’m about to unfold took place back in the early 2010s — I only mention it because sometimes there’s a man… I won’t say a hero, ’cause, what’s a hero? But sometimes, there’s a man. And I’m talkin’ about the Dude here. Sometimes, there’s a man, well, he’s the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that’s the Dude, in Africa. And even if he’s a lazy man – and the Dude was most certainly that. Quite possibly the laziest in Africa, which would place him high in the runnin’ for laziest worldwide. But sometimes there’s a man, sometimes, there’s a man. Aw. I lost my train of thought here. But — aw, hell. I’ve done introduced him enough.
… I won’t say a hero, ’cause, what’s a hero? But sometimes, there’s a man. And I’m talkin’ about the dude who can back up his truck with a busted transmission. Sometimes, there’s a man, well, he’s the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that’s the Dude, in his Nissan Pathfinder. And even if he’s a lazy man — and the Dude was most certainly that. Quite possibly the laziest to own a Nissan Pathfinder, which would place him high in the runnin’ for laziest worldwide. But sometimes there’s a man, sometimes, there’s a man. Aw. I lost my train of thought here. But — aw, hell. I’ve done introduced him enough.
(Many thanks to our dear friend Charles Schneider for sending this one our way)
Well, try checking the gas. What’s that? There isn’t any gas? What the heck does it run on, coal? Maybe there’s something up with the spark plugs. I thought you were just going to clean the dining room, I didn’t know there’d be any rocket surgery involved. Please Grandpa, don’t hurt yourself — Mom says that if you break the vacuum again we’re going to put you in a home.
And not one of those good homes, either. One from 60 Minutes where they steal your drugs and give you tic tacs instead, and keep the bedpans in the refrigerator.
[Many thanks to the exquisite Charles Schneider for sending this our way]