Now: The following is a conversation I overheard while in a men's room in a Wal-Mart in Oklahoma today. Bathroom humor is not my bag but this was too strange to ignore. I give you my word this is NOT made up. This is exactly what I heard with the exception of a few changes in order to avoid being TOO crude.

I was standing at the urinal doing what all guys do and what most old guys do slower. I began to hear some strange sounds coming from a nearby stall. I thought to myself "That poor guy." Suddenly, a voice said "I have used leaves before but I have never had to use my hand. This is AWFUL." I started to offer to get him some paper as soon as I was finished when I realized he was talking to someone on his cell phone.

He continued his conversation by saying "This is gross! I can't believe I am doing this." There was a long silence and he said "Hold on. I gotta lay the phone down so I can stand up. Oh YUCK!!" The sound of a monumental flush followed.

At this point, I lost track of his conversation because my heart is beating in my ears. I began praying in a panic, "God, please help me finish quickly because I don't want to see WHAT comes out of that stall!" I have to admit at this point, I did NOT wash my hands (I hope my dear RN wife will forgive me.) nor did I look back. I RAN out the door. I don't think I even looked in the mirror until I was several miles up I-44.

With apologies to my friends from Oklahoma, but I believe he was an OU fan.

Then: When I was in the third grade my parents bought a 20 acre farm east of Monett. It was in the Kings Prairie community and at that time, they still had a one room country school. It was one teacher and first thru sixth grades. The school was about three miles from our house. Often, several of the neighbor kids walked to school together. Yes, I walked three miles, in the snow, up hill both ways... :-)

One early summer day a storm was brewing when school got out. I had ridden my bike to school by myself so I headed home. Our route took us beside a power substation near the school. As I passed the substation a bolt of lightening struck one of the transformers! I did not think it was possible to burn rubber on a 20" bicycle but I believe I did! Every hair on my body stood on end and I raced home as fast as my little legs could pedal. I did not slow down until I was laying in a heap, exhausted, in the livingroom floor.

I think that might have been what prompted my interest in weather and watching the forecasts!! :-)