Big Shot

by Jimmy Johnson


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"Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
When the umpteenth variation of “Dead of the Living Night” comes on television, it’s tempting to deride the caliber of entertainment available today. And I do, but as human beings we’ve always had something of a spotty track record when it comes to spectacle. Imagine a huge tent filled with people waiting for somebody to be shot out of a cannon. Not long ago, that was entertainment. Before that, it was bear-baiting and feeding people to wild animals. Maybe we’ve come further than we think.

402 responses to “Big Shot”

  1. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    For anyone travelling in the area, be aware that I-70 between Cambridge, OH, and Indianapolis has a host of construction areas, some of them only, say, 200 yds. apart. Drove it last Friday eastward and back yesterday. Yesterday was worse, as we had beaucoup rain – all too often enough that I couldn’t see the road and hoped to be following a vehicle with large taillights. When I lived in the Blue Ridge of VA, the locals referred to such as a “frog strangler”! I’ve since acquired more colorful descriptions, but youngsters may read this blog. The dense rain kept with us also on the interstate NW of Indianapolis for a while. Blinding rain plus construction changes-of-traffic-patterns can get absolutely hairy….

    Event was the 200th anniversary of the founding of wife’s hometown, one which is now combined with its younger (but slightly larger) neighbor. I managed to buy a full wheel of Danish Blue Cheese at a very favorable price while there and, not incidentally, we both (plus our son) had a great time with my sister-in-law. There was a suitable ceremony and unveiling of a brick wall (carved with pictures indicative of the town history), memorials to past veterans of all wars (vets included no fewer than 9 close relatives just of my mother-in-law), and a non-denominational church service. During the ceremonies, 2 or 3 huge trucks came by bearing full loads of chickens [I thought of our people here]; so did many other trucks and bikers. The town’s sole intersection of note has become very popular, it would seem. OH 39 & OH 93, if you are curious.