Slim Randles' Home Country
From Abraham Lincoln to Laura Bush
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[April
20, 2013]
The Bahdziewicz
clan trooped into the Mule Barn for lunch the other day, as happily
and noisily as only eight Americans totally in love with spring can
do. The patriarch of the clan, Abraham Lincoln Bahdziewicz, led the
way to a large, round table and seated his wife, Sally, before
pointing to which chairs the kids should use. Some people can make a
celebration out of sitting down to eat, and Abe's gang knows how to
do it. |
The children, clockwise, were Woodrow Wilson Bahdziewicz, Betsy Ross
Bahdziewicz, Neil Armstrong Bahdziewicz, John Kennedy Bahdziewicz,
and Franklin Delano Bahdziewicz. Sally got a high chair for the
youngest family member, Laura Bush Bahdziewicz. (It's pronounced
bot-CHEV-itch.)
We watched them order four meals for the seven of them, along
with some empty plates for divvying things up. Then we took bets on
whether or not they would have to ask for a "to go" box or two to
take home with them. They didn't. Laura Bush Bahdziewicz had to have
chocolate cream pie wiped from her face twice during dessert, too.
Before they packed up to go, Abe came over to shake hands with
the members of the world dilemma think tank here at the philosophy
counter. He always looks as though he's just headed home to open
Christmas presents, and we envied him that wonderful zest for life.
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column] |
"Abe," said Doc, when it was his turn to shake hands, "we've been
wondering. You're named after a president, and all your kids are
named for famous Americans."
"That's right," Abe said. "My brothers and sister, too. All of us
but my wife, Sally, and I call her Sally Ride Bahdziewicz sometimes,
just for fun."
"How did all that naming come about?"
"Well," Abe said, "my dad came from Poland as a kid, and the
other kids at school teased him about not being a real American, you
know? So he decided his kids would never have that problem. They may
have some trouble pronouncing the last name, but at least they know
we're Americans."
[Text from file received from Slim Randles]
Brought to you by the award-winning book "Home Country,"
available at
http://nmsantos.com/Books/Home/Home.html.
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