Come, fly with me
''V-a-r-o-o-m v-a-r-o-o-m ''
"Hey Father Tom," I shouted to the priest on the motorcycle. "Are you getting the hots again for a crotch rocket?"
He pulled the little demonstrator model into the parking at Johnny's Yamaha and Honda dealership, and flashed a smile that spelled easy rider.
"You still have that ole' junky thing that attracts dust, never gets ridden and is rusting away in your garage?" he asked.
(That really was cause for a snort, but a priest?)
I admitted I haven't ridden the bike since last fall, and have no intention of riding it for another month or so. "Besides," I said, "we can go flying on nice days that we can't ride cycles."
"Who, me in an airplane with you?" he questioned.
"Sure, you've done it before. Besides, this will put you a little closer to heaven."
"Ha!" he snorted. "It could also put me in heaven a little sooner."
"So long, Father Tom."
"So long, Ivan."
Around town
We've started another new regular feature in the News-Press. On Monday we introduced a new column, Around Town, written by our own Diane Lukowski.
Diane is a reporter-photographer and does general assignment news work. Her new beat will include general news interest items about business people you know.
You're invited to contribute news items from your community. Just drop Diane a note.
We now offer six local news columns. They're from Diane, Sue Quinlan, John Quinlan, Jerry Wilson, Art Sweet and the ole'Buck.
Dean's list.
It was good reading the other day to see names of students doing well for themselves at college.
Tim Causgrove and Vickie Stein were named to the Dean's List at Kearney State. Tim is a graduate of Nebraska City Lourdes, was a sacker and helper at Safeway. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Causgrove.
Vickie is a graduate of Nebraska City Senior High, and one of the cheerleaders we were pleased to transport a time or two. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Stein.
Ten—shun'
Rod McElroy counseled young Bryan Van Hook on the stories of military life by thinking big during training.
The old sarge told the new recruit that since they didn't have any more guns for the war games, he was to use a stick, point to his intended victims, say "stickety-stick" tagged them as a casualty and continue on through the days' training.
It worked great. He was a war games hero having tagged more casualties than anyone in the company.
Then one day, they found the stick soldier lying in a field, ruffled and tagged as a casualty.
The sarge exploded at the loss and questioned the recruit.
He explained that he met one of the enemy troops during the training, pointed the stick and, repeated "stickety-stick." The soldier came at him. Again he pointed the stick and said "stickety-stick."
"Why didn't he stop?" bellowed the sergeant.
"As he passed over me I heard him repeating tankety-tank," the recruit answered.
Little Bucks
Thanks to F. L. Duffey, our weather observer, for his prompt and accurate weather reporting during the cold weeks in which everyone talked about the weather. Art Sweet writes from Sun City, Ariz., that some of the snowbirds in motorhomes and campers may have difficulty with the gas crisis what it is today. Anyone wishing to assist Sheriff Russ Seals in running down the nude female streaking around the west end of the county may hall him or Captain Harris Esluer, who we understand has now taken up jogging. I know someone especially proud of Kevin Potter and the set he designed for a play at Doane college — his mother, Mrs. Howard Potter (and dad, too).