In 1984 I was living at Villa De La Mina, between Terlingua and Lajitas and Bob Mackin was staying in one of the cabins there. A German guy showed up at the Study Butte store, not speaking any English, the only word they understood was snake so they sent him to me. He landed in CA and bought a car, an old plymoth fury and came to TX to find alterna, lepidus and subocs. He was sleeping in his car and obviously had not had a bath in days. Mackin immediately dubbed him the Sour Kraut. He was afraid of Americans because we were all armed so while sleeping in his car he kept the windows rolled up and the doors locked,(we debated the need to rotate and baste him now and then) in the 100 degree heat it naturally added to the aroma. We told him in our best sign language, where to hunt but that old car had two kinda yellowish headlights, one pointed up and the other pointed left, if he got near a snake, I am sure he ran over it. After a few days of frustration Mackin and I gave him a few snakes to take back to Germany. Among them where 2 Lepidus, after giving them to him we realized that he was planning to sew them into the lining of his coat to smuggle them on the plane. We never heard from him again and assume he was shot while trying to board the plane.
Awww the good ol days.
Later
Rick
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My first German
Replies (4)
FUNNY VERY FUNNY I think Bob's got names for everyone of us from the eaely 80s I'd love to see a list (examples puke bozo)
Did he show you the stickers he had made with a picture of Bozo with the circle and line through it, NO BOZO'S?
miised that one. I HAVE NOT SEEN BOB IN ABOUT 10 YEARS. THE LAST TIME i SAW HIM IN TX WAS IN 1987. HE JUST PICKED UP A HALLOWEEN MALE IN THE XMAS. AT LEAST THATS WHERE HE SAID. SURE MISS HIS LIGHTS COMING AT ME AT 90 MILES AN HOUR
Great story -- an image of the guy trying to sew leps into his clothing is priceless. Stationed in Germany in the late 70's, I learned quickly that Deutschers in general don't get near soap and water very often. They're used to each other so it's no big deal. On a packed city bus late in the day, I'd open a window and snort diesel fumes rather than deal with the interior 8^P
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Bill Cope
O'Brien, FL
