Where’s the “Beech”?!

Ruby - Bathing Suit - 1956
Parade Girl – 1956

It didn’t show up in the photo, so Ruby’s sister, who took the original picture back in 1956, wrote what the sign said with a ball-point pen, on the copy she made for Ruby. Yes, that’s Ruby with the mask, goggle eyes and bathing suit. Ummm. Yeah. That’s a bathing suit.

Ruby had no qualms whatsoever about handing it over for bloggery mischief – in fact, she hunted it out on purpose for me in March of this year.

Sorry, folks. This post is a few months late.

* * *

Did I ever tell you about the time I marched in the Community Day Parade on the Island?

Me: No! When was this?!

(laughs and claps her hands together) Wait’ll you see this!

She disappears into her spare room and comes out with the above photo, at which I, of course, laugh.

Me: ‘Splain to me this, Ruby.

Ruby (eyes just a twinkling): Do you think that Mushy-fella will like this?

Me: I think he’d rather no mask.

Ah, well. He’ll have to suffer the mask, then.

Me: So, what’s with the sign? Were you protesting?

Kind of. But we were more making fun, I guess.

Me: Who were you making fun of?

The Town Council, that’s who! A couple years before this, somebody on the council got the bright idea, that if they made a sand beach along the waterfront on one side of the Island, that the tourists would come in droves. There was fighting and voting and more fighting and more voting than you ever would believe over that beach mess, let me tell you!

Me: Looks as if the town wanted it, by the sign…

Nope. Just the opposite. Most people in town didn’t think it would work at all. They figured Lake Huron would just wash the beach away in a couple of years, and wouldn’t that be just a waste of sand and money?

Me: I guess it would.

Your darn right it would! But Council won out, and they must have spent thousands trucking in sand in big trucks and dumping it. They made a right nice beach, too.

Me: And….?

And the very next Spring, Lake Huron melted and hauled the whole works away to God Knows Where! (laughs for a long time) Town Council was pretty red-faced about that, lemme tell you!

Me: And so you marched yourself down Main Street in the Community Day Parade with that get-up and a sign, just to make fun of the Council? I wouldn’t have thought you to be so mean, Ruby!

(I said this ADMIRINGLY, though, you must understand….)

Ruby claps her hands together in laughter again….

Yup! And….

I won First Prize!!

Random Song for the Day: “Nobody Told Me” – Puddle of Mudd

10 Replies to “Where’s the “Beech”?!”

  1. Well, hello Ruby…I’d know you anywhere…cucumber mask an all!

    It’s good to hear from you again and I love it that you have the same streak of mischief as I do. I’d probably spelled “beech” the same way!

    Oh yeah…nice legs!

    Les Says: Oooh, I can’t wait to give her the “nice legs” message! πŸ˜€

  2. LOVE it! I’ve been craving a delectable Ruby story, and that one was perfectly satisfying.

    I have a beach towel, which I purchased at a substantial discount, that says, “Were’s the Beech?”

    Les Says: Ruby’ll get a kick out of that. And there’s more to come… when I get my software malfunction taken care of, you will HEAR Ruby. How cool is THAT?!

  3. First Prize – and Lake Huron carrying the beech (sic) away! And you’ve been slacking since March about this…. tsk.

    Les Says: I KNOW!!! If it helps, I’m finally beginning to get my priorities straight again. πŸ™‚

  4. I love that her sister WROTE ON THE COPY OF THE PICTURE with ball point pen, because the sign didn’t show up.

    Les Says: I know, eh? I wonder if they actually had it spelled that way on the sign?

  5. Aw Les, what a team you and Ruby make. In a perfect world, she shoulda’ been born into our generation, I’ll bet she would have set the world on fire (especially with you and me by her side). Now there’s a thought..

    Les Says: I’ll get the matches – you bring the booze… πŸ˜€

  6. That was a riot. Here they truck sand from our end of the island up to Waikiki to make that fancy tourist beach, then the ocean drags it right back down here so they can come get it again …..

    Les Says: Are you SERIOUS?! Geez, around here, we LARN from our mistakes… LOL! Actually, I guess that’s a way to keep people working and the economy going. Maybe I should write the Council…

  7. Swimming in Canada before the days of global warming?

    Brrrrr!

    Les Says: Yeah, but we like to let on we’re tough up here… The beer helps. πŸ™‚

  8. That is hilarious, and living in WI we know a little about beaches that get carried away with the winter ice.
    I will be back more that is for sure.

    Les Says: Well, thank you very much, Sassy Mama Bear – I’m glad you came by! Just as soon as I can become unmired from the Real World and can plant my feet solidly back into Terra Ether, I will happily provide you with the “more” part. Sorry for the wait… πŸ˜‰

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