#over lunch

Some notes heading into summertime

OVER LUNCH AT SOME OLD-SCHOOL DINER IN BREEZEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA: In taking our leave of Ocean City, and on accepting an invite from a certain boon companion of Touché Turtle by name of Dum-Dum to join him and Bristlehound for some houseboating on the Mississippi River, yours truly, along with Huckleberry Hound, as well as Touché "himself," took our leave of Ocean City by way of US 50 unto Baltimore by way of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and thence on I-70 into this rather crazy crossroads of the Lincoln Highway (as in US 30 in these parts) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

In fact, it's on the former that our party of three will be heading out to the Mississippi River for the most part--eventually to come into US 20 through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, thereby offering a direct (if somewhat out-of-the-way) routing towards Dubuque, Iowa and the Mississippi, whence, it turns out, Dum-Dum is calling us from.

"So how is my devoted Touché Turtle?" asked Dum-Dum in a rather effervescent style, to which the heroic-minded turtle responded, "My apologies if you're catching our company over lunch ... but at any rate, we left Ocean City this morning on our way to the river."

"And did I hear correctly," Dum-Dum remarked, "that those Goofy Guards are pulling off a little fencing exercise in Ocean City?"

"On the Boardwalk there, yes." [Pause] "And for only $20 a pop."

"I can hardly believe it!" was all Dum-Dum could respond.

"Nonetheless," responded I, "we can't wait to be on the river with you and Bristlehound."

"And I hope you can stand small-town tavern fish fry on Friday evenings!" was how Dum-Dum chimed in. This even as we were having chicken-and-stuffing casserole in the Pennsylvania Dutch manner, and rather generous on the portions besides, no skimping!

And even then, Huck was still wondering as to the next ideal Character Convocation, timed to coincide with the July 4th holiday no doubt ... prompting him to suggest no less than Clear Lake, Iowa and their 4th of July celebrations, one of the Midwest's largest such for a small community.

"You still remember that time at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake where I crossed paths with the Cattanooga Cats, and we had quite the performance--"

To which Huck remarked, "I assume they're still talking about especially that tribute you and the Cats did there to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper."

"Out of sympathy for the Surf being their last performance before that tragic plane crash on February 3, 1959."

"How right you are, Snag ... and I guess it'll be interesting to imagine the Cats as much as The Banana Splits there in Clear Lake as well."

"Not to mention our whole funtastic pantheon."

"At any rate," Huck remarked over dessert, "Clear Lake for the weekend of the 4th 'tis."

"Oh, and let's not forget Peter Potamus' divers; they'll especially find Clear Lake itself worth some diving."

"I never thought of that, Snag."

"Or, as those Cattanooga Cats sang, 'I never knew the way you'd feel.'"

=============

Meanwhile, in deference to the Memorial Day break, next Monday (the 27th) will see no Postcard in this space ... hence, returning on Wednesday the 29th. And at any rate, enjoy what the weekend brings forth.

Emmy Lou explains it all for you (or tries to)

If ever there was a rather charming specimen of female bear out there, it would have to be one of our guests with Crazy Claws, no less than Emmy Lou (and her cousin, Jenny Lee). A rather charming sort of gal, from a certain type of Southern ursine stock, it may be fair to say, considering her voice ... but getting around, she can be rather wonderful!

She explained as much during a soup-and-sandwich lunch the other afternoon accentrated by overcast skies threatening rain, but a decent little fire made things more comforting:

"I do have to admit, that for a Southern bear like myself, things can get to be a little crazy, if not so much hazy. Even when you've got such a precocious cousin like Jenny Lee, rather sweet-looking, isn't she? But all in all, living more or less out of a succession of vans serving as motorhomes, you try to come across interesting adventures in ursine romance, yet you don't want to reduce yourself to a certain despicable level.

"And boy, can they get to be interesting, even if I've tended to come out more or less incognito. Likewise with my little ol' cousin Jenny Lee, who admittedly is a rather fascinating gal for her age.

"But then again, some of my best company happens to be of the ursine kind, and do the boys certainly love me for it--and so does Jenny Lee on occasion. And I just can't help but being the sort as feels like making love, and not feeling embarrassed about the experience; bears are just that way more than anything.

"And knowing where bears like us can manage to swim and dive well, I've also had some interesting diving experiences myself. In fact, a few summers ago, Jenny Lee and I were up around the Hayward Lakes country when it got rather hot and dusty. So dusty, in fact, I pulled off the road to a modest little dirt track leading to quite the lake--blue, clear, remarkably irridescent--and before deciding to make camp there, we decided to try our hand at diving, just wearing mask and fins as much as ourselves ... and while it managed to remain shallow for quite a bit, the moment we dove in--what a refreshing and awakening sort of sensation came upon us as we dived to the bottom, which was about 30 feet deep from the surface! And for some reason, we couldn't resist that sensation between the legs such that we decided to rub our vaginas together underwater ... and Jenny Lee couldn't help but feel seriously delighted at such a feel of touch like we had there underwater!

"Which certainly made for plenty of refreshing sleep that night after we set up camp ... and just before breakfast of granola and yoghurt the next morning, Jenny Lee and I had another fascinating little dive experience which certainly served as quite the bracer!"

To which Jenny Lee, a rather bright-eyed young bear, quipped "You'd better believe it; things just seemed to feel rather cool between my legs on the descent!"

Emmy Lou and Jenny Lee: Hardly the ursine sexpot sort

THE SAME MALL OF AMERICA FOOD COURT AS PREVIOUSLY: For a pair of rather sweet-talking Southern-type bears whose fur is more on a cafe au lait order, Emmy Lou and Jenny Lee can get to be pretty interesting. Especially when you realise they're cousins.

And don't let Emmy Lou's supposed brawn fool you: "It's probably just the way I'm built," she's quick to explain. "But when all is said and done, Jenny Lee and I are remarkably fun-loving."

"I do admit that I've heard much about your diving prowess," Huckleberry Hound was quick to remark, prompting Emmy Lou to note that "after all, Huckleberry, we bears can get to be quite adroit in water sports."

"Especially swimming and diving!" chimed in Jenny Lee, a rather sweet younger cousin who's fascinating in her own right. "And especially underwater!"

"Say, Emmy Lou," Square Bear was quick to note, "was that you who we noticed diving that one time down by Lake Okoboji?"

"You mean LAKE OKOBOJI down Iowa way?" was how Emmy Lou, rather incredulously, asked it, quickly responding "It might have been in passing, I have to admit. But how was I to know--" (Emmy Lou and Jenny Lee took note of Hair Bear's retro-looking hairdo) "Now that you mention it ... I guess you DO look a little familiar!"

Which had Hair Bear observing where "How were we to guess it was you all the more?"

Which left us in a sort of stunned silence, collapsing in laughter when Jenny Lee recalled a certain "night to remember" with Bubi when the pair spent an evening with the Hair Bears at a cabin in Okoboji; Bubi responded with that rather remarkably fast stylee of his which could be pretty hard to catch up with or comprehend. Let alone transcribe; suffice it to say, though, that Bubi and Jenny Lee had "some rather interesting lovemaking which certainly felt amusing," as Jenny Lee explained it.

To which Emmy Lou, her cousin and mentor, added "At least Jenny Lee is recognising how sex is a very natural and comfortable thing."

"And don't lovemaking feel so wonderful?" added Jenny Lee.

"Though I have to admit myself that Hair Bear felt so interesting in his own way when we were in lovemaking mode," Emmy Lou was quick to add. "And what ejaculation he had!!"

"You can certainly say as much," added I.

Which, at any rate, was bound to be our signal to head to our autumnal sonata with Crazy Claws at his Wisconsin Dells retreat....

************

[Over some decent hot soup, at that, we find no less than--]

LIPPY THE LION, with some excitement: Hardy, did I mention to you previously where a few wonderful friends of ours are heading this summer to the Rex Beach Casino up in northern Minnesota?

HARDY HAR-HAR, myopically as usual: So what exactly IS that exciting about the Rex Beach Casino, to begin with, Lippy?

LIPPY THE LION: Permit me to explain all, Hardy ... for one, The Banana Splits will be kicking off the summer season with a series of performances just before the summer starts on the Memorial Day weekend (mainly to attract some early business at Special Cut Prices), and continuing for a while thereafter!

HARDY HAR-HAR: So how exactly do we come into the bargain?

LIPPY THE LION: Later on in the summer, as a matter of fact, the Cattanooga Cats are set to perform a revue of sorts at the same Rex Beach Casino ... and I certainly hope such will afford us an opportunity to kill some time among the World-Renowned and Far-Famed Ten Thousand Lakes of Minnesota!! Wouldn't THAT be interesting, Hardy?

HARDY HAR-HAR: How would it be exactly, to begin with, especially if it's unlikely we'll be in this Cattanooga Cats Revue or whatever it is?

LIPPY THE LION: At least we have an opportunity to not only kill some summer time, but also fulfill our mission with Peter Potamus' Travelling SCUBA Par-tay to provide diving instruction and sampler dives--

HARDY HAR-HAR, quick to recall something: I believe, Lippy, that the tourism committee in Rex Beach has invited us to offer some complementary sampler SCUBA dives on the lake over the summer--we might want to look up that letter when we get back to the house!

HOKEY WOLF, rather excitedly: Now, Ding, believe you me ... I hear that the Hair Bear Bunch is going to be spending the summer up in the Gunflint Trail region of northern Minnesota--

DING-A-LING: What exactly does this have to do with us, Hokey?!

HOKEY WOLF: --over the ursine mating season, you understand; I hear that the Hair Bears simply cannot resist the company of lovesick female bears, especially for to mate with them big time! [Aside] And did I mention the diving possibilities?

DING-A-LING: So what does that mean for us?

HOKEY WOLF: And not to be outdone, the Rex Beach Casino will be having The Banana Splits opening the summer season, starting just before Memorial Day, with the Cattanooga Cats making their appearance not long afterwards--along with a "few close friends" of theirs in the bargain!

DING-A-LING: I presume this would mean us too, Hokey?

HOKEY WOLF: Ding, you're getting a little too ahead of yourself, methinks. And besides, I am awaiting details from the Cattanooga Cats "themselves" asking about the likelihood of our appearance in their Rex Beach Casino gig, and wouldn't that make things rather interesting, Ding boy?

DING-A-LING: And why would it be called a "casino" in the first place when it's unlikely there's any gambling to be offered?

HOKEY WOLF, explaining: I assume, Ding, you're acquainted with the Avalon Casino on Catalina Island, which obviously goes way back ...

DING-A-LING, slightly unnerved: Before Vegas, I assume?

HOKEY WOLF: Correct, Ding! And it may interest you to know that "casino" basically means "place of amusement," which does not necessarily require gambling to begin with! And the Rex Beach Casino being called a casino, to begin with, is on that basis; ergo, forget any notions about playing Vegas-type games at the Rex Beach Casino!

DING-A-LING: Well, if that's how you feel about it, Hokey ...

HOKEY WOLF: I have to acknowledge that my associate, Ding-a-Ling, still manages to show some reserve when it comes to what we may have in mind ... and besides, did I mention where Honey and Sis might bring their "pop-up" shortwave radio worldcaster to Rex Beach over the summer, doing a season of serious worldcasts?

DING-A-LING: You never mentioned to be how shortwave radio could offer some serious worldcasts, to begin with!

HOKEY WOLF: Anyhow, Ding, let's save that point for another time, especially before the summer comes along--and besides, who couldn't resist the refreshing effects of those Ten Thousand Lakes of MINNESOTA, to begin with?!!