Road Trip - to Cincinnati in the mid 1970s

 When I was 14 years old my half-brother moved his family to Ohio.  Specifically, Cincinnati, Ohio, which is in the Southwest “corner” of Ohio.  That was a 6-and-a-half-hour trip for us including fuel stops, lunch, and rest area breaks.  Around 327 miles by our route.  Originally we drove by the downtown area passing the riverfront baseball stadium and following Beechmont to Cherry Grove and 8 Mile Road, and later learning the Clough Pike (then) scenic route.

 

Being music lovers, and needing entertainment for the trip we took a tape player.  (Cars in those days did not come with tape decks.)

Cassette tapes were our entertainment.  The only 2 albums that I remember playing on those trips were Queen -A Night At The Opera, and Paul Simon – Still Crazy After All These Years.

 

Queen - A Night At The Opera

 Yes, that is known as eclectic variety.  My mother did not mind the vast difference, because she wanted to know what I was listening to, and she appreciated the Queen, with minor objections… because A Night At The Opera references the devil.  But she enjoyed the variety, and liked Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon, ’39, and Seaside Rendezvous.  This is from the original release of the cassette version of the album.

 

Gawd, it’s been too long since I listened to the full album, as I listen whilst writing.

Somewhere in Southern Indiana, on Interstate 65 the album would reach it’s ending.  Sometimes we rode in silence for a bit before the next music session.  By this time we had stopped at at least one rest area; more than likely Renssellaer. And possible lunch in Lafayette at an American style restaurant on the East side of I-65.  Alas, the name is long forgotten, as is the restaurant, as google was of no help with this question.

 

Later we enjoyed Paul Simon’s Still Crazy album.  All of the songs are wonderful mini tales of life.  From the title song to My Little Town, Some Folks Lives Roll Easy, and the somewhat whimsical Night Game.  And featuring fantastic vocals from Phoebe Snow on Gone At Last.

Still Crazy side one

Still Crazy side two

We were always well entertained on the long drive in the old, red Ford Maverick. Passing the time with the music, and then the views as the approach to Cincinnati area is hilly and there were forests on the sides of the interstate.  Then through the expressways of Cincinnati where I paid attention to the route because Lillian was always nervous in such busy traffic.  I LOVED it!! Around the south end of Cincinnati proper, and back up to Beechmont and out of the expressway traffic nearly to our destination.

I never drove the Ford Maverick to Ohio, I did not yet have a driver’s license, and that is another story for another time.

Every time I hear A Night At The Opera it takes me back….

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That Little Shit

I had a brother named John, who sadly, passed away quite a few years ago. Anyway, he used a term rather frequently; which is often enough that it has remained in my lexicon all these many years. John would call various creatures and even humans “that little shit” with varying degrees of disdain, amusement, and even affection.  This included everyone and anyone, anyone younger than he, family pets, it could be a long list.

my 6 pound tiny dog

The point of this is that I think of John every time I call my tiny dog “little shit” – usually with a combination of affection, amusement and frustration.  

I always think, too, of those who would find this repugnant, and laugh at them, because they are not aware that I even had a brother John.  And I think that John would laugh at them too. Lighten up!, and have a little sense of amusement.

It has to do with how we were raised, or rather who had a hand in raising us.  Even though we were from totally different generations, and what parts of that person became ingrained in our unique personalities.

Anyway, I think of my brother John, frequently with a certain fondness, for he was always kind to me.  I wish I could have a conversation with him.  There was never time.  Thankfully I did have some wonderfully honest conversations with his wife, another person who was always kind to me.

a song about a dog

She is a little shit! She's mischevious, and trouble. She's little, and she knows she's adorable, and she will look you right in the eye and let you know that she knows exactly how adorable she is.  That little shit!💗

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