I called Kinky back, and then Tony and I went over to the Lodge to deliver his accumulated mail. While in the kitchen, Kinky asked Tony if he could help him with his new expresso machine, that had been given to him by a friend. Tony told him that he would try. Then Kinky’s phone rang, and Kink went to his office, to take the call.
Tony put the large unopened box on the kitchen table, and then opened it up. Then he pulled out the fancy-looking, expresso machine—placing it carefully on the kitchen counter. After unwrapping the shiny machine, he found the instuctuons on how to operate it. “Good grief, Nance,” Tony said. “It’s going to take twenty-three steps to produce a quarter of a cup of coffee!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me?” I said, hearing the sound of Kinky’s laughter in the background—coming from his office.
“Who’s he talking too?” Tony asked.
“Who knows,” I answered. “Have you figured out the directions, yet?”
“This is the dumbest coffee machine I have ever seen, and it probably is real expensive, too,” Tony remarked. “Look at this little measuring spoon. The directions said to take one spoon of coffee, place it in this thing, and then use the other end of the spoon to press down the coffee.”
“Have you got it working, yet?” Kinky asked, as he entered the kitchen—lighting his cigar.
“Nope,” Tony answered. “It takes twenty-three steps to produce one little expresso, and I am only on step nine.”
“I could probably drive to Starbucks in Kerrville, and get back here with expresso, before that machine produces its first expresso.” I said.
“Here, Tony,” Kinky said. “Let me see if I can help.” Kinky then starts reading steps ten through twenty-three, as Tony carefully followed his instructions to a ‘T.’ “Okay, it says were done. Turn it on, Tony!”
Tony flipped the switch, and a pretty little blue light lit up, and then nothing else happened. “Tony," Kinky said. "Did you add water?”
“Yes, Kinky,” Tony answered. “That was step six.”
It was now ten o’clock, as the three of us stared, for several minutes, in silence, at the coffee making contraption—in hopes that it would perform its one and only task—make expresso—pronto!
“I think it’s broken,” Tony commented. The expensive device must have heard him, because it started making all kinds of different, weird sounds—spewing, spitting, grinding, simmering etc.!
“Turn it off, Tony,” Kinky ordered.
Tony turned it off, and then switched it back on again. “The directions said that it will be ready when the orange light comes on.” And, as soon as Tony had spoken those words—the orange light lit up!
“Great Tony,” Kinky said. “You did it!” He then grabbed a coffee cup, from his ongoing collection of mugs, in the cabinet— placing it carefully under the little spout.
“Here it comes,” Tony said, with pride, as he watched coffee streaming from the spout for about thirty seconds. “That’s it? You’ve got to be kidding me? All of that work, Kinky, for just a quarter of a cup of coffee? You couldn’t pay me to have a machine like this.”
Kinky laughed. “It tastes great! Here Tony—try a little.”
Tony took a sip, and then made a face—the opposite of a happy face. “That’s way too strong for me. You drink it.”
Tony then showed Kinky the twenty-three steps, making Kinky feel confident about producing future expressos.
We visited for a few more minutes in the kitchen. Before leaving, we discussed what time we would be going to Bandera, to show, and to give our support for CCPAL—Cowboy Capitol Pet Alliance League!
We decided to meet around 1:30, Kinky was on time, and we were fifteen minutes late, because Tony and I had to stop in Medina, at the storage units, to fill up the back of the truck—with boxes of dog treats!
When we arrived at the benefit, we found Marlene Heavner, the director of CCPAL, and told her that we had a truck full of dog treats that we wanted to give to them. She was delighted! Then she and Tony went off to the parking lot, so he could transfer the boxes into the back of her truck.
Kinky was busy signing autographs and meeting people, so I took off for the parking lot, to help Tony unload the many, heavy boxes. But I was too late—he already had helpers! When I reached the trucks, I looked up, and saw our good friends, Grace and Richard Atwood, helping Tony!
After the transfer of treats was accomplished, we thanked Grace and Richard, and then the four of us, went back to the benefit. Marlene saw me and waved me over, to tell me that she had a gift for us, too, and then she left! When she reappeared, she was carrying a huge bundle of dog leashes, which we are always in need of! “Enjoy,” Marlene said, wearing a big smile, as she handed me about forty leashes! After thanking each other, we visited for several minutes and then took off to find Kinky for a photo opt. We found him talking politics with his friend, and ours, too—Frances Kaiser, she was the former Sheriff of Kerr County, now running to be Sheriff in Bandera County! Bobby Harris, of Precinct 2, in Bandera, was in on the discussion, too.
I asked them if they would pose for my blog about CCPAL—and they happily agreed to do it! I asked Marlene to join them, then handed them bags of treats—and Tony shot them in broad daylight!
There were more people at the benefit, than the population of Bandera! The event had been a huge success for CCPAL, and we were so happy for them, because they do good work!
Before Kinky was about to leave, I saw a camel in the parking lot, and asked him to please let me get a picture of him with the camel. Kinky agreed to do it—and then Tony shot him and the camel! Then we came home, just in time, for the norther to arrive!
1 comment:
I must say Nancy you keep me laughing with your post. I love the expresso machine story. Tell Tony I like the picture of Kinky and the camel but I think he'd look better next to a horse. Maybe it's just a Texan thing.
Cindy R
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