Just for Fun

 More Letters From Paradise

           Just For Fun

Always after lunch grandpa would stretch out on the living room couch, fill his pipe from his tobacco pouch, strike a match with his finger nail, put it to the tobacco,          and lie back in comfort. These were the times when I could get him to tell me stories about his years in Cuba, and hunting foxes. 

I don't know what came over me, but one time I asked if I could fill his pipe for him. He handed me his pipe and I began to fill it with a layer of tobacco, then a cap gun cap, repeating each time until the pipe was full. I handed him his pipe and sat back to see what would happen. He touched the flame from the match to the tobacco, and then woosh! a fountain of tobacco showered over him. I have to admit, it was a glorious sight! I don't ever remember being punished for the deed, but it was surely deserved. And it was the only time I ever remember Grandpa being angry, Today, when I recall the event, I have to laugh. 

          One of His Stories

It is common practice in sugar growing areas that the leaves of the cane stalks be burned off before harvesting. It is done in Hawaii too. Anyway, Grandpa said that in Cuba, the fields were burned in the following way: A turtle was caught and a long string of rags was attached to the rear of the turtle's shell. Then a candle was set in wax on the top of the shell. The turtle was taken to the field and the candle lighted. When the candle burned down to the rags, the turtle was soon dragging a flaiming trail behind him. Aren't you going to ask about the turtle? Everybody always does. 

             Aloha

             Grant