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THE FAMILY ALBUM
75

Al told him he was of age and he didn't buy the property with his eyes closed. Pop said that was all right, his eyes were open but he was holding his nose.

So he told Uncle Al to come along on a joy ride, except they didn't call 'em joy riders in those days. They called 'em scorchers.

Al said no scorching for him. Pop told him to come along and that he was as welcome as a kick in the pants to a guy on the edge of a wharf.

Al reciprocated by indulging in some close-fitting personal remarks and it looked like we were going to have the first family quarrel ever held in an automobile when suddenly the engine started after two hours' cranking. It was a one-cylinder engine and when it missed it wasn't an engine.

Uncle wouldn't come along and so we bounced down the road from rut to rut when pop started in to indulge in some finely assorted profanity.

Mom cautioned him not to teach the children