After 40 years as a computer programmer and game developer—and the passing of his wife of 47 years—Rick has retired and is now living in Ye Olde Folks Home, where he still tinkers with tech and likes to write these amusing and/or thoughtful tales about his storied life.

The Perils of A Capella Singing
Bringing Coffee for Alice
“Turn Off the Lights!”
What to Say to the Grieving
While Waiting for the School Bus
An Unfortunate Misunderstanding
In Memoriam: Betty Lou Edwards-Vessel
A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing
Who Would Jesus Stab?
The Eggshell Incident
First Chapel Service at Ye Olde Folks Home
A Yearly Ritual at Menards
“Mr. Loftus, the Town Hero”
The FCAL Project
Pepe Le Pew Finds New Lodgings
In Memoriam: Dale Lear
Bingo Bedlam at Ye Olde Folks Home
There’s a Shortage of Perfect Movies…
One Day at the DMV
A Visitor from Microsoft
“He Who Should Not Be Named”
Downton… Abbey?
This Home is a Liver-Free Zone
My 9/11 Rememberances
My Yearly Pumpkin Spice Rant
Done In By Baker’s Square
My Eulogy for Alice
“Dear Rikki…”
A Clean, Well-lighted Place for Books
Memories of my First Computer
A Little Excitement at the Staff Meeting
The Tale of Mrs. Butler
Sun, Sand, and a Margarita
“Thou Shalt Not Steal”
Troubleshooting at Ye Olde Folks Home
Stories of my Mother
I’ve Heard Angels Sing
Elevator Mishap at the Eye Clinic
One Day at Fair, Isaac
Saturday Morning Cartoons
A Sprig of Parsley
Fun With Recruitment Ads
Leave Her to Heaven
“Squirrel!”
Bring me Dave Bringle!
Beware! The Oldsters Are Coming!
Life Among the Progressives
A Family Ritual While Watching Masterpiece
The Unforgettable General Oppy
“Don’t Even THINK About Parking Here”
A Dubious Plan Gone Awry
The Singing Christmas Tree!
One Day in the Hospital Lab
The Legend of the Broken Timer
Nelson’s Fruit Stand
This One Time in Glee Club…
Star Trek References for the Win
Family Psalm, Stuck in Lodi
Vacation in Branson
Clyde and Ruth Revisited
COVID Policies During my Wife’s Fatal Illness
I Guess I’m the Shadow IT Department Now
The Tale of Clyde and Ruth
My Garden of Gethsemane Story
We Might Get a Virus!

A Dubious Plan Gone Awry

Behold, a dusty memory from my tender youth of 50 years ago:

A good friend of mine had suddenly acquired his first ever girlfriend, and he was of the opinion that this was the bestest thing ever.

And since he was my friend who wished every good thing for me, and since I had no girlfriend, he picked out a girl he thought would be perfect for me.

The first time I told this story to my wife, it was at this point that she interrupted me: “Am I going to be jealous of this girl?”

“Well, let me finish the story and you decide.”

That seemed a naïve and dubious plan, but my friend cheerfully talked me up to this girl, and vice versa, and before you knew it, he was introducing us in a crowded church lobby.

She certainly was a winsome lass, I had to admit, as she looked up and said, “Ooooh, how cute are you?

…to the winsome young lad to my immediate left.

They hit it off smashingly, and quickly became engrossed in conversation as I discreetly and quietly slunk away.

“So, Alice… were you jealous?”

“No,” she said, laughing.

“Actually, now that I think on it, I may have dodged a bullet there, don’t you think?”

She clung to one of my arms possessively. “Yes. Yes, you did.”