A big slap across the face with this steak that is....
This is one of those weird and wacky tales that shows you how a piece of beef can determine part of your future. Who needs a crystal ball, just give me some of that good ole USDA approved meat, sit back, relax and the Great and Magnificent Ronaldodini will predict your destiny.
Anyway, back to matters at hand... It all started back in early summer of 1977 when Chris, her Mom and Stepfather (Stan) were on a family camping trip just outside of New Orleans. One day while Chris and Stan were wandering around the campgrounds they stumbled upon two young Norwegian boys, John and Herlog, who were just out of high school and had decided to venture to the US. As soon as they hit the ground, they bought a used Suburban, lived out of it and spent their summer travelling from New Jersey to California. If you look closely at the steak picture you can see the tailgate of their suburban. The picture below is not their vehicle, but you get the drift that they weren't' exactly living in the lap of luxury....
The story goes that these two fellows were getting ready to fix their evening supper (refer back to exhibit A - the Steak), when an argument broke out between them on how best to grill the steak. Fast forward a bit, slide down the batpole and into the batcave and "SLAP", "POW" "BAM", the steak comes off the grill and across the face. Well, being a fine, outstanding American who loved his beef, Stan just had to step in and tell these young boys, "That's no way to treat a perfectly decent steak!". From that point, part of my future was now destined to happen in Norway.
After setting the boys straight on the finer points of BBQ'ing, Chris and Stan ended up inviting the boys back to their camper for a spaghetti dinner. Funny enough, no one remembers what happened to the steak. Later on that evening they ended up showing the boys around New Orleans, to include an honest to goodness "Gun Fight" which broke out on one of the downtown side streets. Call it fate, but this is exactly what the guys wanted to see... must have watched to many episodes of "Bonanza - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTWB_ByQD4w" when they were growing up in Norway. Funny how the media influences a culture, these guys thought of the US as the "Wild, wild, west" and now the gun battle in New Orleans only cemented this vision for them. They were also treated to a visit to the famous bar Pat O'Briens - http://www.patobriens.com/. And here they got to witness Stan at his best, as he slipped the bouncer a 20 dollar bill to avoid the 45 minute long waiting line. I wonder if that still works? And how much would you have to slip the guys these days?
Well, the boys eventually moved on across the US, scraping by on a limited budget, but having a heck of a good time. Several months later a letter arrives at Chris' house. It is a "thank you" letter from the boys and lo and behold it is in Norwegian...go figure... Hummmmm, what to do now? Oh yes, let's try the Norwegian Seaman's church in Baltimore. Here's a photo of the church we took in April 2008.
This is one of those weird and wacky tales that shows you how a piece of beef can determine part of your future. Who needs a crystal ball, just give me some of that good ole USDA approved meat, sit back, relax and the Great and Magnificent Ronaldodini will predict your destiny.
Anyway, back to matters at hand... It all started back in early summer of 1977 when Chris, her Mom and Stepfather (Stan) were on a family camping trip just outside of New Orleans. One day while Chris and Stan were wandering around the campgrounds they stumbled upon two young Norwegian boys, John and Herlog, who were just out of high school and had decided to venture to the US. As soon as they hit the ground, they bought a used Suburban, lived out of it and spent their summer travelling from New Jersey to California. If you look closely at the steak picture you can see the tailgate of their suburban. The picture below is not their vehicle, but you get the drift that they weren't' exactly living in the lap of luxury....
The story goes that these two fellows were getting ready to fix their evening supper (refer back to exhibit A - the Steak), when an argument broke out between them on how best to grill the steak. Fast forward a bit, slide down the batpole and into the batcave and "SLAP", "POW" "BAM", the steak comes off the grill and across the face. Well, being a fine, outstanding American who loved his beef, Stan just had to step in and tell these young boys, "That's no way to treat a perfectly decent steak!". From that point, part of my future was now destined to happen in Norway.
After setting the boys straight on the finer points of BBQ'ing, Chris and Stan ended up inviting the boys back to their camper for a spaghetti dinner. Funny enough, no one remembers what happened to the steak. Later on that evening they ended up showing the boys around New Orleans, to include an honest to goodness "Gun Fight" which broke out on one of the downtown side streets. Call it fate, but this is exactly what the guys wanted to see... must have watched to many episodes of "Bonanza - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTWB_ByQD4w" when they were growing up in Norway. Funny how the media influences a culture, these guys thought of the US as the "Wild, wild, west" and now the gun battle in New Orleans only cemented this vision for them. They were also treated to a visit to the famous bar Pat O'Briens - http://www.patobriens.com/. And here they got to witness Stan at his best, as he slipped the bouncer a 20 dollar bill to avoid the 45 minute long waiting line. I wonder if that still works? And how much would you have to slip the guys these days?
Well, the boys eventually moved on across the US, scraping by on a limited budget, but having a heck of a good time. Several months later a letter arrives at Chris' house. It is a "thank you" letter from the boys and lo and behold it is in Norwegian...go figure... Hummmmm, what to do now? Oh yes, let's try the Norwegian Seaman's church in Baltimore. Here's a photo of the church we took in April 2008.
And here's the Seaman's church website: (http://www.sjomannskirken.no/hoved.aspx?m=1665). Back to the story....So, Chris and her Grandmother (Ruth) head on down and meet Veslemøy, a young Norwegian girl who was spending her summer working at the church. Long story, short...Veslemøy translated the letter, spent time with Chris over the summer, kept in touch by exchanging letters when she returned to Norway. So a friendship was struck up, a friendship that is still going strong over 30+ years.
And don't worry Veslemøy, I will make sure you have some photos of our time spent in Norway before we leave. In fact I am working on a blog that will cover both of our families' adventures over the years, but you will have to be patient as this will take some time.
To wrap up the saga....here is some of the cast of characters (John, Veslemøy, Chris and Herlog) that led Chris and I to Norway.
This photo as taken in December 2007 when they stopped by our apartment for a reunion of sorts, bringing along with them the actual picture of the steak. I was so enthralled by their story, that I think they felt it was right that I should have the picture of the steak. I will eventually have it framed and hang it in a place of honor in my "Pub". Yes, I said "pub", a drinking establishment that I will have in our dream home that will eventually (soon I hope) be standing on our land in NC. Well, a man can dream, can't he? I mean Chris will have her "Studio" to escape to, so isn't it fitting that I have my oasis as well!?
Well, it wasn't the "Tale of two cities", but I hope you all have enjoyed my "Tale of the two Norwegians and a steak".
And don't worry Veslemøy, I will make sure you have some photos of our time spent in Norway before we leave. In fact I am working on a blog that will cover both of our families' adventures over the years, but you will have to be patient as this will take some time.
To wrap up the saga....here is some of the cast of characters (John, Veslemøy, Chris and Herlog) that led Chris and I to Norway.
This photo as taken in December 2007 when they stopped by our apartment for a reunion of sorts, bringing along with them the actual picture of the steak. I was so enthralled by their story, that I think they felt it was right that I should have the picture of the steak. I will eventually have it framed and hang it in a place of honor in my "Pub". Yes, I said "pub", a drinking establishment that I will have in our dream home that will eventually (soon I hope) be standing on our land in NC. Well, a man can dream, can't he? I mean Chris will have her "Studio" to escape to, so isn't it fitting that I have my oasis as well!?
Well, it wasn't the "Tale of two cities", but I hope you all have enjoyed my "Tale of the two Norwegians and a steak".
No comments:
Post a Comment