Throwing the stick

Dear Dan,

Mom and I were talking about something I think of a lot. Remember the time were were riding with mom over Seven Mountains? I guess we were going to Mamie's. You probably had an appointment with Dr. Rodriguez -- the one who fit you for leg braces, we were that young.

There was road construction just past Pot Likker Flats near Reedsville where the Missing Link used to be. We were waiting in a line of cars to go through. It was a hot summer day -- always! because in PA Road Construction Season falls between Summer and Fall -- so the windows were down. The flagman stopped mom, handed her a stick and asked her to give it to the guy at the other end of the construction.

Mom thought it was a joke. She tossed the stick into the field and said "Oh, you silly thing," to the flagman. He looked at her with a very mournful, yet shocked look and said "You threw away my stick!"

You and I yelled "MOM!" as she drove off and the flagman went to look for something else to give to the car behind us.

You had to explain to mom that because of explosives being used they had to turn off the 2-way radios. The stick was the way each flagman knew this was the last car.

Mom still can't figure out how we knew that and she didn't. Fur the umpteenth time I said "Who doesn't know that?" but I do wonder how we did and she didn't.

Love ya, bro!