Besides Dearly Demented Mom, the Teenage Eating Machine, the dog, two cats and me, we’ve got some other characters living here at the Dancing Dog Ranch. This week I’m going to introduce you to all of them and let you know their stories because, as we all know, there are a million stories in the naked Hill Country…

 Frank (looks just like a guy I used to date)

Frank is the oldest character around here. He was a present from my Dad, Joe the Pro, that he brought home from one of his weekly trips when I was probably around 10 years old. Dad was a manufacturer’s rep for Texas Miller Bros. Hats. He was a traveling salesman who hit all the hat shops in small Texas towns.

For you young ‘uns out there, yes there were hat shops pre John Kennedy and WalMart. Kennedy was the first President not to wear a hat. which had a bad effect on Dad’s sales. Guess that’s why he was a staunch Republican.

So Dad would bring me hysterical presents from his road trips. The best one ever was the six foot tall Styrofoam Tyrannosaurus Rex. Wow, did I have fun in with him in the swinging singles years. Men know you mean business when you have a dinosaur protecting you.

But back to Frank. My dad found him somewhere along the way. When you push Frank’s red button, his arms move back in forth in perfect Frankenstein fashion, he makes a scary Frankenstein arrgghh, his pants fall down and his face turns red. 

Don’t you just love my Dad’s sense of humor?

Frank hasn’t worked in years which means I probably should find an electrician (or toy maker) to date. And Daddy? Well, he’s in heaven reading this.

Tomorrow you’ll get to meet Lily.

Spreading laughter through the world…one chuckle at a time.

Mikie Baker
www.mikiebaker.com