REVIEW POTPOURRI – Novelist: Jim Thompson

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Jim Thompson

Pop. 1280, 1964 crime novel, roughly 217 pages.

Jim Thompson

Vastly underrated during his lifetime, Jim Thompson (1906-1977) wrote over 30 novels mainly set in the “golden triangle” of Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma during the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s. Most of his characters were clueless misfits, self-serving blowhards and nihilistic villains.

Pop. 1280 features a sheriff of one small town in the 1950’s Deep South, being used as the first person narrator of the entire novel. He conveys his questionable integrity best himself via the story’s opening paragraph. “Well, sir, I should have been sitting pretty, just about as pretty as a man could sit. Here I was, the high sheriff of Potts County, and I was drawing almost two thousand dollars a year – not to mention what I could pick up on the side. On top of that, I had free living quarters on the second floor of the courthouse, just as nice a place as a man could ask for; and it even had a bathroom so that I didn’t have to bathe in a washtub or tramp outside to a privy, like most folks in town did. I guess you could say that Kingdom Come was really here as far as I was concerned. I had it made, and it looked like I could go on having it made – being high sheriff of Potts County – as long as I minded my own business and didn’t arrest no one unless I just couldn’t get out of it and they didn’t amount to nothin’.”

This excerpt is one example of how Thompson’s characters were extremely funny yet quite creepy.

An admirer, Stephen King wrote the following accolade:

“The guy was over the top. The guy was absolutely over the top. Big Jim didn’t know the meaning of the word stop. There are three brave lets inherent in the foregoing – he let himself see everything, he let himself write it down, then he let himself publish it.”

FOR YOUR HEALTH – Kitchen Contamination: How To Keep Your Family Safe

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(NAPSI)—The next time you need to wipe up a spill, health expert Dr. Charles Gerba, Professor of Environmental Microbiology, University of Arizona, aka “Dr. Germ,” warns: don’t always reach for a sponge or dishcloth.

Instead, use a paper towel. That’s because kitchen sponges, which he calls “bacteria cafeterias,” are the No. 1 source of germs in the house. The average sponge carries nearly 5.5 trillion microscopic bugs.

When to Reach for a Paper Towel

  1. According to a recent study on cleaning habits, the majority of millennials reach for sponges or cloth dishtowels when cleaning surfaces that have raw meat or poultry. Dr. Gerba recommends using paper towels, especially when prepping and cleaning up raw meat and eggs. Sponges and dishtowels can instantly become contaminated after handling these foods, which may contain bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, Dr. Gerba explains.
  2. Paper towels should also be used to help contain spills and prevent them (and subsequent germs) from spreading around the kitchen. Whether soaking up bacon grease or cleaning up oil splatters, paper towels pick up spills quickly and efficiently. For larger oil spills, cover with baking soda or salt for about 15 minutes, then pick it up with a paper towel and throw it out.
  3. When cleaning the refrigerator, dampen a paper towel with warm water and dish washing liquid and wipe down all trays, drawers, shelves and walls at least once a week. Using a sponge increases the risk of bacteria spreading around the various surfaces and shelves.
  4. When kids are in the kitchen, use paper towels to clean-up everything from spills on high chair tables to sippy cups and bibs. “This ensures germ-ridden messes get tossed right into the trash and don’t linger on kids’ items,” adds Dr. Gerba.

When People Actually Reach for a Paper Towel

While there’s been an increasing amount of studies and data showcasing the high bacterial risks associated with kitchen sponges and cloth dishtowels, a recent study on cleaning habits showed that a over half of millennials (59 percent) and nearly half of baby boomers (49 percent) reach for a sponge or cloth dishtowel when cleaning kitchen counter tops.

Even more surprising, less than half of millennials think they run a risk of possible illness or food poisoning by not cleaning these kitchen durables.

The truth is, sponges and cloth dishtowels become germ-infested as soon as they’re first used in the kitchen.

As for baby boomers, most clean their cloth dishtowels once a week, which is still not as frequent as it should be (ideally, everyday). Also, how to clean is just as important as when to clean.

“Cold water washes are awful for eliminating bacteria from fabrics,” says Dr. Gerba. “Washing sponges in warm water does not get rid of the bacteria unless you add bleach,” he adds.

So when it comes to helping keep your kitchen clean and germ-free, let a paper towel be your shield.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: It’s too bad that today’s hunting is no longer a fair fight

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

The resources available to today’s “great wild game hunters”

When I was having my usual morning coffee and Danish last week following Sunday church, I happened to look up at a wide-screen television mounted on the wall of a local restaurant to notice an outdoor show. It was your typical show, sponsored by outfitters, outdoor equipment companies and the opinions of various “expert” hunters.

The reason the show caught my attention was the way they were going about hunting. I remember the days when I was an avid hunter (my wife says I have since “lost the thrill of the hunt”), we used to have our favorite spots, get out early in the morning on a full stomach, brave the weather conditions and have great expectations for the outcome at the end of the hunt. It was the hunter vs. the hunted. A classic exercise in who could out think, out maneuver or outwit the other. It was wild game hunting at its best. You needed to possess the skills to pursue your prey in its own environment, both parties equipped with all the instincts Mother Nature provided.

I can remember a couple of those adventures when the animal actually out-smarted me – something my wife says is easy to do (her opinion). I once followed a deer through the snow for many hundreds of yards, never catching sight of him, but I could hear him snorting up ahead of me, and hearing his antlers rattling against tree limbs. I followed him until we crossed our original tracks, and he actually passed through two conifers without disturbing a snowflake on the boughs. That was when I knew I was outwitted.

But that was then.

Today, it just isn’t fair. Here, on this show, located somewhere in the Midwest, they had hunters gathering on game farms, splashed with deer urine scent like it was Aqua Velva, equipped with global positioning equipment, calling the deer with artificial devices. Once the deer was lured, they employed a computerized gauge to calculate the distance to the target, refer to another hand-held instrument to measure the direction and velocity of the wind before finally sighting in the prey. Mounted on top of their high powered rifle was a scope capable of seeing a gnat’s tonsils at 200 yards.

The deer didn’t stand a chance. The only thing the hunters didn’t have were laser guided ammunition or “smart” bullets. After they dispatched the animal, they would break into a wild celebration. What’s with that?

If, after the use of all that sophisticated equipment, you didn’t come home with a deer that was essentially caged, you should be embarrassed to the point of taking up bowling. The whole episode was like shooting fish in a barrel.

So, I’ve decided that a money-making venture would be to make available to deer: human motion sensors, rear view mirrors, bullet proof vests, space-aged unpenetrable deflector shields a-la Star Trek, and laser guided bullet defense systems. After all, it’s only fair.

Remember the old saying, “We believe in the right to arm bears?” Well, the same could be said about deer.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the seven NFL teams with the initials of their cities on the side of their helmets.

Answer can be found here.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Innovative Technology Improves Patient Experience For Women Undergoing Breast Cancer Treatment

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(NAPSI) — A mother, a sister, a friend…many of us know someone who has been touched by breast cancer, the most common cancer among women, affecting an astonishing one in eight women in the United States.

Thanks to technological advances in detection and new treatment approaches, women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer can opt to keep their breast with less invasive surgery and with breast-conserving treatments. In fact, the American Cancer Society estimates that 59 percent of women with an early breast cancer diagnosis (Stage 1 or 2) undergo breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) versus 36 percent of women who decide to have a total mastectomy. Research has shown that breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy is as effective as a mastectomy in decreasing the risk of local cancer recurrence for most women*.

“One way that breast-conserving surgery is now easier is due to a new innovation in breast cancer treatment—SAVI SCOUT® Radar Localization. This resolves one of the most difficult aspects of breast conservation surgery by eliminating the need to place a wire inside of the breast tissue to locate a tumor,” said Dr. Barry Rosen, Chairman of Department of Surgery at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago; and Assistant Professor, University of Illinois College of Medicine. “Many of my patients who have undergone a procedure with SCOUT® are impressed with the benefits, including shorter procedure times and decreased anxiety.”

Prior to 2015, surgeons generally relied on wire localization to locate a tumor during a lumpectomy procedure. With wire localization, a radiologist guides a thin, hooked wire through the skin and into the tumor on the day of surgery. The surgeon then uses the wire to identify the area of tissue targeted for removal. This resulted in long days of surgery for women, with two procedures performed on the same day. With SCOUT, a tiny reflector, the size of a grain of rice, is placed at the tumor site at any time during the patient’s treatment and well in advance of surgery.

The SCOUT Wire-Free Radar Breast Localization System uses safe, nonradioactive, radar technology to provide real-time and precise surgical guidance during the surgery.

The ability to precisely locate tumors increases the probability of complete cancer removal and reduces the likelihood of needing follow-up surgery, allowing any additional treatments to occur sooner. In addition, the ability to strategically plan the incision may result in better cosmetic outcomes.

SCOUT is also used to effectively localize lymph nodes and tumors prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy administered prior to surgery) and can be used with any type of imaging over the course of a patient’s care. More than 350 hospitals have implemented the SCOUT System, and to date, over 45,000 women have had a wire-free localization experience.

Learn More

If you would like to learn more about SAVI SCOUT or the SCOUTCare™ program, visit www.ciannamedical.com.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: T-shirt sayings and confessions

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by Debbie Walker

I was not going to do anymore of the T-shirt sayings, honestly I didn’t think there could be anymore out there. Wrong! A couple of them are my all-time favorites. Hope you find a favorite, so far that seems to have be this one: “Training your wife is like trying to baptize your cat!” Let’s see if any of these make you smile.

Physically I’m here; mentally I’m in a galaxy far away.
It’s a beautiful day. I think I’ll skip my meds and stir things up a bit.
I can’t play stupid with you. You’re too good at it.
Mister Rodgers did not adequately prepare me for the people in my neighborhood.
I had my patience tested, I’m negative.
Whew that was close, almost had to socialize.
Crazy is like diarrhea, you can only hold it in for so long.
Keep talking. I’m diagnosing you.
Once in a while someone amazing comes along. Here I am.
Daddio of the Patio
A little gray hair is a small price to pay for all this wisdom!
75 percent of my brain capacity is wasted on song lyrics.
My Bucket List: 1. Keep Breathing
Pretty sure I’m going to be one of those senior citizens who bites everyone.
PUNK: Professional Uncle No Kids
Fun Fact: Alcohol increases the size of the send button by 86 percent.
Life is too short to waste time matching socks.
Okay, so maybe there are more than a couple of new ones I really appreciated:
Hello, Yes. I’d like a refund on my body… It’s kinda defective and really expensive.
Tomorrow – A mythical land where I get all my stuff done. (Just way too true).
Okay now for my two top favorites!
I’m more confused than a chameleon in a bag of Skittles
*** Go Braless …. It will pull the wrinkles out of your face!***

The response to my column last week, about collections, certainly hit home with a lot of people. Ken, my significant other, also found out he was not alone in questioning the ‘hoarding’ possibility. I did make a reference to my having a lot of interests. So next you will probably find out more than you will need to continue to support Ken.

I have wigs!! Some I really enjoy and wear often. There are many others that I save just for wearing to school in some of the stories I ‘act out’ for the kids or for a holiday like green for St Patrick’s Day, red or pink for Valentine’s Day, etc. Some of those my mom actually bought!

I have junk jewelry, when I buy some new piece of clothing I can usually come home and pull out earrings to match. I have been collecting those for at least 50 years! (Man I am getting OLD). In the past few years I have added watches, rings, and the list goes on. I also buy it cheap to take apart and make something else for gifts. I have been known to buy earrings to paint different colors; I use nail polish for colors!

Books, as I mentioned last week, play a big part in my clutter. Books about fairies, Native American nations, kids’ books, my collection of Farmer’s Almanacs, clothes, and the list goes on, really. I am sure you are getting a clear picture and I am running out of this week’s words.

I’m just curious how much you will confess to collecting. Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com with questions, comments and confessions!

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Musician: Louis Armstrong; Composer: Berlioz

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Louis Armstrong

Early Satch
Philips 429739BE, 45 ep, extended play, Holland release. Originally 78s from 1927-1928.

Louis Armstrong

Four sides from the group known as the Louis Armstrong Hot Five are contained in this mid-’50s Dutch Philips reissue. All were recorded in Chicago; two done in May,1927 with the others in December, 1928. Several highest quality instrumentalists joined Satchmo and his second wife, pianist and singer Lil Armstrong (they duet back and forth in the classic That’s When I’ll Come Back to You).

Fatha Hines does piano turns in Chicago Breakdown and Basin Street Blues. Kid Ory’s trombone, Johnnie St. Cyr’s banjo, Don Redman’s alto sax and Baby Dodds’s and Zutty Singleton’s drums blend their unique sounds, adding to the cornet and trumpet notes that leader Armstrong mastered so thoroughly and beautifully. And the 4th track, Tight like This, is in a class of its own.

Berlioz

Harold in Italy
Violist Guenther Breitenbach with Rudolf Moralt conducting the Vienna Symphony Orchestra; Vox Pantheon 6700, mono LP, recorded 1950.

Hector Berlioz

Composer Hector Berlioz wrote this Symphony with viola obbligato for his friend, violin virtuoso and composer Niccolo Paganini. The violinist then rejected the music because it wasn’t flashy enough for him and his constant need to show off his technique. However the work has become a huge favorite since its 1834 premiere.

This oldish, antique performance and recording is very good for its time and one eloquent listening experience in its individual musicality. I bought it in 2002 for $2 at the now gone annex of the NYC Tower records at Fourth and Broadway and played it several times since then. The late Harold C. Schon­berg’s annotations are astute and engaging.

Bluebloods

Tom Selleck

I have watched the first three episodes of this show’s 8th season on Netflix, where I enjoyed the previous seven seasons immensely. Tom Selleck, as the New York City police commissioner Frank Reagan, heads a superb cast of regulars who keep the story lines moving along.

 

 

 

SOLON & BEYOND: Many craft fairs going on this time of year

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning my friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Don’t forget about the Solon Congregational Craft Fair on this Saturday, November, 10, at the Solon Elementary School from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Lots of these fairs going on at this time of year. There will be another one on Friday, November 9, put on by the Redington Fairview General Hospital, in Skowhegan, from 8 a.m.until 4 p.m., in the Main Lobby and the MOB (Medical Office Building lobby). There will be numerous vendors, holiday decorations, goodies, miscellaneous food items, handcrafted items: knit, crocheted, sewn, canned, painted, baked… list goes on. Jewelry, floral arrangements and more. There will be a raffle also.

The next Embden Historical Society event is scheduled for Monday, November 12, at 5:30 p.m., for a potluck meal; 6:30 p.m. business meeting and 7 p.m. Yankee Swap. Please bring a casserole or salad to pass and a $5 unisex gift wrapped and enjoy the good food, fun and fellowship. Plates, plasticware, yeast rolls, dessert and drinks will be provided.

The 2019 programs will be available to pass out at that time. Please come by to pick up yours.

The Embden Community Center will be hosting a complete Thanksgiving meal at 5 p.m., on Saturday, November 10. Donations will be welcome.

It was a sad day on Wednesday, October 31, 2018, when the doors closed at the old Solon Methodist Church as a Thrift Shop and Food Cupboard.

I went there on that day and walked in and asked Linda French, (who is my niece and knows me very well,) if I could ask one request? I could almost see her heart beating rapidly as I asked, but she calmly answered, “Yes, if you promise not to cry!” And then I followed Linda up that beautiful, ancient, old, curving stairway up to what was the worship area for many, many years…. and don’t tell Linda, but my eyes watered a bit on that trip! We stood and talked of some of our memories in that special old building. I had joined the Solon Congregational Church in that building over 60 years ago when we moved down from Flagstaff. When we moved, I had been given a letter from the Flagstaff Congregational Church, saying that I had been a member there.

And now for Percy’s memoir, (he died two years ago today):

Remember what’s Most Important…

It’s not having everything go right; it’s facing whatever goes wrong.
It’s not being without fear; it’s having the determination to go on in spite of it.
What is most important is not where you stand, but the direction you’re going in.
It’s more than never having bad moments; it’s knowing you are always bigger than the moment.
It’s believing you have already been given everything you need to handle life.
It’s not being able to rid the world of all its injustices; it’s being able to rise above them.
It’s the belief in your heart that there will always be more than bad in the world.
Remember to live just this one day and not add tomorrow’s troubles to today’s load.
Remember that every day ends and brings a new tomorrow full of exciting new things.
Love what you do, do the best you can, and always remember how much you are loved.

(words by Vickie M. Worsham.)

SOLON & BEYOND: News from Embden Community Center; thrift shop moves in Solon

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

This is one of those weeks when I only have one item of real news to share with you, and on top of that, it’s one of those rainy, foggy days we’ve had so many of lately! But don’t get down and discouraged and stop reading, this is some very important information about what’s going on in Embden at their Embden Community Center.

Their regular events are:

Neighbor to Neighbor Thrift Shop/Lending Library, 10 a.m. -12:30 p.m., Wed. and 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Friday and Saturday.

Suppers: 5 p.m., on the second Sat. each month, except December.

Country Sunday: 1 – 4 p.m., second and fourth Sunday, by donation.

Sewing class: 1 0 a.m. – noon on Wednesdays.

Weight Watchers: 5 – 6 p.m., on Wednesdays. Come in and sign up, new members excepted.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 10:30-11:30 a.m., on Wednesdays.

Community Center meetings: 6:30 p.m., on Thursdays prior to the second Saturday Supper.

Yoga: 6:30 p.m. ( 1 hour). Bring your mat, etc., second Sat.

If you have any questions, contact Wayne at 474-1065.

They will be serving a Complete Thanksgiving meal starting at 5 p.m., on Saturday, November 10. Donations welcome.

My very many thanks go out to Carol Dolan for sharing the Embden news with us, she is one of my most faithful friends to do so!

Just a little more about the weather before I get to more pleasant things, and I hope I’m not stirring up some people by doing so! But I have a question for all you weather experts, “Do you believe that caterpillars can forecast what the weather is going to be like this winter?” Old time legends say it depends on how wide the stripe is on their back as to how much snow we will get this winter, the wider the stripe, means the more snow we will get……I sure hope that is not true, because I saw a pretty little fella recently that had a really long stripe covering his whole body, except for black on both ends of him!

I am so very sorry to tell you of this very sad news that I just received from Linda French, of Solon, who has been running the Solon Thrift Shop. On Saturday, October 31, 2018, will be the last day that it will be open at the old Methodist Church, on Pleasant Street, in Solon. (I’m going to have to read my cheerful words over again myself, I could cry after hearing that bad news! But there was nothing that could be done to keep it at that place on Pleasant Street. And so after about two weeks of moving all of the items to 46 South Main Street, in Solon, it will be opening again! I admire Linda’s courage immensely! Keep watch this column for more news.

Now I’m going to let Percy’s memoirs have more space this week, so you will be happier after reading them, from what I’ve heard, I think that’s why some of you read this column!! The following one comes from a book entitled, “Don’t Ever Give Up Your Dreams.” It’s natural to feel disappointed when things don’t go your way, It’s easy to think…”I can’t do it, so why try?” But no matter how scared you are of making a mistake or how discouraged you may become, never give up… because if you don’t try and if you don’t go after what you want in life , it won’t come to you, and you’ll be forced to accept things you know could be better… Success is not measured by whether you win or whether you fail— there’s always a little bit of success , even if things don’t go your way — What’s important is that you’ll feel better about yourself, for the simple reason that you tries. (words by Amanda Pierce)

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Thoughts for the year

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by Debbie Walker

Once again I got involved with reading a few of my Farmers’ Almanacs. I have ordered some of the older issues because I enjoy them all and the words carry such wisdom. I am going to list these to hopefully give us thoughts on this past year and our future years.

One can complain because rosebushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

Smiling is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it in one spot.

People with weak arguments have to develop strong voices (I think of politics).

Why do shipments go by car and cargos go by ship? (I love these things!)

You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice.

You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to.

The trouble with being a good sport is you have to lose in order to prove it.

An auction is a place where if you aren’t careful, you’ll get something for nodding.

The quickest way to kindle a fire is to rub two opposing opinions together. (yes, I am again thinking politics!)

Compassion has no limit. Kindness has no enemy.

Don’t press your luck, you might pop it!

When you find a stumbling block, use it as a stepping stone.

There is no need to be perfect to inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.

A relaxed mind is a creative mind. (not sure I agree with that one.)

The best way to forget your own problem is to help someone else with his or hers. (we often find ours wasn’t quite as bad as we thought.)

Age is the price of wisdom.

Undertake no more than you can perform (words from 1887, I hope this one sticks with me.)

It is bad manners to be more polite to your neighbor’s wife than to your own (or the rest of your family) words from 1904.

When drink enters, wisdom departs (1886).

Honesty is the best policy. The reason we don’t hear more about it is probably because it has expired. (Teach the policy anyway, that makes you unique.)

Be careful of your thoughts: they may break into words at any time. (1966)

Don’t be too anxious to give your children what you didn’t have, as you might neglect to give them what you did have.

When you point the fingers at others, you are pointing three at yourself! (Politics!)

If you’d like to have some company, just leave your house messy. (unwritten law!)

In diagnosing the illness of society, many are willing to write the prescription, but few are willing to take the medicine.

The past is precious; the future is fantasy; the present is priceless.

The new year lies before you like a spotless track of snow; be careful how you tread on it, for every mark will show.

Live your life as an exclamation(!) not an explanation.

These PHILOSOFACTS are from Farmers’ Almanac from 2017, 2018, 2013 and 2001. Please enjoy their website, FarmersAlmanac.com. I’m just curious if you enjoy the Farmers’ Almanac as much as I do. Please let me know at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Don’t forget we are online, too. (P.S.: I did make the comments at the end of some.) There is a great New Year headed our way!

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Composer: Bartok; Musician: Sidney Bechet; Comedians: Jonathan Winters & Dean Martin

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Bartok

Divertimento; 5 Chants for Children’s Chorus and Orchestra; 12 Miniatures for Orchestra
Vassil Kazandjiev conducting the Sofia Chamber Orchestra, with the Bodra Smyana Children’s Chorus directed by Liliana Bocheva singing the five chants – Balkanton/Harmonia Mundi HMB 103, stereo LP, released early 1980s.

Vassil Kazandjiev

Also a noted Bulgarian composer and now 84, Vassil Kazandjiev conducts these very fine performances and recording of three Bela Bartok compositions, the haunting, eloquent 1939 Divertimento for strings; the earlier Five Songs for Children’s Chorus and Orchestra and the Twelve Miniatures for Orchestra. All of these add up to a solid program of three works of the great Hungarian composer (1881-1945).

I have CDs of Kazandjiev conducting the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique and Beatrice and Benedict Overture and the Brahms 1st Piano Concerto with Ivan Drenikov, soloist, all three very well-conducted.

The Best of Sidney Bechet

18 sides for Alfred Lion’s Blue Note label, 1939-1953.

Sidney Bechet

The brilliant clarinet and soprano saxophone player Sidney Bechet, 1897-1959, recorded such classic standards as Summer­time, St. Louis Blues, Muskrat Ramble, All of Me, etc., included on this Blue Note CD transfer reissue with guitarist Teddy Bunn, pianists Meade Lux Lewis and Art Hodes, drummer Sid Catlett and trumpeter Jonah Jones among the sidemen working with Bechet.

Jonathan Winters and Dean Martin

At the Bar: 12-minute comedy YouTube from the 1970s Dean Martin Show.

Dean Martin

Jonathan Winters

The late comedians, Dean Martin as the bartender of his own nightclub, and Jonathan Winters as four characters with different personalities and voices, one of them an 86-year-old lady. Dino works with a script while Winters is totally unpredictable, with nobody ever knowing what he is going to say and do. As the old lady, she comments on her figure as an “uprooted rubber plant.” In the sketch of the grieving relative driving 2,500 miles that day to attend the burial service of a step-cousin dropped in an open grave wearing only poker dot trunks, he laments the inconsiderate behavior of his only heir, a 15-pound tomcat receiving $4,000, as not even bothering to attend the funeral.