The Last Cheater’s Waltz

In 1980 I received orders to Australia.  I was working at Headquarters Air Training Command, Flight Safety at the time – as a T-38 Flight Safety Officer.  As my departure date neared ‘they’ asked me where I wanted to go for my Sawadee (Thai for ‘going away) party.

We had so often gone to this one restaurant that I was on a first-name basis with the staff.  The food was excellent, but ‘Com’ on man!’  So I suggested a pig roast.

“Have you ever roasted a pig?” someone asked.

“No,” I replied, “but how hard can it be?”

Mikey, a very dear friend from the office, who had previously worked with me at Vance AFB, OK, had a source for a hog – so we were good to go!

We took off work on a Thursday afternoon, hopped in my Ford F-100 pickup, ‘O-Bewdy’ and picked up the pig from this rancher in South Texas.  In those days it was ‘legal’ to drink and drive – you just couldn’t be drunk, and drive.  Well, hell…

As we came back though Universal City on our way to the Hill Country, where the party was going to be held, Mikey and I decided to stop for a burger.  So we grabbed the pig from the back and wrestled it into the front seat between us.  After securing it, we headed through MacDonald’s drive in.

Our order?  Well, a couple burgers, some fries and 1 ear of corn, of course!  We had drinks, thank you!  The gal at the window didn’t know what to say when she saw “our date!”  And Mikey and I both kept straight faces!  I’ve often wondered what she told her friends after work that day…

So we get the pig up to the roasting site, and it’s time to prepare it.  LC, who owned the property, had a pistol and it was left to me to shoot it.

Mikey, who’s birthday was yesterday, reminded me of this story as we talked about my new blog here.  He went on to say that he, LC and another friend from the office, Bob S. all ran for cover as I took aim!  I don’t remember that at all?  However, soon the pig was ready for ‘prep’ for the pit.

As it turned out, the party was a great success, and I think everyone had a good time, except the pig..

                                                    Me, LC, Mikey, and the pig…..

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