Tossing Salt Presents:
A Day of Dougie:
Gin Grin, Midnight Train to Georgia, Frozen Yogurt & Ultimate X
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

A/N: I outlined this and did most of the writing on Thursday night but had a mood and went to my room instead of finishing. And now, it’s Sunday morning. I suppose I have two options now. Delete all of this and start fresh or just finish this one by talking about each topic, answering the questions, and posting as is. Guess which one I’m doing. And if I’m feeling better after I finish and post this, we’ll see what’s next. So, here you go.

Well, it’s still Christmas night, although it will be the day after when I post this. It’s been a day, and I’m so damn glad it’s over with. Thanksgiving was a bummer, and today was even worse. I cooked for Thanksgiving, and nobody wanted to eat, so I ended up eating leftovers for the next week. I didn’t even bother cooking for today. Our amazing neighbors sent us some plates that were delicious, and that was the Christmas feast. Mom is talkative, but doesn’t want to get up or leave her place in the living room. And I feel like crap, but despite my best efforts, I couldn’t sleep all day. I’d get up every two hours, check on Ma and the fur babies, and then go back to my room. I feel so damn alone.

But I figure if I write for a while, while listening to ’80s pop, maybe I’ll feel better. So Erasure is playing on the computer, and I’m going to do a Day of Dougie. No holiday theme or anything else. It’s just the usual rambling, plus three topics from the Magic Bag and a few Ultimate X questions to round things out. It might make me feel better, and even if it doesn’t. Its content, right? Oh yeah, I think I’ve decided on the site after the first of the year. Two sites. One for the wrestling, and one for the Dougie stuff. More information to come later. Now, let’s get the Magic Bag and find something to talk about. I’ve got the bag, and the topics of discussion are Gin Grin, Midnight Train to Georgia, and Frozen Yogurt. And now that we know that, let’s move on and get busy.

Another A/N: Two sites? That ain’t happening. I’ve changed my mind. And now, off to the meat of the Day of Dougie stuff. Let’s roll.

Gin Grin

When I worked at the ABC, we used to have a young man coming in regularly. Always smiling, and he liked that Seagram’s Gin. I never learned his name, but I know it now. Antonio. And one memorable morning, he was getting that gin and smiling, and the words just came out about that Gin Grin. A pint was a small smile. A fifth was a wide, huge smile, and on that rare half-gallon day, there was a grin that would make The Joker jealous. Antonio was one of my favorite regular customers while I was working at the store, and that Gin Grin, always bright and right on time, brightened any day. A good man and good memories. I wonder if he still goes into the ABC and drinks that Seagram’s Gin? I may have to look him up on Facebook one day and ask. He’s a cool dude.

What are some unwritten life rules everyone must know?

Be respectful, be kind, and don’t eat the yellow snow.

What does the Confederate Flag represent to you?

Friendship, heritage, and a group of friends when the only things that mattered was being a good person and being cool. My wild, rebellious teenage years. Good times.

Midnight Train to Georgia

A great song by a legendary singer about someone willing to give up everything to be with the person she loves. I always liked this song, and then, I actually listened to the lyrics. And now, I like it even more.

What is the longest amount of time you’ve worked for one employer?

I worked for Convenient Food Mart/Dairy Mart on two occasions, and together, they added up to 12 1/2 years. My time at Nic’s was two years for the first run, and 4 1/2 years for the second time, so 6 1/2 years total, but it seems much longer. And the ABC store was slightly over ten years. But I think the longest was the Food Bank where I volunteered for, I believe, sixteen years before my foot and leg problems forced me to give it up. So, a paying job was12+ years, and the volunteer work was for something like sixteen. And I’ve been writing about pro wrestling for the past 24 years. So, there you go.

When was the last time you ate mashed potatoes?

Last night, as part of a Banquet TV dinner. I didn’t feel like cooking, and it was fast and convenient.

Frozen Yogurt

Remember when this was the craze, the late eighties, and every store had a Frozen Yogurt machine. We had one at Convenient Food Mart, and as the third-shift guy, guess who had the honor of tearing it apart and cleaning it every night? Damn, that stuff was so good. A pain in the ass sometimes, but still, so good. I would regularly order odd flavors like peanut butter or grape to give our customers some variety besides the chocolate and vanilla, and the different combinations were incredible. Does anyone even still serve Frozen Yogurt anymore, or was that just a craze? If it was, it was a good one. And unlike McDonald’s, when I was working at CFM, our Frozen Yogurt machine was NEVER broken.

If they made a movie about Michelle Obama, who should be cast to act as her?

The WNBA basketball player who got busted in Russia for pot? What was his name? The man pretending to be a woman. Brittney Griner. He’d be perfect for the role of Michelle Obama. They have so much in common. Or Johnny Depp. He can play any role and be awesome at it.

Name something you should never run out of?

Toilet paper, cat food, love, and patience.

And there you go. 7:10 on a Sunday morning, and I’m finally finished. I’ve written this, fed the Straybies, and taken my meds. I guess now, it’s time to go back to bed for an hour or so. I have laundry today, plus I need to mop the kitchen and clean the bathrooms. And Mom. Oy vey. I love her, but she is the most stubborn human alive. But that’s for later. As for now, I’m out of here. Stay well, my friends, and thanks for the continued support. Sometimes, it’s all that keeps me going. And anyhow, Happy Sunday. I’ll see you later.

Ubuntu!