A PRANK WELL PLAYED
ON TWO AIRSTREAMERS
This joke started quite simply one winter while Ralph and I were camping in Texas. I had
spotted a tin man for sale on the site next to us and an evil idea popped into my head. You see,
my brother Frank and wife Doreen owned an Airstream, spending their winters in Florida. The
early Airstreamers called themselves "Tin-Canners", a nick-name now unappreciated by the
modern ones.
Ralph thought he could easily make a tin man, so we saved our pop and tomato cans. We also
had a gallon oil can for his body, but being an Imperial gallon, our Canadian Tin Man was more
"robust". The following November Ralph began to build, tear apart, rebuild, tear apart and
rebuild until he was satisfied with the results. I wish I had taken a picture of our Tin Man,
hanging upside-down from the ceiling in the old kitchen, while his aluminum paint was drying. It
really was a sight, altho' a little undignified for Tin Man!
Tin Man enjoyed Christmas under our tree and joined us in our motorhome to travel to his new
home in Florida. His new "parents" had no idea he was coming, let alone know of his existence.
Frank and Doreen had written they would be away a certain Sunday, so that was when we
planned to quietly slip into the park they were staying in and place Tin Man on their lawn. All
went accordingly, except a good friend spotted us, and he swore to keep our secret which he did,
but not without "stirring the pot" so to speak. :).
A couple of weeks later, we "officially" made our visit, completely mystified about their new
family member.
Later that spring Frank and Doreen came to our home for Sunday dinner. We showed them our
Christmas pictures whereupon they realized who the Jokers really were! |
