Doing the "Elaine Dance" at Oil Can Harry's - Hot Stuff

Oil Can Harry's - Hollywood, California

Remember two years ago when I was in Los Angeles and made a total fool out of myself at Oil Can Harry's (see HERE)?  Sure you remember. 

It was "Disco Night" or "Seventies Night" or some such thing.  Pat and I had just arrived in LA after a five hour flight and then fighting the traffic from LAX to our bed and breakfast.  It was raining that night and all Pat wanted to do was rest.  However, I wanted to take a trip back in time and experience the best time of my life, disco night and dancing at a gay bar.  Some of the best days (and nights) of my life were disco dancing at various gay bars on the East Coast.  I wanted to go to that happy place again.

I talked Pat into driving me through the dark and rainy night, on the twisty Mulholland Drive, which we weren't familiar with.  We found Oil Can Harry's and lucky for us there was just one parking spot left.  Pat backed into it (always back in, makes the getaway easier).  

We entered the bar and as expected, the disco ball was sprinkling its faceted light among the dancers and lookers on.  And the music was thumping.  After we got our drinks I told Pat, "I have to go out on the dance floor."  He gives me THAT look like a parent patiently indulging a child who is about to make a very foolish decision. 



I bee bop my way out on the dance floor and am soon joined by a tank topped, muscleman with a drink in his hand and torn jeans.  Oh no, just a dance buddy, nothing more.  

I morphed into my "Elaine Dance."  Oh sure, you know what the "Elaine Dance" is don't you?  "Seinfeld?"  Check it out.





Hey folks, I did the "Elaine Dance" before Elaine did it.  Back in the 70's at the Backstreet Bar in Provincetown.  I wondered why I cleared the dance floor.  But hey, I was enjoying myself even though I always managed to clear the disco mirrored dance floor when I began by kicks and thumbs up dance gyrations.

So there I was, in the middle of the dance floor at Oil Can Harry's in LA and I make my moon walk back step and . . . . . . fall flat on my back!  

I hear a collective "OH!" from my fellow dancers as they parted the Red Sea to see if this sad 72 year old was alright.  As I lay there on the dance floor, flat on my back looking at the still rotating disco ball, I thought "This is so embarrassing!"  But at least I'll never see these people again.  

I get up off of the dance floor, on my own but not without a struggle.  My tank topped, torn jeans dance partner just stares at me in amazement as he backs away from me with his "I don't know him" move.

I summon up my "This is no big deal" attitude and casually exit the dance floor.  I asked Pat, who was videotaping a dancer whose moves he was admiring,  "Did you get that?"  He didn't!  Man oh man, that video would have went viral.  

The dance floor quickly filled in like a hand removed from a bucket of water.  It appeared that my humiliation was short-lived as my fellow dancers quickly resumed their Trip Back to the Seventies and Disco Night nostalgia trip.  Perhaps thinking, "There's just another poor old fool attempting to relive his past."  Oh well.

This past January when we returned for our annual trip to LA, Pat and I couldn't fit Oil Can Harry's into our schedule of activities.  But you know folks, I think I would like to give it a try again next year.  Especially after listening to this selection from a group called "Opiuo."  The selection is called "Slur and Giggle" which I think is appropriate for a now 75 year old Old Fool getting out on the dance floor, under the disco ball and doing my version of the Elaine Dance.  Hey folks, that's what life is about.  Having a good time and especially being able to laugh at yourself.  

This selection may not be old fuddy duddy disco but check out the beat, how can you NOT dance to this?  And this time I'll make sure Pat videos me doing my moves. 

How Immature Am I?

Short answer?  Very.  

Long answer?  Read on.

As I am about to enter my 74th year of existence (this life anyway) on this planet I often review my past years and wonder "What went wrong?"  Actually, nothing "went wrong" (tongue in cheek folks, tongue in cheek which doesn't always come through in the written word).  

I pretty much believe that our life plan has already been laid out for us prior to our birth.  Sort of like a board game like Monopoly.  You get your turn, you shake the dice and make your moves.  Then you have to make decisions.  Shall I pay that much money for Boardwalk or save it to buy Illinois?  

One thing that has been constant in my life is this little annoying facet of my personality . . . . immaturity.  Here I am, the grand old age of 72 and I'm still doing immature things.  Like teasing Bill, my friends, neighbors and relatives, and you my dear blogger readers. 

Time is running out

For instance, check out the photo at the beginning of this blog.  A few minutes ago I stole it off of one of my favorite bloggers who posts once a week.  He posts a series of photos (taken with his iPhone) he has taken the past week.  He calls his post "The Sunday Evening Post."  See HERE

Mostly his photos are harmless, family friendly photos.  Occasionally he slips over into the risqué like this photo that I grabbed and posted here. I looked at that container for an electric razor and another image immediately came to my mind folks.  I'm telling you, I'm hopelessly immature.  But I'm blaming this on my father,

Ike Tipton, I'm just a chip off of his old block

he would have seen the humor too.  I inherited his immaturity gene.  Thus, why you won't see me being invited to any country club din din any time.  But you know what folks? I am pretty awesome.  And humble.  Just saying.

Still a Sick Puppy

Yep, still a sick puppy here, albeit a very old sick puppy.

Chicken soup (Campbell's) - Cold Remedy

I'm still trying to shake this cold/flu. I think it is the flu because my whole body aches and I just feel lousy.  I have a dry cough and am lightheaded (more than usual).  

I managed to get through my shift at the hotel last night with minimal sneezing and wheezing.  Of course I didn't look too good but it's hard to tell the difference when one is looking good or not at 71 years of age.  Yes, yes; there I go with the "old man" stuff again but hey, it is what it is.  I'm no spring chicken and when these colds (or flues) come a visiting me, it's harder and harder (now stop that!) to shake them off.  When I was younger, I just ignored colds and such.  Not now folks, my annual visit from the cold and flu demons slow Old Ron down a bit and this time is no exception.

Chicken Soup With Crackers - Dinner tonight - Yum!

Yesterday I loaded up on Zicam, the zinc cold remedy and that really seemed to help.  Today I had chicken soup for lunch and for dinner.  Yep, that's all....chicken soup; what a way to go on a diet.  I did want to lose about five lbs. of blub around my middle but not this way.  

Tonight I'm going to also take Vicks NyQuil before I go to bed so I won't wake up with a mouth that feels like a platoon of soldiers walked through it with muddy combat boots. NyQuil seemed to help out my friend Lar, who I am pretty sure gave me this cold while we were having our daily FaceTime chat a few days ago. 

What's going to get me through the night tonight

As I said, I'm pretty sure I have the flu which I seem to get every year regardless of whether or not I get a flu shot.  Maybe next year I'll forgo the flu shot.  Hmmmm....let me think about that.  Maybe not.  If I forego my annual VA administered flu shot I'll probably end up with the cold to beat all colds.  Best not take a chance.  

I did get a break at work.  I was supposed to work tomorrow during the day but my co-worker offered to work for me.  This gives me a chance to take another two hour afternoon nap.  That's what I did yesterday which gave me enough rest to get through the night.  However, I do have to go to work tomorrow night and then Monday and Tuesday.  But, another break, I won't have to fill in for my other co-worker on Wednesday; he will take his shift back.  For a while there they had me working six days in a row.  Me, a part-time (two nights a week) hotel front desk clerk.  Ask me the last time I worked a month (four weeks in a row) only two nights a week.  If your answer is "not in the last year" you would be right.  So much for "part-time" work.  Let's just say I'm a substitute front desk clerk, that would be a more accurate job description for old decrepit Ron.

Me sitting on the porch at Brandywine Senior Living where my friends Bob and Jim reside now - don't I look "at home?"