Sandy Supposes....

November 30th

Blogging Circle of Friends
DAY 3937 November 30, 2023
Congratulations, you did it.

The final prompt for the challenge is: What do these people have in common: George H.W. Bush, Evel Knievel, Zeppo Marx, Fernando Pessoa, and Oscar Wilde.? Pick one to discuss briefly in your entry today.

         

         

         What a wide range of figures to be honoured in our blogs, a politician, a motorcycle daredevil, an actor, a poet and a writer. What did these fine fellows have in common? They all died on November 30th.

          I recognize Evel Knievel an American stunt performer. Now I know his birth name was Robert Craig and the surname was an actual German-heritage one. I recall Evel broke numerous records and bones. He made a living jumping motorcycles over vast distances and objects such as lines of vehicles. Much of his infamy is due to his spectacular crashes and his survival of serious injuries. The Guinness World Book of Records lists Knievel as a survivor of "most bones broken in a lifetime." Imagine that as a legacy.

         My idea of a death-defying stunt is safely traversing the street or a set of stairs. While I have fractured bones I am not in Evel's league.

         Although his many stunts may appear to be reckless, Knievel was a proponent of motorcycle helmets. He acknowledged his use of one saved his life repeatedly.

         This showman believed in wearing a signature outfit, a leather jumpsuit and a cape. Over the years he appeared in various renditions of this garb, but the all-white jumpsuit is what I picture.

         My Nanny sewed an all -white jumpsuit with an attached red cape for my cousin Paulie. Until he out grew it he lived in it, winter and summer. Not that he jumped while driving a motorcycle, Paulie jumped from furniture or outdoor decks. I can see that red cape billowing behind his scrawny, blonde-headed body as he shouted, "Me Ebel Kniebel!"

         I don't know if Paulie himself ever made the connection, but many years later as an adult he obtained his motorcycle licence. This is where I should state that Paul has a form of autism and as such he cannot seem to comprehend cause and effect, or the vague notion of consequences. Anyway, Paul was driving along a divided two-lane highway one summer day and he noticed a fellow motorcyclist on the opposite side of the road. Instead of nodding at this driver Paul proceeded to wave at him with both hands. Yep, he was not steering his motorcycle at this point and he crashed. Thank goodness Paul wore a helmet. He did however fracture an arm much like his childhood hero Evel Knievel.

         Paul's damaged motorcycle languished in his parents' garage for years. He never had the funds to restore it and they refused to pay for its repair. I do wonder if at some point Paul would've attempted a very real Evel Knievel stunt if he continued to be a motorcyclist.