Bert Stories

Dad was going to take Don and Laura for ice cream in Mankato MN, before it was built up on top of the hill.  He was flying up and down the hills and Don says, "you don't have to be in hurry".  Dad replied, "I not, I just don't have any brakes".  Don told me this story, I guess he never forgot it.  

One day on the Lake Crystal farm dad had to take a trailer for the car to go get something but he didn't have a license for it. He cut an inch off all the boards front and back, sure the police pulled him over. He told him he just made it and didn't have time to get a license, officer bought it and dad was free to go.  

Once an officer pulled him over for speeding, officer said, "if you weren't speeding you would be a lot farther down the road", dad says "yeah but I wouldn't of had the pleasure of meeting you".  Officer laughed, says, "oh get out of here" and gave him back his license.

Dad bought the 67 Chevy Van, got him very late after a snow storm and couldn't get up the driveway. All of us wadded through the snow down our long driveway, went for a ride around a little. Some how the conversation got to going to Madelia to see the grandparents and show the new vehicle. Got to Madelia in the wee hours of the morning, always admired dad's stamina, driving two hours home then four hours to Madelia after working all day.

My cousin thought the van was cool, dad had put a seat on the front for one kid to sit up front, and a TV on the back of the engine housing. The engine was between the two front seats under what they called a dog house. When we traveled we had a mattress behind the back seat so we could play around or sleep, great times. 

Dad would find deals on things, like bananas or portatoes (150 pound bag) and fill the van with people's orders. One time dad had to hit the brakes hard and a huge sack of potatoes went through the passenger side of the windshield, police asked where the body was, dad pointed to the potatoes. 

One time dad bought a chicken coup, had to move it himself, he built a brace across the inside, put a whole in the bottom for his feet and walked it down the road. A car saw this chicken coup slowly moving by it self, pull over, driver went over and looked in the door, started to laugh, said, "I should have known". 

When living in Staples dad had a nik name of speedy, and not for his driving, because he chased down a fox on foot.

That's it for now.