Pranking His Dad

My uncle, Elmer Johnson, like many boys, had a mischievous side as a kid. One day, Uncle Elmer was plowing with an old tractor at his dad’s place. His dad had gone out to use the outhouse, which was what they used back then. That’s when Uncle Elmer and his brother Les came up with an idea. Uncle Elmer drove the tractor right up to the outhouse, while Les hit it with a 2×4 as Uncle Elmer revved the engine. Their dad came running out of the outhouse with his pants around his ankles and the Montgomery Ward catalog in hand. He wasn’t too happy with them, but he was relieved the outhouse survived the whole ordeal in one piece. I’m sure he thought that boys had come too close to the outhouse and couldn’t get backed off of it in time. While the situation was highly embarrassing, he was relieved to be alive. I would assume the boys got into some form of trouble, but maybe their dad was a kidder too, and so he might have let it go.

I think Uncle Elmer might have been an interesting character to know as a kid. His childhood mischief reminds me a bit of my dad, Allen Spencer and my Uncle Bill Spencer’s antics as kids. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit to learn that all of them pulled some of the same stunts. I think it’s most likely just a guy thing. I don’t know if Uncle Elmer had access to dynamite, like my dad and uncle did, but I’ll bet that if he did, he probably pulled a stunt similar to my dad and uncle’s stunt of dropping the gate post about a foot deeper in the ground with dynamite. After the stunt with the tractor and the outhouse…oh yes, Uncle Elmer would have done the dynamite stunt too. No doubt about it.

Uncle Elmer was mischievous for sure, but he was also a great cook. Holidays at the Johnson house meant some really great dishes. Cooking isn’t always common among men. Many men can grill, and that is often considered their domain, but Uncle Elmer was an exceptional cook anywhere. His favorite meals to prepare were holiday feasts, always made from scratch. The family would gather around the kitchen, drawn by the incredible aromas, eagerly anticipating the meal. When it was finally ready, it was always worth the wait. Uncle Elmer loved experimenting with flavors and dishes, and somehow, every meal was a success. He had an instinctive talent for combining ingredients and seasoning to perfection. I can’t help but wish I had been able to enjoy some of those meals. It’s hard to believe that 44 years have gone by, since you left. Today would have been Uncle Elmer’s 92nd birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Uncle Elmer. We love and miss you so much.