The Hippie and the conductor

Everything was fun on the train .I enjoyed the speed ,the tunnels ,the buffet , the magazine for kids , the conversation of the adults ,the view of Lake Balaton .There used to be only one thing I hated : the conductor .She /He used to come with a grim face "tickets please " then my parents always got scared as they had something to fear -and served her/him our tickets .he/She checked them with superiority and gave them back then I saw my parents getting relief .Other passengers used to behave  the same way .It was weird all in all .
Once a strange man entered our compartment : he was barefoot ,he had big beard and long hair .He was wearing striped jeans and a waste coat without anything under just his bare skin .
"Can I sit here ?" -he had asked with docile face .
Everybody had a shock on his face -but they answered : "yes ,you can ."
There was a big silence after that .The man with a strange look closed his eyes - and fell asleep or at least he pretended to do so ."hippie " the passengers whispered to each other .
Half an hour later the conductor came : Tickets !!!
The man did not react .She shook him very much .When he opened his eyes he looked innocently to her ."Ticket ?"
He checked all his pockets .There were a lot in his jeans and bag .He was quiet and did not seemed to be scared at all .Everybody was mute .When he finished checking all  his outfit  then he told to the conductor :"it seems that I do not have ticket " - everybody was scared hearing about such a big mistake but him .
The conductor was scared  from his tranquility as well .In her most polite voice she just answered :" Then please leave the train at the next stop "
So he did . After he left I asked my mum about him : "a hippie" she answered smiling .
 Then I admired him very much and at once I decided to be a hippie when I grow up and I will never be afraid of anybody especially not of big headed conductors ...

Sweet Memories by almawad
See other Strawberry Photo Cards

When I was a little girl I liked those fine dots very much and I always wished to see my father in such tie .But he did not like the idea . I have just designed some ties with dots - and I wanted to know how others like dots in men’s fashion .
I put the question in a discussion forum for ladies and here are the answers I got:
I just don’t think polka dots belong on a tie.
If they are tiny, I like polka dots. But I don’t like the big 70s-style dots.
I’ve got nothing against polka dots in general, but IMO, some of those ties require sunglasses.
I do like the capuccino, cafe latte, burgundy dots, and fine dotted blue. I would never buy the very LOUD plaids and blocks though. But someone out there may like those.
Different strokes for different folks.
I would never buy anything polka dot for a man.
Truthfully, I don’t think I would ever see ties like those on men in my company...not even the gay ones.

This were the answers I got . I wonder what do you think about men wearing necktie with polka dots ?

burgundy polka dots,
by

almawad

Get this custom tie
at Zazzle

Grandma used to come to see us every December

Grandma used to come to see us every December. We lived somewhere in Western Hungary and she  lived on the Great Hungarian Plain .On the day when she left  for seeing us she took her two large baskets very early in the morning and took the little train of her village . It was still dark then .She arrived at a bigger town when the sun rose –where she took the train to Budapest .Then arriving there she had to cross the city with her two large baskets to get to the right station .Then  the train  was huffing and puffing again three hours all along the picturesque lake of Balaton.

Her arrival was  always the greatest present for us. Her baskets were hiding delicacies out of this world. Duck drippings, duck livers, plum jam in a clay pot, raspberry jam and syrup, walnuts.

Once there was a very cold winter . December had a grim look .My father had spent much money and even more on wood and kerosene .He had nearly froze to death during WWII as a little guy .As a result – he overprotected his family  and himself against the cold .

When it was about to buy the Xmas presents –simply- there was no money left  .My mother told us about it very sadly :-"No presents this year .Sorry kids ."
But we were not sad at all .All we wanted to know; - "Will Grandma come as usual?" 

As she did come –we were cheerful .  Her arrival was the greatest present and made all our December very special . Besides the delicacies she brought - she had her crochets and wool and she had made us every year a new pair of slipper.She  had a lots news and stories about relatives and her village .She spoke a very special dialect , a kind of old Hungarian and I looked at her as she was a fairy stepped out of from a tale .

Finally  our  Xmas Eve turned out to be very exciting . My father came home from work with a wonderful metal sledge .He had made it himself somehow from some waste metal.  What a wonderful  surprise it was ! On Xmas  day we went to a hill not far from our compound and close to a stream and were sliding all the day.
 Mom says that those days financially were the most difficult ones for our family .But in my memories there  is no hardship or sadness ..
 Actually ,I always remember those days as the most wonderful times  of our life.

Hungarian Xmas 1902 Greeting Card by almawad