Mr. Singh: From Thereby Hangs A Tail
Last night we watched this movie called The Pawnbroker. It didn’t remind me of Mr. Singh at all. Also I didn’t understand it one bit, and afterward Bernie seemed depressed. So here’s Mr. Singh.
“Bernie! Chet!” said Mr. Singh. “How is our beautiful timepiece today?”
Bernie handed over his grandfather’s watch. His grandfather once owned a big ranch where Mesquite Road and our whole neighborhood was now, but lost everything, possibly because of a drinking problem, although the drinking problem might have come from some other story Bernie had told me, a story about another relative. But not Bernie’s father. Bernie never talked about his father, who’d been dead for a long time. Bernie’s mother was still around. I’d met her once: a piece of work. She lived somewhere far away with a new husband, or an even newer one. She called Bernie Kiddo! What was up with that? But I still shouldn’t have done what I did, a story perhaps for another time.
Mr. Singh held the watch in both hands, admiring it. “Do you know that only a dozen of these were made?” he said. “How I would love to take this on Antiques Roadshow.” Mr. Singh had a strange way of talking, almost like music. I could listen to him all day. “Did you ever find out how it came into his possession?” he said.
“No,” said Bernie.
“Thereby hangs a tale, I’m sure,” said Mr. Singh.
A tail? Was Mr. Singh saying Bernie’s grandfather’s watch had a tail? Fun to listen to, Mr. Singh, but hard to understand. We left, a big wad of cash in Bernie’s pocket and a bite or two of curried goat kebab in my mouth. I like ethnic food. So does Bernie. There are picky eaters out there, but not us.
Tags: Bernie's grandfather, Bernie's mom, Mesquite Rd., Mr. Singh, Thereby Hangs A Tail
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 8:40 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
3:43 am on March 2nd, 2010
Chet, I've never met a Newf that is a picky eater. Maybe one of your ancestors was a Newfoundland dog!
4:51 am on March 2nd, 2010
Gasp!… I finished “The Tutor” yesterday!…snort!… I was all alone in the house, but I couldn’t resist picking It up and reading further!…wheeze!… At first I had stopped when the strawberry jam jar came down!…smash!… After those last few pages, I hid in my bed with my toys…. Snorkel!… there was a even a hint of humor tucked in there towards the very end, “Don’t open that door!”…snicker!
6:20 am on March 2nd, 2010
Rio. Brainstorming time. First, on the publication date, thanks to B. Stover, we now know the date, but we need to get it moved up. How about this. Spence (or his alter ego) is going to be at the Brattleboro Book Fair (in Bermont) from October 2-4, 2010. Wouldn't that be a great time for release of T-FAT? I definitely think so. I actually think I may be there too — our annual fall vacation to Vermont will start on October 2, so I will make sure my mom and dad get to Brattleboro early. Maybe my new friend Audrey will be there too. Sniff, sniff. Second idea — is it too early to start worrying about book 4? Do you think the mind control device can help Spence along with progress on book 4? There's gotta be a Book 4, and then a Book 5, and then a Book 6 and so on!!!!!! There's just gotta. What do you think? PFC Wookie, at brainstorming central.
P.S. My dad just finished Delusion. Couldn't put it down once he started.
6:22 am on March 2nd, 2010
Correction. That should be Vermont, not Bermont, but I think everyone knew that anyway. W
6:54 am on March 2nd, 2010
Wookie!… So nice to hear from you my fine friend… snort!… Oct. 2 is so far away!….grunt!… you will have to remind us about your trip before you go…. Gruff!… how exciting to get to meet “The Man”…cough!… don’t be too disappointed when you first see him… what with being short and that pointy head thing going on… Wow!… still exciting stuff though.
7:05 am on March 2nd, 2010
PS!.. Wookie!… do you have a schedule of his other appearances?….snort!
7:28 am on March 2nd, 2010
Rio. Its easy. Just click on the link to Peterabrahams.com at the top of this page, and then click on appearances (a button off to the left) and you will get a listing of all of his appearances that have been scheduled. Wookie
7:33 am on March 2nd, 2010
Wookie!… I have seen that – but it has the 2009 Scheduled Appearances…. Snort!…I don’t see any for 2010 on the page…. Grunt!…am I missing something?
8:42 am on March 2nd, 2010
Rio. Whoops. Your are right. I just presumed those were the 2010 dates and didn't look closely enough. Sharp eyes on your part. I think Admin has been slipping up and needs to reprimanded for not updating the appearances for 2010. And we now need to find out what the 2010 dates will be. Nor do I know what the means for Brattleboro. I hope Spence does go back again, but if not, Audrey and I will need to make alternate arrangements. Rats! Back to the drawing board. Humbly, PFC Wookie
2:41 pm on March 2nd, 2010
Wookie!…Admin!…don’t get me started on that one!…grunt!…I’ve been detained today… snort!… Drat!… it would be very nice to know exactly where Spence will be showing up at this year…grunt!… so many things could be ‘planted’.. heh… I mean “planned”… snuff!
2:54 pm on March 2nd, 2010
Zippy!…. where are you!?….come here Zippy!… you’ve been missing for a few days now!… snort!… I miss you Zippy!
5:00 pm on March 2nd, 2010
Damn!… am I all alone again?? ….Do I have the Lone Mike on Center Stage… snort!… I could do a whole standup comedy routine right now… grunt!…. I’m not prepared of course…wheeze!… but maybe I should be for future Gaps!… snuffle… none of you would like that…let me warn you right now. ..heh!
Guilt!… I have to admit we here really like to watch ‘American Idol’… snort!… Yes! Its true! But we forget about all the initial bullshit and skip over it… Ha! …the Olympics sure helped with that!…Grunt!… now its down to a lot fewer guys singing their guts out for glory!… wheeze!…
5:19 pm on March 2nd, 2010
Rio – I'm here with you, but American Idol is over so we are going to bed. Leaving ski country to our other home tomorrow, snow was still good this morning but who cares but Mom.
6:49 pm on March 2nd, 2010
Zow!… I love being in the Wild Wild West!.. I can always get the “last word in”.. hee!
Now I forget what I was gonna say… damn!….
Oh!… now I have officially started “Oblivion” … maybe its because of the memory thing I wanted to read it next.…whooo!
10:56 pm on March 2nd, 2010
Hey Rio!
Zippy let me know that she will be taking a little trip and won’t be back for a few days. Some kind of training for work. She was bummed because she and Lonnie and Gord were only up to Chapter 16 (I think) and she didn’t want them to lose the thread while she was gone.
Hopefully she will be back by the end of the week. I wouldn’t want you to pine away.
Snicker
from Alice, whose staff just got back from a long day at work and then shopping for groceries and intends to go right to bed cause she had to get up at 6!! today and she hates getting up early.
11:27 pm on March 2nd, 2010
Weird!….I know Abbiethekat. Alice.. hmmm.. and now Zippy,, and then Staff… and now there’s a Gord..and Lonnie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For Gawd’s Sake explain please!….it’s like your whole damn family IS here… wheeze!
Your last name isn’t ‘Gardner’ is it??????? …ooooo that could be bad.
Wow!…that’s a lot of info to take in at anytime…. Snuff!… Seriously, I am just glad Zippy is okay!