J0nny Ling0

There I was... Riding on my motorcycle with a pretty red head on the back of my bike. I had just spent about an hour and a half down on the Clackamas River, outside of Portland, Oregon, witnessing to her and telling her about Jesus Christ. She was a third generation welfare recipient, not terribly bright, but really seemed to be interested in coming to twig. As we eased into her driveway at the housing project, there was what appeared to be a fairly pregnant woman waiting at the place where I was told to pull in. When I turned the bike off, the distended belly girl says; "Well well Sharon, where did you find this one?" And so Sharon says; "I met him at the mall (I had been out mall witnessing ya know), and this one's a minister! "Oh boy" I'm thinkin... And so, since it was obvious that there was animosity between these two gals, I wanted to try and cool things down and get the conversation onto some sort of civil plain.. And so, I said; "And so Sharon, who is this lady here, are you going to introduce us?" And she sneers and says; "Yeah, this is my big sister Annie". And so I said; "Well hello there Annie, how are you? My name's "Johnny!" As I extended my hand for a shake. And she replied with something like, "Well, my name is Annie, nice to meet you!" And so, I looked down at her apparently pregnant belly and I say; "So, when's the Big Day?" And she says; "What?" And I said; "So when are you due?" And she says; "Huh?" And I said a third time, thoroughly placing both feet in my mouth; "So when are you Expecting?!" And she said; "What are you talking about?" And just then, Sharon catches on and blurts out; "Annie you fat pig! He thinks yer pregnant! Yer belly sticks out so much he thinks yer preggo!!" And OMG!! Instantly I realized my terrible, no my horrendous error, my faux pas extroardinaire'! And I began apologizing and telling her that I was so sorry, and she responded with sad things like; "Oh no, it's ok, I have been trying to diet, and I have been taking walks...." And I'm responding with desperate and really stupid things like, oh, it's ok, everybody likes to eat, I mean...I'm sorry... there's nothing wrong with you, you're just human like all of us... i mean, well, I'm so sorry...." I was so desperate to throw her a lifeline, but there was none, for I had already sunk her... And in the mean time, that stupid younger sister kept going on and on calling her a fat pig, and it was jkust plain awful!!! And to this day, I have never been so embarrassed in my entire life...What an idiot!! It is things like that that I thank God for my remission of sins and His complete and total forgiveness. Not for all of the drugs, sex, and rock and roll, but for things like this where I stupidly tokk someones heart out and stomped that sucker flat... OMG!! :o--> :o--> P.S. I was but a wee lad of twenty years...

Wow, that's kinda amazing HC, really. I do remember that he had a serious grip though. But having been a sheetrocker for a few years (now I'm a sheetrocker-on and off-for 28 years!-oy vey!), I definitely put the squeeze on him too. I do remember that he'd lost some fingers, and I remember the glove as well. I remember that VPW made a point of mentioning his grip and the loss of his fingers. VP was always impressed with people who "overcame the odds" and made something of themselves in spite of their handicap... I think of our small uncovering of this history as an answer to one of those "little things" that I think of once in awhile. Not terribly significant, but very interesting... Thanks bruh!

Wow Oak, that's AMAZING! Congratulations Brother, really...It's a wonderful thing...

Oh, here is one I don't think anyone has mentioned. Does anyone remember "Salt Walther" the not so famous Indy Car racer? He came to The Big E (Emporia) and was paraded before us as the Indy Car Racer" that The Way International might possibly sponsor. I thought it was really weird, because he "glad handed" us all, and made sure to squeeze the guys hands really hard (for after all, and Indy car racer has a grip of steel), and he was really nice, but all he and his syndicate wanted was money, and I remember feeling weird that he got all of that preferential treatment because he was an "Indy car racer". I mean, shee-it! In my mind, it was the believers who had pledged their All and all that deserved any approval, and not that "schlimy schmuck"!

Wow Chas U and Radar, I was born in Fresno! And you were WOWs there?

My wife, of the Seventh Corps, tells a funny tale that occurred during one of the meal times there. Apparently, Ann Marie (O'Reilly) Romaine, and some other gals put together a trio or quartet where they sang in sweet harmonies for the Corps, College Div, and staff there at The Big E (Emporia). They sang at meal times and I guess for some of the meetings. Well, the boys, not to be outdone, put together their own little vocal group. According to her, Jeff Pittinger, and a couple or few others, began to practice some songs. One day, during a meal, somebody got on the microphone and said something to the effect of; "Ladys and Gentlemen, normally we hear songs from "Quiet Seas, but today we present to you the awesome male vocal group known as "TIDAL WAVE!" And Jeff Pittinger and Company came out and started singing some cool song or another. And apparently it was hillarious as well as excellent! Now surely some of you Seventh Corps folk out there remember who else was in that illustrious group? Could it be that this may have been the "not so humble beginnings" of one of my very favorite Way Bands, "The Redemptions"? Man, I'll tell you, I just loved The Redemptions! They were fabulous! "Get Ready Cuz Here He Comes!" "My God", red crushed velvet suits, and etc. Anyway, my wife, Mrs. Lingo, remembers "Tidal Wave's" first introduction as one of her favorite "Priceless Corps Moments"....

Don't forget old "liver lips" Mick Jagger...

It's just that I am somewhat of a punctuation and spelling Nazi, and when I put that exclamation mark there, it throws me off. It's fine when I read it, but when I have to write it, it's weird. Kinda like the Rain Man not being able to watch "Wheel-Of Fortune" every weekday at 3:00 p.m. Kinda funny, to me... In fact, I will take this moment to let everyone know that the reason I put Dr. Wierwille's name with a capital W, or The Way Corps spelled properly (not "Corp" by the way), and in the upper case, it is because I believe it is proper grammar. I like to write, and I figure that I should maintain proper writing habits, and not abandon them just because this is "just a thread" or "just an e-mail". I do not like Adolf Hitler and what he was, but I would still write his name properly.

"Frankly my dear", not only would they enjoy it thoroughly, but throughly!

Steve! said; And ok, Steve!, I'll buy that. I know that Lech Walesa was truly a ballsy man who stood up to Jaruzelski, the Polish Communist leader, and his Solidarity movement was perhaps the first group within a Soviet country to say "up yours" and begin to get away with. And so Trefor, What you say seems to ring well with Steve! says also. And Steve!, that exclamation mark after your name is soo obnoxious! :-)

"Smile" is when a bunch of guys sit at a tall table, usually in Bangkok (Bankok?)or Subic bay in the Philipines, and a young lady who is in "the business" is under the table, usually at the collected expenses of the guys. Everybody starts out with a shot of whatever hard liquor has been chosen. And then the game begins. The first guy that "smiles" means that he is being intimately entertained by the lady under the table. He then has to take a shot of the chosen alcoholic beverage. And then the round begins again, and all of the guys, usually shipmates and friends have an uproarious time in their collective debauchery. And by the time it is all over, all of the guys are very drunk, and then they tip the lady generously. I never played it. But I have heard many many Navy guys talk of it in a ribald manner.

We have Ronald Reagan to thank for the fall of communism. Tell me though, what was the Pope's contirbution to the fall of communism? I am in the dark on this and I ask you honestly.

Oh, ok Galen. Sorry if I thought you were offended but were not really offended which could have been offensive! Haha! Have a great day bro... JL But did you ever play "Smile"?

PS Galen Really, forgive me if I was offensive. I think you are the greatest. Maybe my humor just plain sucks...Sorry.

Oh c'mon Galen, I am just bein' funny. I am thinking that there are folks here who are not familiar with the things that we have see as sailors, that's all. I have been a merchant seaman since I was sixteen (1973), and have been around the horn a time or two. Just thought I would spice up things a bit. I know that God has given to us inherently is not nasty or evil... And, as far as "channeling the Church Lady" as you said; "The real question is why are you "channeling the church-lady?" Well, I think that Dana Carvey is really funny, and that the "Church Lady" character is hilarious and "has a place here in this thread" because I am amused at how everyone has "perked up" here when this subject has come up. Hey bruh, peace. I'm not pickin on you, I just thought that I would bounce those things off you since you are a fellow sailor, that's all.. God bless you bruh, and thank you once again for your service to our wonderful Country. God bless the United States Navy, and the US Marines...I mean it...

Ya know Belle, I think that Irving Fryar, of New England Patriots fame, played for the Tampa Bay Bucaneers later on in his career. In fact, I actually saw an advertisement for some athletic shoes where he was billed as "The Reverend" in some athletic magazine. I would not be surprised that this is he of whom you speak... Personally Belle, I would rather see a life sized poster of you than Irving Fryar, otherwise known as "The Reverend....." You are most definitely more beautiful. Could you send me one?

Church Lady sez: Well now, isn't this special?? Seems to me like the topic has really moved on here, hmm? Seems to me that now that sex has become the main topic here, as opposed to fashion, everybody wants to jump in and have their "dirty little say so" hmmm? Well now, sounds pretty naughty to me! And you Galen, maybe you spent a little too much time in the Navy with those nasty little sailor boys, hmmm? And where did you learn those naughty little sayings Galen, hmmm? From those naughty little oriental girls in the Far East? Hmm? Well now. I heard that they would do it for just a bar of soap! I'll bet you have lots of naughty little secrets Galen.....Did you ever play "smile" in those dens of iniquity, hmmm Galen? And how about those naughty little girls that shoot ping pong balls, hmm? Could it be that this whole thread has fallen into the hands of.....SATAN!!??!!?? HMM!?

Well, the Pope may have been a great world leader and all of that. But he certainly was no "Holy Father". The scripture is clear, that we are to call no one Father but God. And that is not "Waybrain" as some may think, it's just the Bible. It's too bad he died, but he lived a full 84 years, and that's nice and long these days. It seems to me that many people mourning him also seem to be worshipping him. It also seems that many children under his watch, within his world wide ministry have fallen prey to his "priests" who have turned out to be sexual predators. Any ministry that insists that men take a vow of celibacy is flat out asking for trouble, and we have seen it. I just don't find it in my heart to be too awfully hurt at his passing. I think I was more bummed when Johnny Cash died.

Wow you all, those must have been some fun and exciting days. Glad you had 'em... Hi Socks. Did you all know John Nave? My wife was friends with him, and she tells a story about how he was camping in the Sierras and somehow got strawberry jam all over his sleeping bag and he woke up with a bear sitting on his chest and licking the jam off his beard and face. I stayed with John Nave, John Turner, and Nick Ritter(?) when I made my first pilgrimage to HQ when I was seventeen. John (Nave) taught me and my best friend who went with me, the fine art of smoking a pipe with a mixture of "mild Cavendish". He was very kind and very much like a big brother to us during that short ten days of spring break in '76. You should have seen us two goofy kids sitting at Adolphs smoking our new pipes...

I thought a "hummer" was a vibrator...

Church Lady sez; "Well now, aren't we getting naughty here? Hmm? That Radar O'Reilly certainly seems to be an expert on these things, so now, isn't that special? Maybe she should go down to the alter a little more often? Hmm? Could it be that this whole thread is from SATAN??!!??!!" hah. Actually I am glad it was a woman who brought this to light, for, the big lips thing is subliminally suggestive of oral sex. I have heard of those kind of lips referred to as "disco sierra limas" or, "DSL's" So now, you fill in the missing letters of that last abbreviation... But, I like 'em. But only if they are natural. I've known a few Puerto Rican women who had them, and they were very sexy... If you all remember the movie "The First Wives Club", Goldie Hawn's character went in for a few collagen treatments, and in one scene, she complains that they over did it or something and her lips look all screwed up! But in real life photos, I think that she may have permanently messed up her lips as well. P.S. Tom Strange my friend, I whole heartedly agree with you about Angelina Jolie. You have good taste my strange brutha...

Wow Jim, thanks brother. Never knew you. I got in The Way in 1975. I was witnessed to by one of the Rye New York believers though, one Ann Marie O'Reilly. I guess she was from Rochester originally, but I think she was part of the "groovy Christian" bunch. Sunesis probably knows that detail though.. I look fwd to your book. Is it finished? Or are you working on it still? Maybe I missed some info somewhere concerning your book... Anyway, thank you for all that you do and have done as a brother in Christ! God bless you, JL

His name was/is Chuck Helge*old And Jack Whittaker also has a son who was in The Way. I forget his name, but I met him after "the fall" in 1990 while I was visiting down in North Carolina, and he was a delightful guy. He had been somewhat of a renegade, and never went into the Way Corps and did all of the "stuff" that some of us did. He had really blonde hair, and he told me a bunch of stories about growing up around the likes of Frank Gifford and other sports industry greats. A neat guy. He had been burned while in The Way some time before all of the .... hit the fan, and was really reluctant to talk about it. I wish I could learn his first name and look him up some time. He was very kind hearted..

Boy, I am REALLY dumb. I can't even open it...

Well you all, I know it was a tough call, Shell, HCW, it's just that it seems like there was too much gray area in this deal than would normally occur in a situation where a husband really seemed to be standing by his woman in sickness and in health. The new "wife" while he was not divorced from Terri Schiavo, throws a whole new dimension into it, and as Sunesis said; "he abdicated his right to make that decision" by living with and fathering two children with this other woman. If he was going to do that, he should have divorced her and let her parents, who were so willing to care for her, take over. This one is "fishy", and I think the err should have fallen on the benefit of the doubt for this woman. That's it. This has all been said by others before, so that's my last word on it. Have a really nice day you all... Jonny