Pauline's Bait & Tackle - OH MY GOD, the memories

The photo couldn't possibly do the bait shop justice. This photo from Dan Mitchell is far too attractive to be Pauline's, but it was the best I could find to somewhat show you - somewhat tempt you - to enter into my long, my gosh, a long lost memory that was sparked yesterday. If I graduated in 1979 - it was 1978, because I was a sophomore. (I was never a junior, I skipped a year).

1978 - 16 years old, looking like a skinny gymnast because - THAT is what I was. Toothpicks have more curves than I had in 1978. Feathered hair, rolled up jeans (501) and maybe Chucks, but we didn't call them Chucks. We weren't cool like that. We called them tennis shoes - and not one of us played tennis - and you wouldn't wear these shoes anyway if you did play the game. 1978 - Carol: OH, Carol! She was my really good friend, but not my best friend, that position belonged to Jeanie and still does. Carol, however, (and Jeanie agrees) was the MOST beautiful girl in the city. She was taller than we were, curved, busting out busty, hips and legs to die for - blonde, naturally blonde, and get this, she had perfect teeth without having braces. God only makes a few like this ever. Carol Moore was one of them.

Carol and I were very immature - I can't explain that any more than to tell you what we used to do at Pauline's. First, I have to tell you about Pauline's so you understand that it's not just a little shack in the woods, because it was BY NO MEANS in the woods. It was a little shack out in the open in an area literally between two municipalities and neither of them had jurisdiction over the wanton, explicit, underage rampage that was forever taking place at Pauline's. Pauline didn't care if you were twelve. Did you have .50 for a shot? Did you have .50 for a 1/2 glass of beer? She was at least smart enough to fill the other 1/2 with water. No wonder we thought Bud tasted better in college! IT DID TASTE.

So, April 1978 - Carol decides to Marilyn Monroe it and wear a full length white rabbit coat over a little black dress that could have been an Ann Taylor or a Gucci, because NOT ONLY was Carol gorgeous, she was damn rich too. She drove a 350 SL - 16 and she has an SL. hahaha Jeanie and I walked where we wanted to go. Carol calls me: Jude, let's go blind. Let's do it at Pauline's. I haven't been there in like a year - come on!

You can't tell Carol no.

Going blind - that was me. I was the best mimmick of the condition. I could stare (and still can) for several minutes without blinking and I can haze over and keep my focus between your eyes so that I'm not actually making contact with you. I would have conversations, full 10-12 minute conversations with drunks who (because it was dark, I was with Carol, and they wanted to be) believed me. I had a problem you see. I was lost and my sister was either inside or outside, but I couldn't tell. I could get men to leave the baitshop/bar and help me find my sister. The way I described her she was certainly a prize to be found. After a minute or two I was on the arm of a man who most certainly needed assistance, and we were outside looking, rummaging around - blind leading the drunk, looking for Carol.

After not being able to find her, we would retreat back into the bar where I would ask the man to teach me to dance. We'd be dancing, me stepping all over his feet, and of course, the obligatory bumping into walls, doors, people - to keep him believing my plight. Suddenly, the doors would open and in the room you could hear the collective gasp of several beer-stained mouths dropping to the ground - Carol! "Judy! Judy! Oh my gosh, there you are honey. I've been looking for you? Do you know where you are? Oh, Daddy will be so upset with me. I told you to stay in the car! I'm sorry - oh honey, I'm so sorry - I'll take you home." I would always refuse.

What happened next was Carol pretending to be stupid - men would beg her to stay, she'd claim she lost $50 in a poker game, she would say she had a "filled house" but the guy told her he had something better and took her money. "Full House" the drunk listening would tell her. "Oh, but my Daddy will be so mad at me. I was suppose to buy Judy a birthday present and I lost it. I wanted to make more so I could get her something really special, she's going to be 18." Without ONE SINGLE exception, that woman would come out of that bar with $200+ (of course, I saw nothing!)

I think about it - I do. I was wrong!! Very very wrong! But we did laugh. If there was ever a layman's Oscar to be given - Carol Moore, ladies and gentlemen receives the Oscar for her role as the dim-witted blonde, the ditzy sister. Me, I think she gave me a cut sometimes, but money to Carol was something to give away to churches and to people who really needed it. I think she looked at our game as a way for her to meet every charity's need - The Jesus House was the most common recipient - and she loved confession! That girl LOVED confession. Being Baptist made it that much more fun for her - think about it. We'd drive downtown, give the money away - and then hit up a 24/7 Catholic chapel and she would confess!

What do you want to bet - when the Rapture comes, Carol will run up to me and say "OH MY GOD, we made it!" Then we'll roll over and laugh!