Clarence
This happened every morning for twenty years. One day the Army Corps of Engineers comes along and builds a bridge. Still, every morning, every day for another five years this yelling across the river goes on, even with the bridge. Finally....Mrs.Rufus had had enough. "Rufus!" she squallered one day. "I cain't take no more!! Ever day for 25 years you've been threatenin' to whup Clarence. Well, there's the bridge......have at it."
Rufus thought for a moment. Chewed his bottom lip for another moment. "Woman!" he declared, snapping his suspenders into place, "I'm go across that thar bridge and I'm gonna whup Clarence's butt!!!" He walked out the door, down to the river, along the riverbank, came to the bridge, stepped up onto the bridge, walked about halfway over the bridge, looked up.....TURNED TAIL AND RAN, RAN SCREAMING BACK TO THE HOUSE, SLAMMED THE DOOR, BOLTED THE WINDOWS, GRABBED THE SHOTGUN AND DOVE, PANTING AND GASPING, UNDER THE BED!!!!!
"Rufus!" cried the missus. "I thought you wuz gonna whup Clarence's butt!!!" "I was, woman, I was!!" he whispered. "Rufus! cried the missus "What in tarnation is the matter?" "Well," muttered the terror-stricken Rufus, " I went to the bridge......I stepped up on the bridge..... walked halfway over the bridge....looked up....." "And?" asked Mrs. Rufus, breathless with suspense. "And," continued Rufus, "I saw a sign that said "Clearance, 13 feet, 6 inches" - he ain't never looked that big from the otherside of the river!!!!!!!"
Originally published November 14, 2002.
