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Now to answer the gnawing question that Janice (blabber mouth, ha ha) Hawthorne put forth regarding that little incident when I was locked in the garage. First off, I WASN'T naked-I did have on underwear. While I was getting dressed for work, I went out in the garage for something. It was a new house for us and I quickly learned (the hard way) the one-way feature of this door. I could turn the locked handle from the inside and exit to the garage, but then the spring loaded door would quickly close behind me and lock me out of my house. It was like the Hotel California-you can any time you like but you can never leave. But I'm resourceful and confident, especially in a garage full of Gene's tools. I started picking at the door lock with the small instruments but did little to penetrate the tamper-proof lockset. So much for the robber approach. Taking a cue from Tim "The Toolman" Tailor, I worked my way up to POWER tools. First a small drill right in the keyhole. The lock was tough and I couldn't punch through the case-hardened exterior. Suddenly I was getting angry and panicky. I tried drilling a series of small holes directly through the door. This did little to advance my cause. As "Toolman Tim" would say, I need "MORE POWER, ugh, ugh.". I located Gene's 3 inch hole saw and began attacking the door with gusto and resolve. With sawdust and wood chips flying, I punched a triangular pattern of three large round holes large enough to stick my fist through the door and unlock it from then inside. But freedom has its costs. A trail of broken bits, bent tools, and overheated drill motors lay on the floor of a smoke filled garage. The solid garage door, AND the one-way lock lay in shambles. "In the future", Gene later replied, "you may destroy either the lock ,or the door, but please refrain from drilling both!"

Rod was out visiting us when he was single and we lived in Manhattan Beach. We had such a good time...just the two of us. One day while the children were in school, we went to the beach. We were playing in the ocean and having a great time in the high waves. One BIG one hit us, and we were both laughing hard and the wave caught him just right and he lost his upper plate. The wave went out pretty quickly but we never could find the teeth. We didn't let it ruin his vacation, but of course it put a big dent in it. We laughed about the incident for many years.

I remember your wonderful sense of humor and recall you poking fun at your name "grace" when you stumbled on something. But as I think on the deeper meaning, you were so appropriately named! Your love and warmth have radiated an "amazing grace" on so many of us in the family. One story I remember of your beautiful spirit was when I was home from college my freshman year for the big Tayar Thanksgiving meal. I was so full of myself as an adult and expected to be seated at the adult table for the first time in my life, but found that I had still been relegated to the children's table. In my ungracious manner, I objected and was told that there just wasn't room at the big table, but you immediately popped up and said that I could have your place at the big table, you would be glad to trade with me. You certainly taught me a great deal about humility and self giving that day! Thank you.

PNL's

When Dad (Rod) came to visit us in California, he was impressed with a pink flowering plant growing in my garden. I told him that these were called Pink Naked Ladies. He snickered. Upon returning to Texas and going back to his favorite old world coffee chop, the waitresses asked him how his trip to California went. "Well", se mused, "You know how those folks in California are, there were Pink Naked Ladies all over the place."

Stories by Bob Tayar

Gentlemen walk on the outside

(As told to Grace Coke)

When I was in the 3rd grade in Oklahoma City, Rod & Jouree were our backdoor neighbors. Their daughter Rodene (then called "Patsy") was in the 1st grade and I was in the second grade at the time.. Each day the two of us walked to school together. Sister Margaret admonished me to walk on "the outside", like a gentleman should. We thought she meant I should walk on the other side of the street, which I did for several days.

Finally I asked why we had to walk on opposite sides of the street and we got it all straightened out. Rodene and I were glad we no longer had to shout across the street to carry on, what I'm sure, were important conversations!

How to Run Fast

It was during one of those great holiday gatherings, Thanksgiving I would guess, that Rod gave me a running lesson. I was never very fast, and it hindered me playing baseball which was my favorite sport, and practically the official pass time of the Tayar family. We were sitting in the back yard at Mother's house when the subject of running came up. Rod wanted to race, I agreed. Starting with my first stride I was humped over and landed right on the flat part of my feet. He said "no wonder you can't run! Straighten your back and land on your toes! When you first start, take small chopping steps and then long strides."

I followed his instructions and suddenly was flying! Some time later that spring, I was walking across the practice field at Classen High. I saw a friend of mine, Shelby Davis, who was the Classen champion for the 100 yard dash. ( They no longer gage the race in yards, it's now the 100 meter dash.) Shelby, decked in his running spikes, asked if I would run with him as he could practice better against competition. I was carrying my baseball shoes, which are much heavier than the track shoes he was wearing. I put them on and beat promptly beat him on the very first race.

The track coach, Mr. Smelser, came over and asked us to run again after a short rest. A second time, I left Shelby in the dust and the coach timed me at 10 seconds flat for the 100 yard dash. He felt if I had on track shoes that I would come in at 9.7 or 9.8 seconds. That would have beat the state record at the time. That brief lesson from Rod made all the difference in the world and took me from a slow poke to the top of the heap.