Arnold the Turtle

It's almost here, the season to be jolly. I was shopping at Fred Meyer today when I noticed shelves stocked with Christmas lights.  It reminded me of my childhood holidays.  There was the Christmas Uncle Arnold went to the bathroom and fell sideways into the bathtub.  In an effort to break the fall, on the way down he grabbed the towel rack and pulled it out of the wall, plaster and all.  He landed in the tub like a turtle on his back with his pants down around his ankles.   Since he had locked the door, the stepfather had to break the lock to rescue my uncle who was honking like a stressed-out goose for help.

The entire family gathered in the hallway to assist in the rescue and help extingush the fire he started when he dropped his cigarette on the carpet and ignited the towels.

My Mother had to have the wall re-plastered, the bathroom painted, the carpet replaced and buy a new doorknob.  It was a Merry Christmas courtesy of Uncle Arnold, also known as the Ruiner of Holidays.  I have never seen this man sober.