We were in the Maldives a few years ago.

They had a jetty with a bar at the end.

The jetty ends at the beginning of the deep.

For about 70 meters from the shore one can walk.

After that the beach slopes down quite rapidly, going down to several hundred feet deep.

There were a number of teenage kids diving off the bar to collect stones and seashells.

Each was trying to go deeper than the others.

I had some UAE coins.

I took identical coins, and painted identical marks on them with nail varnish.

Next day after lunch, the kids arrived and started their game.

I took one coin out - leaving the other in my pocket.

I told them they should try going deeper, and they all said they are trying to do just that.

I gave one coin to them, and said they should throw it further, and try to get it.

Sure enough, they did, and despite all their efforts, non of them could get that deep!

"If you all give up, I will try"

They all started sniggering.

I got myself a can of Coke, and drank it very quickly, saying "This will help"

More laughing and sniggering.

I said "the secret is to go down very fast"

I took a run, and dived in.

While down, I took the other coin out of my pocket and kept it in my hand.

As I came up, I was holding the coin.

The looks on their faces was priceless!

You cheat, a man after my own heart.

Dave

Yep, Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill!!! Why do I have the feeling that this is but ONE, of many, many, many stories that Saeed has in regards to the motto as stated!

Sadly, I get blamed for all sorts of shenanigans!

My wife plays tricks on others, and she says “you can guess who did it!”

And of course, I get blamed!

No questions asked!

quote:

My wife plays tricks on others, and she says “you can guess who did it!”

And of course, I get blamed!

No questions asked!

That's what happens when your reputation proceeds you.

I read an article in Playboy in the 70s about comments on experiences from kids that were the children of celebrities. The one I recall best was from Groucho Marx's son. The 2 were out on a steeplechase + Groucho told his son to jump the hedgerow. He did but there was a ditch on the other side + the kid + horse ended up in a pile. Groucho rides up + says. "That's a lesson. Don't ever trust your father."

Ive done a lot of diving around various of the Maldive atolls, some of the atoll edges just keep going down into the blackness below. Must have been a good trick to play...

We were at one of the major resorts, where their diving school teaches instructors.

Run by an Italian gentleman.

We asked him to teach my daughter, one on one, rather than in a group.

He agreed, and did all the ground school and diving in the pool.

Then she had to do her open water dive.

She asked if I could go along.

Trouble is I had no license, nor any log book.

But, I was telling the Italian gentleman how we used to dive long before the jackets came along.

We actually used to carry the tank in our hands!!

No strap.

We had fewer straps than tanks, and no one wanted to be left out.

He told them to just give me a tank, saying "he is one of the pioneers. You cannot refuse him!"

I went long and we all had a great dive.

quote:

He told them to just give me a tank, saying "he is one of the pioneers. You cannot refuse him!"

Saeed,

That is hilarious, and would be a great trick to play on a friend, using a a rifle and a couple of medium sized coins.

One would need some wide open spaces.

And a .22 rifle, along with two of the coins, one of which would be the key to the trick.

One would be normal, but the trick one would be of the same date and conformation, but with a convenient .22 caliber bullet hole shot previously, at leisure and at close range, right through the middle of it.

The trickster would give his friend the normal coin, and bet him a tidy sum that if he would throw it far and high into the air, the trickster would shoot a hole right through the middle of it. A grassy or rocky or sandy field for the landing ground would be best.

Anyone can guess the rest.

I might have to do this sometime!

A friend's dad tried the 22 trick on me one time long ago... back when I still had eyesight without glasses.

The problem for him was that I saw the coin, and where it landed. It was a silver dollar, so I was thinking I was being devious by saying that I couldn't find it... He went out the wrong way and said "look at what I got" Then I said I guess this one isn't it?

He then fessed up to the joke, and asked for the other one back...

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Saeed,

That is hilarious, and would be a great trick to play on a friend, using a a rifle and a couple of medium sized coins.

One would need some wide open spaces.

And a .22 rifle, along with two of the coins, one of which would be the key to the trick.

One would be normal, but the trick one would be of the same date and conformation, but with a convenient .22 caliber bullet hole shot previously, at leisure and at close range, right through the middle of it.

The trickster would give his friend the normal coin, and bet him a tidy sum that if he would throw it far and high into the air, the trickster would shoot a hole right through the middle of it. A grassy or rocky or sandy field for the landing ground would be best.

Anyone can guess the rest.

I might have to do this sometime!

I tried playing golf, never got the hang of it.

In fact, one of the instructors very honestly told me I am totally, hopeless useless at golf, which is true.

One day we were at the driving range, hitting a few balls.

Beautiful green grass covered with white gold balls for 200-300meters.

I said to him I wish I had one of my varmint rifles, I can hit any ball you see from here.

He did not believe me.

Then I saw him holding a golf ball.

I said I can hit that number printed on that ball from 100 yards.

He said no way in hell!

So he agreed to come to my house, and I would shoot the number off a golf ball at 100 yards.

I have a bench rest rifle, 6mm PPC, which is the only rifle I have seen that can shoot better than me.

I have shot groups with it that are impossible to measure.

Anyway, on the appointed day, I set up that rifle, adjusted to hit point of aim at 100 yards.

He came over, went himself down the tunnel to put the gold ball - I think he did not trust me

I shot it.

He went to get it, came back dead silent, and just showed me the ball, with the number shot off.

He carried that ball in his bag wherever he went, telling stories!

Saeed, I feel a complete and total indifference towards golf.

As a kid, we would find errant golf balls and haul them out of the ponds at a nearby country club.

Then we would sell them back to the golfers!

The bad ones we kept.

We used to have contests. We would toss them up in the air with our weak hands, and then, as they dropped back down, we would blast them into orbit with baseball bats. They would go a long, long way.

But I never thought to shoot one. That may be the best use I have ever heard of for a golf ball!

crbutler - superior eyesight on the part of the mark will ruin this trick. And I would never play with silver dollars! Quarters would be best, I think.