››       OUR  ANNUAL PICNIC  DAY!›           by ALEX  PIGNATO›-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-›› The  summer doldrums are on us and it›is hard to sit  at  the  computer when›there  are   so  many  activities that›take  your time and energy, (including›your   work).    One   activity   that›just    passed  was  the THIRD  ANNUAL›OL'   HACKERS  PICNIC. I wish   all of›you  reading  this  were   there.  The›weatherman   had   promised  VERY HIGH›HUMIDITY    and  in the 90's, instead,›it     was   cool   and   comfortable,›and    none    of    us   missed   our›computers,      we     just     talked›computerese   all   day,  while,   our›wives, as usual, put up  with it.   My›wife  and  I  had   planned    to save›ourselves  the  effort    of  grilling›food,  so  she   made delicious  steak› and    pepper   sandwiches   on  soft›FRENCH BREAD, (makes  my   mouth water›even  now),  which   we  could  eat as›soon  as  we    got  to BETHPAGE STATE›PARK.    Ah,   but  the  gremlins  had›othe   ideas,   because  one of   them›loosened    the    cover    of     the›container  with  water in   it, and it›made part of  the   sandwiches  SOGGY.› Did   you    ever   eat  SOGGY bread?›UGH!    Fortunately   STAN   SCHENFELD›brought     his      brickets      for›barbecuing  his  franks (they  smelled›real   good  STAN).  So,    using  his›fire,   I   rebaked    the  sandwiches›which  were   covered with silverfoil,›and    you  know  what,   they  tasted›great!   JACK GEDALIUS,   brought  his›three  lovely    children,  and we all›enjoyd    playng  FRISBEE,  which  was› only  one  of  the  many   activities›that    they   had    brought.   HORST›DEWITZ  came    dressed  fit  to kill,›not   a   hair  out  of  place, but he› had eaten at home, so all he   lugged› around    was   a  small    styrofoam›container   for    his     beer.  Some›picnic'r  he  is!   Would  you believe›it,    CARLOS   HURTADO  showed  up in›spite  of  the   fact   that  he   had›told   me  he  had three   commitments›for  that  day.  He   came  with three›friends  who    remained  in  his  car›while  he    spent  a little time with›us,    and  then  they  all  continued›on  to  his  second    appointment.  A›good  time  with  good   friends, good›food  and   good   weather,  and about›one  hour   before we  left,  suddenly› both my two daughters showed   up  on›their  bikes.  They had   parked their›cars    in     MASAPEQUA,    and   had›pedaled   all the  way  to  the  park,›  about seven miles.   After  a  while›we started   to pack to go  home  when› a    few   (you   could  count  them)›drops  fell.   This  had  me   worried›because  my daughters   had  to  pedal›back   to   their     cars.  We   then›removed   the   two front wheels and I›tried    to  squeeze two bikes  in  my›trunk.   NO WAY JOSE! At this   point,›ol  reliable AL ATKINS   said  he  was›sure  the  bikes    would fit  in  his›car   and    sure   enough  they  did,›front    wheels  and all. Then to  top›it   off   he  offered  to  drive   my›daughters   back   to   their    cars.›What  a guy, quiet and   reserved, and›always   there   when  you  need  him.›THANKS    AL, and  my girls also  wish› to   publicly  thank you too.  Oh, by›the way, as far as we   know, it never›did rain!   P.S. Today  on  the  phone›  when   I   thanked  him he said   he›bet  that  in  spite  of   going first› to   MASSAPEQUA,    he   probably got›home  before   I did, and he was right›too!    So,   now   the  THIRD  ANNUAL›PICNIC  is  but   a   memory....   and›I'm   already  looking    forward   to›NEXT YEAR, hope   to see you there. ››  THATS ****››  ALL ****››   FOR ****››    NOW !!!!›                                      ›