…and that's what yo-yoing is all about Charlie Brown

On the way home from work I stop off at the Maid-Rite to pickup a Cheese-Rite Combo to go. (I have to go into the place cuz since I had by driver’s side window “fixed” it won’t go up & down at all anymore so I can’t use a drive-thru.) The girl gives me a number and empty paper cup. I fill the cup with pop and I’m just standing around. Seeing how the place was empty save one elderly couple sitting in a booth by the window I reach into my pocket and pull out my Puffin. This isn’t me, I never throw in public except maybe parks in the summer way away from others. But since there was no one around really, I thought I throw a bit until my food came.

Now I can’t throw anywhere near like most of you kids. My stuff doesn’t amount to any great shucks, but at least I was cleanly landing on the string and successfully binding & regenerating smoothly without losing so much spin I had to rewind manually or anything as amateurish as that. Suddenly my peripheral vision to my right catches a glimpse of a line of 5 or 6 smiling faces. The manager and his entire staff were lined up behind the counter watching me. I had no idea anyone was around, they were all out in the kitchen just like 30 seconds before. I could feel my face getting red. Then a couple clap a bit, there were some “oh wow” and "that’s was cool"s, as well as the perennial “Do you go to competitions?” I showed them what a $150 yo-yo looks like. They were graciously impressed and thanked me.

THAT was the most gratifying experience I’ve ever had throwing.

(Oh, and the elderly couple…completely underwhelmed. We’re all indebted to their ilk to keep us grounded aren’t we.)

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I clicked on this because of Charlie Brown, got a cool yo-yoing story instead… cool beans.

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Yeah… no Charlie Brown… wassup with that? You should throw in public more often. Sharing it with the world is fun.

I equate it to playing and instrument. Playing a gig is much more rewarding than playing by myself in the woodshed.

sharing your skill/talent with others is very fun indeed … you connect with people and have an effect on them… even if it is coaxing a smile out of someone.

No chuck?! Awww peanuts!!!

Thought no one was looking huh? :smiley: You call soda “pop?” :wink: What is Cheese-Rite? We have a Rite Aid here, but it’s a pharmacy.

Your just like me, I never throw in public, I just don’t like to.

I do throw places where my friends are tho.

Nice story!

yeah Im really shy about my yoyoing abilities and I usually get really awkward when people mention something about it to me (when they arent my jojo friends) BUT I do have a little man friend (he’s like 10) that likes to watch me when I do it in private (like a corner) and I actually recently gave hime a classic, that felt really good. So now I have a pal who isnt from yoyo club to throw with, that seems pretty good.

Throwing in public=Rewarding (most of the time :wink: )

I love throwing in public. Not to show off or anything, but to show people what yoyoing is all about nowadays and to perhaps get people interested in it enough to want to learn how to do it. I just have to make sure there are no super young kids around because they just love to run around…especially during the time I do something with a wide area swing. But some of those kids just come out of nowhere. lol

Same way. I mostly just throw wherever I am because I enjoy throwing and I have a few spare moments. But if there are people around who are interested, so be it. Definitely play differently knowing there are people milling around, but more for their safety than my feeling like a spectacle. :wink:

Luckily with 2 small children and 2 dogs at home, I’m used to being aware of living creatures around me while I throw!

No TA, you call pop “soda”. Soda comes in a little yellow box with a red arm making a muscle on the label! :smiley:

Maid-Rite restaurants are found primarily out here in God’s country also known by most as Iowa.
(Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa)

Here, check out their website. They’re comfort food at it’s very best.

If you were a viewer of the TV show “Roseanne” Roseanne and her sister had what was essentially a Maid-Rite for a while but because of copyright legal stuff they had to call them “loose-meat sandwiches”.

We have Rite-Aid here too but their food’s not too good there. (but if you order the “rite” stuff you can get quite a buzz.) :wink:

Anyway, if I could handle a return-top like most of you I wouldn’t be as hesitant to throw outside the confines of my place. (I do throw out in our courtyard sometimes but my neighbors just close their blinds.) As it is people tell me I should see if Kenny Strasser could give me some lessons. :-[

Hey…not baking soda…just plain “soda.”  And “pop” is a sound.  :D  I’ll let you have your pop though.  I’ve heard “tonic” and that’s way worse. How about we compromise and say “soft drink,” or blend them together like some people and call it “soda pop.”  :stuck_out_tongue:

I remember that on Roseanne, that show was hilarious. One of the best sitcoms ever. Hmmm…Iowa. Never been there.  You should drive here for Mass States.  :smiley:

could I bring some “pop”? :wink:

Pop! It’s not just an onomatopoeia anymore!

Here, check out this map.

At least you don’t call everything “Coke”

“Yeah, I’ll have a hamburger and a Coke, a Mountain Dew.”
See, that just doesn’t make any sense at all to me.

I can at least drink my “pop” in public without feeling too self-conscious.

I fell out of my chair laughing when I saw the map :D  That made my day!  It is so neat to see were these words are popular.  I was shocked to be in the minority though  :P  And what’s with “soda” taking over the east coast and California…each side of the country, but not the middle?

But, I concur Banjo, that the “coke” people are a bit “off.”  :-\  Sorry folks.  Coke is a brand, a trademark in fact, not a way to describe soft drinks in general.  Coke cannot be happy with that at all  :smiley: