When I first started in comedy one of the things I loved the most was stories from other comedians who had already been on the road. I loved hearing about their nightmare “gigs”, you know the ones where the promoter didn’t pay, the audience was silent, the audience was small, the opening act was HORRIBLE, they got lost, they stayed in a dive hotel and thought they wouldn’t live to see morning or whatever.
Well, now I have my own stories to share.
Did you know there is a BERLIN, OH?
Yep!
And this is the story of a trip I took to Berlin, OH a couple years back for an event at an Amish style restaurant with a church group who had hired me to come in and perform some comedy.
The day was gorgeous, right around Valentines Day, and it was a little warmer than usual, almost spring-like. After being cooped up for the entire winter we were glad not to have to wear our heavy coats and have the heat on FULL BLAST. For a while, we rode with the windows down through the winding slightly hilly Northeast Ohio roads to take us to our destination.
My wife sees a group of kids playing together off the road at a farmhouse. We give each other that sort of half grin you give your spouse when you see a group of little kids playing and continue on our way. A little while later my wife sees a young Amish man in a nifty looking hot rod buggy and we give each other that look that says “I didn’t know Amish dudes were hot rodders!
All is going well as we continue to take in the sights and sounds of this peaceful, less hurried life of the Amish.
Off in the distance I see a bicyclist so, I slow down and lightly tap my horn so the guy knows that I am behind him. The road is narrow so I keep my distance but I notice he isn’t moving to one side or the other to let me pass. I am driving at a parade route speed now and sort of speak out my window to the guy, I said: “Hey, sir, excuse me could you let me pass?” To which he replies, “I could.” I assume that he will pull off to the side and let me pass but he doesn’t. And fifteen minutes later he did.
As I finally am able to pass him, he waves at me and tells me to have a good day!
My wife looks at me and says “Who knew Amish guys rode bikes?”
I responded to here “Who knew there were Amish Road Warriors?”
It may not be the best story in the world but my wife and I still crack up laughing every time we think about that trip.
