Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for February 19, 2023

Keep telling that tall tale, Walt. LOL !

I once shook hands with a President who was previously photographed shaking hands with another President who was previously photographed shaking hands with Ted Williams who was previously photographed shaking hands with Babe Ruth who was previously photographed shaking hands with President Warren Harding, so I have proof that I at least “shook hands” with Harding. Harding was standing next to Robert Todd Lincoln during the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, and presumably shook his hand. Lincoln in turn almost certainly shook hand with his father. So with this ridiculous logic, I shook Abraham Lincoln’s hand! Robert Todd Lincoln also probably shook Edwin Booth’s hand after Booth saved him from train tracks, and Edwin probably shook hands with his brother John Wilkes Booth. So I also shook hands with the hand that assassinated Abraham Lincoln, as did Abe himself. History is weird.

My great-grandmother saw Abraham Lincoln dead in his coffin. I saw my great-grandmother as she was dying. Ergo, by the distributive property, . . .

Walt had better shake hands with Jimmy Carter before it’s too late.

By proxy, Kids!

Not that much of a stretch when you think about it. After all, the grandson of John Tyler (who was president from 1841-1845) is 94 years old and is still with us.

Mary Todds family home is in Lexington, KY. One of the few things you are encouraged to touch is the stair bannister because it was there and Lincoln used it when he was courting Mary.

The same is true of the bannister at Washington’s home, Mount Vernon. But with George, not Abe.

wait…when did Ida Noe become a blonde???

Sorry, Walt. But, the answer is “No”. But, you might be interested in The Ship of Theseus.

I once shook the hand of Apollo astronaut Charles Duke, who had shaken the hand of Neil Armstrong, who had shaken the hand of President Nixon, who had shaken the hand of LBJ, who had shaken the hand of JFK, who had shaken the hand of Eisenhauer, etc., etc. etc.

“Shake the hand that shook the hand of P.T. Barnum, and Charlie Chan”!!!

Well, I knew my grandfather who was born in 1887, and at that time, there were still people living who could have met George Washington. Funny how short time can seem depending on the context.

Was just replying to a reply to a comment I made at “Overboard” a couple days about seeing a pianist who had seen Scott Joplin play. I had also shared that story while makingva point of shaking hands with a young pianist in a multigenerational talent show I sang in.

Walt once shook hands with Calvin Coolidge BUt he doesn’t know if Calvin was dead or alive at the time.