The mystery of the pipe

Awe. This is where others are left. Rough men, hard men, dirty men find themselves standing in it. Why? How? It is the mystery of the pipe. The pipe allows one man to walk alone, in shadow, without eyes - yet he sees all. What gentle smoke does waft forth that can make one man stand before so many? Even the fur collared cravat wearing types are challenged to providing a self satisfying answer. Others, the less well attired, are driven to stone cold muteness.Quiet intervention becomes surprise. Really no surprise when the mystery of the pipe is involved.

Scant

Sleeping in! It's all too much at times. But when the sun is there and all you've got is a few leaves to keep you away from the cancer bolts enunciating your displeasure might be your only option. Is it time to stand in the open or is it time to hide?

When medical men smoke...

I like it when medical men smoke - it's as if they know something we don't. The evidence is overwhelming, yet there are those who choose to ignore it or consider it somewhat irrelevant. You would think that the price of incredulity would not be worth the risk. But there they are. Doctors that smoke. Perhaps it's a carry over from an old school curriculum that involved bleeding for most ills and trepanning to release any number of malignant maladies.  Also the ability to talk while puffing on a pipe, particularly in the presence of rough looking men, can only be a skill taught at the best of medical schools. Sadly these days the finer things in life tend to be discarded.

You don't need to be big and bad...

...to win the fight. Maud is fine example of 'punching above your weight'. All these fellows seem pretty happy that Maud is there to convey them from their current place to another place. No doubt a place that does not have dark skies and to a place where they can continue to grin. So from lurid evenings (by the way my interpretation of lurid would make me want to stay, but that's just me) to fierce beginnings the happy men on this little boat motor their way to a better future.

A man called Harry...

If you've ever met a man called Harry you'll understand that this illustration exemplifies every Harry you've ever met. They all appear to posses the same qualities; a keen eye, a steady hand, and an overwhelming understanding of how the world works. It's not an easy task to contemplate the world in this manner. Others are always trying to promote or remind everyone they meet that there are great calamities or even worse on the horizon. However as any Harry would know there's more to life than worrying about disasters either imagined or real.

Idiot

Some people don't deserve command. Here is one such fellow. However I guess he's only as good as the people that he's managing. It appears that since initiative was neither fostered nor encouraged in this particular circumstance  - it has become highly valued as it appears to be in considerable short supply. Concepts that you might consider simple, straight forward ideas for soldier types like, 'stop the prisoners escaping' or 'fire the gun' appear not to be known or valued or easily performed by the management and staff of this particular military establishment. Who will pick up the pieces after this incident is over? Is there really anyone to blame?

What is this man doing?

It is difficult to ascertain at first. He has one hand in control. The other cannot be seen. His attitude is reclined and given to some exhaustion. His facial expression is puzzling to say the least. Is he in agony or merely overwhelmed by the situation? This is the end of something. Something good? Something bad? We only know he will now slip into unconsciousness and sleep the sleep of sleeps. 

Daytime disco

I'm certain there's a market waiting to happen for daytime discos. Whether they're held in sparsely populated jungles or in the middle of big cities. Surely the cool kids would know 'where it's at' and be ready to 'bust a move' as us old timers are want to say.

Imagine all sorts of people could turn up and join in. On second thought that may not be a good idea. If anybody could turn up then how would we know if it was working?

Guns don't kill people...

...men with guns kill people. If it's done properly that is. Sure people with problems shouldn't be allowed guns. Guns should only be in the hands of nice, mild mannered  people who know how to handle them. Well balanced types who understand that firearms are for self defence only. Guns are tricky things at best and should therefore end up    in the hands of those who have trick or two up their sleeves and little time on their hands to get up to mischief. Handled the wrong way who knows what trouble they may cause. Guns that is.

Any excuse to get your gear off.

Some men can't wait to get their shirts off. You would think fighting a fire might call for more protection not less. Workplace health and safety would not be happy. Sure sometimes expediency wins over prudence. Even though it might attract glances from some of the other chaps, some fellows will take any excuse to go shirtless .  Not that there's anything wrong with that.. Odds are however in pocket war comic lore if there is a shirt to be cast aside it will be probably be done by an Australian.