Our Neighborhood He-Man-Woman-Haters Club

When I was a little boy, my brother Paul and I usually spent our indoor time watching channel 50 out of Detroit. They had all the great re-run shows of the day:

• Lost In Space
• Star Trek
• The Adams Family
• The Munsters
• Superman
• Batman
  

They also showed all the Three Stooges, Little Rascals (Our Gang), and Laurel & Hardy vignettes.

There was one episode of the Little Rascals that I will always remember. It was about the "He-Man Woman Haters Club”. Spanky, Alfalfa, and Buckwheat make a club under the pact that they will never hang around with girls.

Of course Darla comes along and … oh here, watch the YouTube episode for yourself:



Why does this come to my mind?

Let me explain.

In our new neighborhood, across the street from our house is the corner of another street. From our big cathedral window you cannot help but look down this street. On the corner of that street sits a house.

The garage of that house is the "clubhouse" of our neighborhood’s “He-Man-Woman-Haters Club”.

Every day, sitting in that driveway, are four to six guys from the neighborhood. They are standing, leaning, or sitting on overturned plastic buckets. They are drinking beer and discussing whatever the agenda of the club is that day.

Ok, I admit that I have not yet gone over there, and I do not know what they are talking about. And it is I who have proclaimed them to be the “He-Man-Woman-Haters” club.

Why does this group bring to mind that Our Gang episode?

• I am assuming all these guys are married. (I know that sounds like enough of a reason already, but please let me continue).
  

• It does not appear that these guys rush back to their homes after a hard days work.
  

• I cannot imagine that their wives are fond of their husband's association. I would hazard to guess that this is the attraction of their club.

Hmm...

A bunch of guys sitting around a garage door, telling the type of jokes they would otherwise have to lean over and whisper to tell. Drinking beer and giving each other a hard time.

What a great kind of club.

I better grab my pail and a beer and get over there before they start talking about me!