so... there was the night in red river new mexico:

we'd gone there for christmas one year - me, buddy, beth, beau, zach, and nichole. on this particular night, i seem to remember us having a quite a bit to drink before we ever decided to go out... anyway, we ended up in this mexican food restaurant right about dinner time, so it was pretty packed. packed with the normal patrons of a small ski town: quiet and polite, families and couples, all waiting patiently for their meals.

and then here we come... needless to say, we stood out a bit. beth with her flaming red tresses, me looking like Beaker from the Muppet Show with my short locks dyed a brilliant bright orange, and - at that time - all three been brothers with the long, hippie-like hair they'd sported for years.

honestly, i don't really remember much of the dinner. i was trashed. wasted. GONE. but i DO remember that we were LOUD. Loud, loud, loud, loud. Loud. and i don't remember what started it all, but for some reason, there was some sort of discussion about ... people riding me, like a camel at one of those petting zoo things. i know, i KNOW - WHAT??? like i said, i DON'T remember how it started. but i remember vividly, BETH BEEN standing up at the table and singing,

"WHO WANTS TO RIDE ERNIE? WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF!
WHO WANTS TO RIDE ERNIE?"

to the tune of, obviously, "who let the dogs out." and i remember laughing so hard that i couldn't catch my breath. laying my head down and beating my fists on the table, tears streaming down my face from laughing at beth. it was HILARIOUS. and no amount of alcohol or whatever else i'd consumed could erase that from my memory.

how we didn't get kicked out of that place, i will never ever know. 6 years later, I STILL remember that. I can hear it and see it like it was yesterday.

I LOVE YOU, BETH. Thank you for sharing some of the best moments of my life. I'm so proud to call you my friend and family. you are - hands down - one of the funniest damn people i know. i can't remember a time that we've been together that we weren't laughing. i hope your birthday is the absolute best.

LOVE, ERNIE