After my show this morning, I arrived home by 9:45.  I noticed a card table set up in our front driveway with a homemade sign taped to the front in magic marker that read ”Lemonade 10 Cents.”  Nobody was at the table but it was easy to figure out.  Mrs. Pratt had found yet another way to keep the kids busy during the long summer.

As I walked into the house, the kitchen was busy with Sammy filling up pitchers with water and Madison pouring in packs of lemonade.  Kyle was clearing the freezer so the lemonade could get cold faster.  After all, time is money in the always competitve beverage industry.  I had a feeling that it would not be a good time to take my normal after-show nap.  After all, I was surely going to be the first customer, especially since it was going to be 110 degrees and we live on a quiet street.

As we waited for the lemonade to cool, my thoughts wandered back to a warm summer day in 1971.  I was 10 years old, living in the small town of Elko, Nevada, and my hair was just buzzed for the summer.  My brother Tom helped me set up my first lemonade stand.  I did exactly the same thing my own kids were now doing 37 years later.  In fact, we even sold our lemonade cheaper!  ”Dave’s Ice Cold Lemonade” was only 5 cents.  Inflation, inflation, inflation.

I sat at my little lemonade stand at 120 W. Cedar Street for 3 hours.  Nobody stopped except for my Uncle Bud on his way to pick up the mail.  He rubbed me on the head, passed on the lemonade, but gave me a nickel anyway.   It was now coming up on high noon and my mom brought out a grilled cheese sandwich.  I worked through my lunch break, but during that time I drank at least half of the pitcher of lemonade myself. 

Finally, in the early afternoon a car slowly turned the corner from First Street onto Cedar and was slowing down.  The driver rolled down his window and waited for me.  I had my first customer!  In my best salesman voice I greeted him.  “Good Afternoon Dad……uh……I mean…..Mr. Pratt.   What can I get you today?”  He paused.  “I’ll have a cup of your coldest lemonade.”  I handed him the cup and he chugged the Nyquil size portion.  “MMmmmm.  That is the best lemonade in town!  Can I have another cup?”  I said “Sure, but that will cost you another 5 cents.”   My dad drank 10 cups of lemonade and gave me two quarters. 

“So how is business today young man?” I bowed my head “Not too good so far.  In fact, your my only customer.”  He paused again.  “You know, I have a son that looks just like you, and I can guarantee that when word gets out about your delicious lemonade, well………….you will be getting a ton of business.”  I smiled.  “Really Dad?….uh…..I mean, Mr. Pratt?”   He insisted.  “I can guarantee it.  Now, you better go make plenty of lemonade because you will surely have a very, very busy afternoon.”  He smiled confidently like only my dad could smile, rubbed me on the head and continued down Cedar Street. 

30 minutes later, my second customer of the day arrived.  Then a car pulled behind him, and another car, and another car, and another car, and another car, and another car.  Cars were lined up all the way down Cedar Street.  My mom was making lemonade as fast as she possibly could and my brother Tom was running the pitchers of lemonade out to my stand at full speed.  We must have had 40 cars lined up asking for “Dave’s Ice Cold Lemonade!”

We lost my father 8 years ago, and among other family stories, my mom disclosed the secret ingredient to “Dave’s Ice Cold Lemonade.”  It was my father.  He had gone back to his office that afternoon and instructed all of his employees to drive by my house and buy a glass of lemonade.  And the coolest part?  Not one of my “customers” mentioned working for my father.

So, here is my favor.  If Kyle, Sammy and Madison decide to do a lemonade stand again this summer, I will sneak you my home address.  I will give directions to my home right here on the Pratt Page so only my most loyal listeners will drive up to buy some ice cold lemonade.  But by all means, DO NOT mention that you listen to their dad okay?  In fact, don’t even mention my name.  Just roll down your window, give them a dime and say “Mmmmmmmm That’s the best lemonade in town!” 

 So how about you?  Did you ever sell lemonade?  How about your kids?  Please share with the KMLE Nation.

Last night about 9 p.m., my two youngest kids, Sammy 10 and Madison 7, hopped into my truck for a special “Dad Surprise!”  Now and then I do this just to break up their routine and have some fun.  They always get excited and never know what to expect.  I’ve done this for years with all of my children because when life is unpredictable and spontaneous, life stays fun.  Plus, the look of anticipation on their little faces is priceless.

I asked Mrs. Pratt to pack some snacks and cold drinks into a small cooler and we were on our way.  As the garage door opened, Paula asked me to roll down my window as she asked “Where are you going and how late will you be?”  I smiled and answered.  “It’s a secret, and I honestly don’t know.”  She laughed, shook her head and said “Keep your phone on and stay out of trouble.”   Sammy and Madison giggled in the backseat as they knew there dad was up to something.

Twenty-five minutes later, we arrived in downtown Phoenix at Lincoln and 7th St. by Chase Field.  I turned east onto a dark, seemingly abandoned road that eventually turned into a rough dirt path.  It was pitch black.  Sammy and Madison were a bit nervous and said “Dad, where are we?”  I warned “Lock the doors kids, this could be dangerous…..very, very dangerous.”  I could see their eyes open wide in my rear view mirror.  “Seriously Dad.”  Sammy insisted.  ”What are we doing.  Mom said stay out of trouble.  There’s nobody here and it’s really dark.  It’s creepy around here.” 

Finally, I found what I was looking for.  I turned my car lights off and in the pitch black I drove about another 30 feet before turning my car to face south and eventually turning off the engine.  As the dashboard lights faded, the night was now completely dark AND quiet.  We could hear the breeze and faint voices.  Little Madison said “Dad, I’m really getting scared” and Sammy agreed “Me too.”  I confidently asked ”You trust your dad right?”  They unconvincingly nodded yes, so I said “Okay then, are you ready?”  Once again, they nodded yes.

I broke up the total darkness by turning on my bright lights.  About 100 feet away was a large, still freight train.   I asked the kids “Can you read what it says on those box cars?”  Sammy softly whispered “Oh my gosh Dad” and then excitedly yelled “Maddie, look!  Look!  Can you read it?”  Maddie slowly made it out.  “Wingling Bwothas”.  I laughed and Sammy raised his triumphunt little fists and yelled again.  “Maddie, it’s Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus!  It’s the circus train!!”

Thirty minutes later, the train proceeded to the tracks outside of U.S. Airways Center.  We sat on the curb and watched elephants and other animals unloaded from the train and walked into the backstage area of the arena.

Ever since my oldest son was just a baby, we have spent a family day at the circus.  It is a family tradition.  But this year, what do you think my two youngest will remember more?  The actual circus?  No, they’ll remember that dark, quiet, kind of scary night in a south Phoenix railroad yard when Dad found the sleeping circus train.

Sadly, over the weekend we lost a comedy legend.  George Carlin died at the age of 71.  I was one of the lucky few in radio to have George Carlin as an in studio guest.  I am proud to say that on a chilly morning in the winter of 1983, my show actually made a comedy icon laugh until he cried.  I’ll never forget the tears coming from his eyes as he pointed at me and said “Dude, you are f***ing nuts!  You are gonna get your ass kicked off for this man.”  Well, he was right, and now more than ever, I don’t care.  It was worth it.  The following is an excerpt from my upcoming book Dave Pratt: Behind The Mic, 30 Years In Radio.  In my book, I dedicate an entire chapter to my favorite and least favorite celebrity interviews over three decades.  www.daveprattbook.com

Few people recall that George Carlin started his career as a radio disc jockey in Shreveport, Louisiana.  George Carlin loved radio, and as a result,  he quite often worked radio material into his comedy skits and concerts.  His most famous comedy piece on radio is called The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Radio or Television.  In 1972, he delivered this comedy routine on stage in Wisconsin and was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace.  And when a New York radio station aired a portion of this George Carlin classic, it led to a United States Supreme Court ruling against broadcasting offensive language.

Well, in 1983, I was 22 years old.  Along with Howard Stern, and the Greaseman in Washington D.C.,  I was named one of the top 3 radio personalities in America for a new category called “shock jocks”.  Quite honestly, seldom a day passed without me pushing the envelope or getting myself into some type of trouble on KUPD.  And furthermore, each day I challenged myself to push the content of my show even further than the day before.  Flat out, I will honestly tell you that I was out of control, constantly challenging the system and laughing every step of the way.  I was having the time of my life, and soon my radio show was the #1 rated show in Arizona.  Once again, I was 22 years old!  I was a complete free spirit, and radio was only around for my sheer personal entertainment.  Radio was simply my toy to pass my morning hours.  I lived to raise eyebrows and to raise hell.

George Carlin heard about my show and offered to visit while promoting an upcoming Phoenix concert.  He could not have been nicer and more humble.  He greeted me with a hearty handshake as he entered the studio and said “Hey man, radio needs you!”  He continued, “So what are we gonna do today man?”  I said “Let’s do your famous bit The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Radio or Television.”  He laughed, shrugged me off politely, and said “Yeah, right.  Sure man!!”

“Here we go” I said as the microphones popped on and the red “on air” lights blinked in the studio.  ”In studio, as promised, please welcome George Carlin!  Good Morning George!”  He replied “There’s no such thing as a good morning, and your job sucks, but I’m glad to be here Dave.”  I said “Great!  And off of the air, we were just mentioning how you are going to do your famous routine The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Radio or Television.”   He rolled his eyes “No man, that is the whole point!  You can’t say those words man…”   I guaranteed “Look George, if you don’t do your famous routine live, right now, on the air, on my show, well…………….then I’ll play the entire bit right now on my own.”  He laughed and shook his head “No man, you mean you’ll play the EDITED version.”  I said “Nope, I’ll play this version” and I played the entire bit, for the first time EVER, unedited, live on the radio.

The legendary comic listened close as his routine started to air in his headphones.  His eyes opened to size of golf balls and he literally fell off his chair.  There was George Carlin, in my studio, on the floor, laughing in disbelief.  He was laughing so hard he was crying!!   He shook his head, pointed his finger at me, and said “You are fricking nuts!  You are going to get your ass kicked off for this man.”

Well, he was right.  And when I returned to the air from my “unplanned vacation”, there was a note waiting for me in my mailbox.  The card read “Told ya man, George.”

We will miss you George, but I will frame your note, and I will keep the memory forever.

Growing up, my mom would serve dinner at 5 p.m.  If we were not washed up and sitting at the table at 5 p.m. then we missed it, AND we missed the opportunity to snack later in the night.  It has been said many times that we don’t really appreciate our parents until we become parents ourselves.  I understand now that my mom’s strict dinner rule was never about the food.  Instead, my mom’s strict dinner rule was about the family spending time together.  She wanted that one time of day when her family could all sit down, uninterrupted, with the television off and look at each other face to face while having a conversation.  This is why my mom always preferred a big round table, just like my family has today.  She wanted us to interact with each other and hear about each others lives.   Well, today I value those times.  Now, my brothers and sisters are spread all over the western United States, and I have to call or e-mail them just to say hello. 

Paula and I try to gather our family for dinner as often as possible, but as kids get older it is more and more difficult.  Our three boys usually have baseball or basketball, after school activities or social gatherings with friends.  Little Madison usually is tired from her school day, and after swimming or playing in the backyard she passes out on the couch.  Paula (God Bless her) runs the entire family and attempts to get all of the grocery shopping, clothes shopping, errands, bills, doctor appointments and everything else scheduled and completed while the kids are at school, so she is usually exhausted.  And of course, with my insane job, every day is different depending on public appearances, charity work, radio or television stuff, and my favorite thing in life…….meetings, meetings, meetings.

Summer gives us all a bit of a break, and we get the chance to eat dinner as a family more often.  Tonight, I barbecued ribs and Paula dished up the beans, corn and broccoli.  Our entire family sat around the table and laughed at Sammy doing his Will Ferrell impersonations.  David gave us his review of the new movie Get Smart, and Kyle told us about a new video he created for You Tube.  Madison said “can I have more ribs or are ‘the brothers’ going to eat them all.’   And of course, after Mrs. Pratt and I clicked our Corona’s in a toast and gave each other a kiss, in unison we heard a chorus of “EEEeewwwweeee!” with Madison commenting “you two are always playing kissy face.”

After dinner we insist that each kid takes their own dishes to the sink, but still, the kitchen looked as if it had exploded.  David Jr. went to hang out with his friend Max, and Kyle, Sammy and Madison were quick to change into their swimsuits.  Paula and I looked  around the kitchen and then looked at each other.  All we could do was laugh and start clearing the table.  We would be more than happy to clean up a mess like that any night!!

Wednesday morning at approximately 7 a.m. Arizona time (Pacific Daylight), the clouds parted and angels were heard singing.  We received an official report from the National Weather Bureau that Hell had actually frozen over.   Why?  Stacey announced that she has a boyfriend!

 Your comments, thoughts and advice are welcome here.