In Memory

Randy Jon Engel

Randy Jon Engel



 
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12/26/14 01:02 PM #1    

Merton Hill

Randy was a wild and crazy guy.  We were great buddies first at Wilshire Junior High and then at FUHS.

His brother Jimmy (a couple of years older) and Randy used to make miniature motor cycles, "Mini Fleas,” and ride them around town on streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and the lawns at Hillcrest Park.  You could hear their noisy 2-cycle buzz and smell the stinky blue smoke blocks away--but rarely see them since they were lying low (literally) from the law.

When out and about town, Randy commonly carried fake cigars along with him (his brother rolled them for Disneyland.)  He also toted bombs which we manufactured by punching the gun powder out of "Dough Boy" caps and combining it with a ball bearing and wrapping them tightly together in many layers of tin foil and electrician's tape.  The large ones were a little bigger than a cherry bomb. One day we peace-loving juvenile citizens were enjoying beautiful Southern California afternoon meandering on our ten speeds through the JC parking lot.  Suddenly . . . a thunderous roar!  We were nearly flattened by a frenzied hot rodder hyped up on testosterone.  Fortunately, as fate would have it, Randy was packing.  Although the driver was speeding, Randy could throw a long way for a skinny kid!   The bomb exploded just in front of the roadster with an exuberant blast (our perspective) and a puff of white smoke about 15 feet high.  Through the noise of the blast, we thought we heard the metallic percussion of ball bearing against radiator, oh joy–there is a god!  We didn't stick around to verify the damage nor to be beaten to a couple of pulps. Instead, we pedaled furiously in the opposite direction.  Although we diligently scanned the Fullerton News Tribune police blotter for days thereafter, our story was never revealed--until now.

Here's to you Randy!  Cheers.


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