The Kizers of Grayson, Kentucky were the funniest family I have ever known. Easily so. Painfully so. You can ask my brother Jim. The Kiser's were hysterical.

Jeffie Kizer was Jim's age and Charlie Kizer was my age. They had an older sister named Leslie. I can't remember their father's name. He was president of the National Edsel Foundation (or something of the sort). He owned about 35 Edsels and about 20 of them ran. They were not a wealthy family. Far from it. They just enjoyed a whole lot of the biggest joke of a car in American automotive history.

When Charlie and I were 13, Leslie turned 16. I was at Charlie's house after school one day when I learned that it was Leslie's 16th birthday. They brought a large, flat white cake into the kitchen. It was just the five Kizer's and me. They were abundant with humor as we began eating cake and chugging soda pop.

Then it happened...

With a mouthful of cake and Coke I busted forth with laughter. Cake and Coke erupted from my mouth and nose like a small explosion. Most of the explosion seemed to find its way onto the white cake. It looked like the arctic had been bombed from the sky with dirt.

I was tremendously embarrassed as The Kizer Five started in on me at once. It was rapid-fire comedy at my expense. I kept shrinking inside of myself, but they were really having a ball. I must have stayed for about 2 hours that day. And they didn't let up on me during that after-school visit.

It took awhile (years) for me not to reflect on this memory with utter embarrassment. But today I realize that I gave the Kizer family great enjoyment and a great memory for Leslie's 16th birthday party. And all it took was a mouthful of cake and Coke spewing with exuberance from my mouth and nose.