Another Puzzler from Real Life

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 07:55 AM

In the spirit of QS's recent puzzles taken from his life, I present the following puzzle from my life. I will keep it pretty bare bones to start and provide little hints as needed.

A couple of summers ago, I had occasion to look over at my wife and comment "You know, Alabama being so uptight actually managed to save us from probably having to clean up a big mess." She agreed.

What was the situation?

digamma · 04-04-2016, 08:30 AM

I've got nothing.

Alabama could be a person?

Job opportunity that fell through in Alabama, and based on events it ended up being a blessing in disguise?

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 08:46 AM

Alabama is the state.
Nothing about a job.

henry296 · 04-04-2016, 08:48 AM

First thought was the BP Oil Spill.

Critch · 04-04-2016, 09:43 AM

Is it something to do with Alabama's sodomy laws?

Subby · 04-04-2016, 09:45 AM

digamma · 04-04-2016, 09:47 AM

CRITCH WINS

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 09:49 AM

Nothing about sex, sodamatastic or otherwise :-)

Small hints:

It was summer.
My parents live in New Orleans.
We live in North Carolina.
At the time, our kids were 6 and 3.

Butter · 04-04-2016, 10:40 AM

The band Alabama refused your parents desire to stage a family cover of "Mountain Music" somewhere in North Carolina.

QuikSand · 04-04-2016, 10:55 AM

So, I'm, thinking this is a drive, otherwise why mention the locations?

Maybe a drive/fly dilemma? Something Alabama did or screwed up moved the family to fly instead of drive? (Nothing coming to mind)

Summer must be relevant.

"Clean up a big mess" is obviously odd phrasing, though, for any of the above.

QuikSand · 04-04-2016, 10:55 AM

...and I think albionmoonlight may have coined a new word.

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand

So, I'm, thinking this is a drive, otherwise why mention the locations?

Yes.

Quote:

Maybe a drive/fly dilemma? Something Alabama did or screwed up moved the family to fly instead of drive? (Nothing coming to mind)

not a drive/fly thing.

We were on a drive with children.

The Alabama uptightness was manifest in a law. We ended up benefiting from a completely unintended consequence of the law.

QuikSand · 04-04-2016, 11:04 AM

I doubt it will help much, but this website is a goldmine anyway.

Dumb Laws in Alabama. Crazy Alabama Laws. We have weird laws, strange laws, and just plain crazy laws!

Examples that could have a humorous link to the puzzle:

You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.

It is illegal to sell peanuts in Lee County after sundown on Wednesday.

Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death.

It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile.

Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.

digamma · 04-04-2016, 11:07 AM

Were the kids sick?

Do you have a dog? Does Alabama prevent driving with dogs?

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digamma

Were the kids sick?

Do you have a dog? Does Alabama prevent driving with dogs?

No dog.

Kids were not sick, but asking if they were sick is in the right ballpark.

henry296 · 04-04-2016, 11:14 AM

Did they need to go to the bathroom.

Logan · 04-04-2016, 11:17 AM

You arrive at an Alabama amusement/water park on your way to see the parents. You learn they have some kind of age/height requirement, so you couldn't take the kids on the rides. Ten minutes down the road your kid says he's not feeling well. You stop off and he/she shits in a controlled environment, instead of all over you/others on a ride.

eta: change in direction of bodily function in response to recent information

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henry296

Did they need to go to the bathroom.

Yes.

Also, we were headed back from NOLA to NC. And, because it was summer, we were taking a different route than one might expect.

EagleFan · 04-04-2016, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I doubt it will help much, but this website is a goldmine anyway.

Dumb Laws in Alabama. Crazy Alabama Laws. We have weird laws, strange laws, and just plain crazy laws!

Examples that could have a humorous link to the puzzle:

You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.

It is illegal to sell peanuts in Lee County after sundown on Wednesday.

Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death.

It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile.

Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.

Men who deflower a virgin, regardless of age or marital status may serve up to five years in prison.

EagleFan · 04-04-2016, 11:56 AM

Sorry, no guess on the puzzle, just found that one amusing.

Maple Leafs · 04-04-2016, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Small hints:

It was summer.
My parents live in New Orleans.
We live in North Carolina.
At the time, our kids were 6 and 3.

Yeah, this is all still pointing to the sodomy thing.

Dutch · 04-04-2016, 12:15 PM

Many years ago...We drove across on the I-20 (from Loiusiana to South Carolina) and before hitting Birmingham(?) I asked if anybody had to go....kids said, "Nope" then we hit traffic and the older one changed his mind and went....before I could get out of traffic...we didn't avoid a mess and apparently it's because I didn't realize how uptight Alabama is....

QuikSand · 04-04-2016, 12:46 PM

Unexciting guess...

It was the presence of the weird Alabama uptight law that forced A & Mrs A to get the kids to ten to their business while still in LA, rather than risk a drive into Al (where things might not have been available).

Something like public restrooms must be locked or monitored... because, uh, maybe...teh ghey?

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 12:53 PM

another hint:

Because it was summer, Ms. A wanted to see some North Alabama waterfalls/swimming holes. So we ended up going out of our way and taking state highways and backroads instead of the interstate for the part of the trip that is relevant to this puzzler.

QuikSand · 04-04-2016, 12:55 PM

...and here we are back to sodomy.

CraigSca · 04-04-2016, 01:01 PM

Something about kids without a real bathing suit being unable to swim in a pool. You're kid then pooped their pants and it would have been in the water, had Alabama not been so uptight?

stevew · 04-04-2016, 02:50 PM

Does the answer involve Leakesville?

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 02:57 PM

The law in question has absolutely nothing to do with sanitation or bathrooms or kids.

But, because of the law, a bathroom happened to be present right when we needed it to.

cartman · 04-04-2016, 03:10 PM

Did you have confetti in your car?

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 03:26 PM

No confetti

bhlloy · 04-04-2016, 03:27 PM

Some sort of inspection or checkpoint you got stuck at and your kid just happened to have an emergency right there and then?

digamma · 04-04-2016, 03:36 PM

Alabama requires private restrooms at all public swimming locales?

albionmoonlight · 04-04-2016, 03:41 PM

Nothing to do with swimming.

Logan · 04-04-2016, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Nothing to do with swimming.

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuikSand

...and here we are back to sodomy.

.

digamma · 04-04-2016, 04:45 PM

Alabama has a weird carseat rule or something. You realized you didn't comply and had to go to Wal Mart, where you took advantage of the facilities?

stevew · 04-04-2016, 04:50 PM

Ok. Here's a guess-

Your wife wanted to check out the Bain's Gap waterfall which is near Anniston, Alabama. You walk around, but the park is still in its infancy and has no restroom facilities. So you head towards town and stop at Noble Street. Noble Street has an archaic rule against wearing jeans. So instead you quickly head up a side street and find a easy to access restaurant with a bathroom.

-Just a guess here, but I'll be disappointed if it's not correct

stevew · 04-04-2016, 05:16 PM

Dola-

If my answer is correct, and it being summer, you're likely outing some member of your party as a jorts wearer, FYI.

albionmoonlight · 04-05-2016, 07:24 AM

No jorts

I'll provide a bit more framework.

We were coming back from visiting Grandma and Grandpa.

Because of the waterfall detour, we were driving along state highways as we left Alabama.

As kids are wont to do, my oldest suddenly needed to go #2 "really really bad"

At that time, we were not on the interstate with decently available exits, but were in the middle of nowhere with no facilities of any sort in sight (and no easy/obvious place to pull over and try and go into the bushes).

Suddenly, an oasis of convenience stores/bathrooms appeared. Crisis was averted.

These stores all happened to be just over the state line in Georgia.

There were there as a direct result of an Alabama law that had nothing to do with gas stations or bathrooms.

QuikSand · 04-05-2016, 07:45 AM

So I'm guessing it's some sort of zoning, franchising, or tax law in Alabama. I looked up their sales tax, that's probably not it.

Even with the spoon feeding clues at this point, I still don't have it in focus. Sorry.

albionmoonlight · 04-05-2016, 07:51 AM

At the time, I actually used the word "uptight," and, in context, Mrs. A knew what I meant.

In reality, a word like "puritanical" is probably closer to the mark.

Also, part of the reason I knew that these stores were in Georgia is that they all had big signs advertising something available there that is not available in Alabama.

(And, again, this has nothing to do with sex).

henry296 · 04-05-2016, 08:15 AM

Fireworks?

QuikSand · 04-05-2016, 08:16 AM

Nice.

albionmoonlight · 04-05-2016, 08:23 AM

Not fireworks, but close enough.

Lottery tickets.

Alabama does not have a lottery. So, on this state highway in the middle of nowhere, several convenience stores popped up right across the state line selling Georgia lottery tickets.

So my son got to make it to a bathroom, and a potential big mess was avoided.

QuikSand · 04-05-2016, 08:47 AM

Also nice.

britrock88 · 04-05-2016, 01:11 PM

Figured it'd be either lottery or fireworks when you brought up the state line.

04-04-2016, 08:48 AM	#4
henry296 College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	First thought was the BP Oil Spill. __________________ "It's a great day for hockey" - "Badger" Bob Johnson

04-04-2016, 09:45 AM	#6
Subby lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: sans pants	lol __________________ Superman was flying around and saw Wonder Woman getting a tan in the nude on her balcony. Superman said I going to hit that real fast. So he flys down toward Wonder Woman to hit it and their is a loud scream. The Invincible Man scream what just hit me in the ass!!!!! I do shit, I take pictures, I write about it: chrisshue.com

04-04-2016, 10:40 AM	#9
Butter Coordinator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Dayton, OH	The band Alabama refused your parents desire to stage a family cover of "Mountain Music" somewhere in North Carolina. __________________ My listening habits

04-04-2016, 11:14 AM	#16
henry296 College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	Did they need to go to the bathroom. __________________ "It's a great day for hockey" - "Badger" Bob Johnson

04-04-2016, 11:17 AM	#17
Logan Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NYC	You arrive at an Alabama amusement/water park on your way to see the parents. You learn they have some kind of age/height requirement, so you couldn't take the kids on the rides. Ten minutes down the road your kid says he's not feeling well. You stop off and he/she shits in a controlled environment, instead of all over you/others on a ride. eta: change in direction of bodily function in response to recent information Last edited by Logan : 04-04-2016 at 11:18 AM.

04-04-2016, 08:30 AM	#2
digamma Torchbearer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Lake Harriet	I've got nothing. Alabama could be a person? Job opportunity that fell through in Alabama, and based on events it ended up being a blessing in disguise?

04-04-2016, 08:46 AM	#3
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	Alabama is the state. Nothing about a job.

04-04-2016, 09:43 AM	#5
Critch lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Herndon, VA	Is it something to do with Alabama's sodomy laws?

04-04-2016, 09:47 AM	#7
digamma Torchbearer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Lake Harriet	CRITCH WINS

04-04-2016, 09:49 AM	#8
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	Nothing about sex, sodamatastic or otherwise :-) Small hints: It was summer. My parents live in New Orleans. We live in North Carolina. At the time, our kids were 6 and 3.

04-04-2016, 10:55 AM	#10
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, I'm, thinking this is a drive, otherwise why mention the locations? Maybe a drive/fly dilemma? Something Alabama did or screwed up moved the family to fly instead of drive? (Nothing coming to mind) Summer must be relevant. "Clean up a big mess" is obviously odd phrasing, though, for any of the above.

04-04-2016, 11:04 AM	#13
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	I doubt it will help much, but this website is a goldmine anyway. Dumb Laws in Alabama. Crazy Alabama Laws. We have weird laws, strange laws, and just plain crazy laws! Examples that could have a humorous link to the puzzle: You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time. It is illegal to sell peanuts in Lee County after sundown on Wednesday. Putting salt on a railroad track may be punishable by death. It is legal to drive the wrong way down a one-way street if you have a lantern attached to the front of your automobile. Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.

04-04-2016, 11:07 AM	#14
digamma Torchbearer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Lake Harriet	Were the kids sick? Do you have a dog? Does Alabama prevent driving with dogs?

04-04-2016, 11:56 AM	#20
EagleFan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Mays Landing, NJ USA	Sorry, no guess on the puzzle, just found that one amusing. __________________ The EagleFan YouTube Channel - Reactions Soarin' & Scratchin' YouTube Channel - We react to music, videos, TV, we talk, we are planning some field trips Soarin' & Soothin' - Meditation, Relaxation, and Sleep Aid; mental health is important

04-04-2016, 12:15 PM	#22
Dutch "Dutch" Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Tampa, FL	Many years ago...We drove across on the I-20 (from Loiusiana to South Carolina) and before hitting Birmingham(?) I asked if anybody had to go....kids said, "Nope" then we hit traffic and the older one changed his mind and went....before I could get out of traffic...we didn't avoid a mess and apparently it's because I didn't realize how uptight Alabama is....

04-04-2016, 12:46 PM	#23
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Unexciting guess... It was the presence of the weird Alabama uptight law that forced A & Mrs A to get the kids to ten to their business while still in LA, rather than risk a drive into Al (where things might not have been available). Something like public restrooms must be locked or monitored... because, uh, maybe...teh ghey?

04-04-2016, 12:53 PM	#24
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	another hint: Because it was summer, Ms. A wanted to see some North Alabama waterfalls/swimming holes. So we ended up going out of our way and taking state highways and backroads instead of the interstate for the part of the trip that is relevant to this puzzler.

04-04-2016, 12:55 PM	#25
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	...and here we are back to sodomy.

04-04-2016, 01:01 PM	#26
CraigSca Pro Starter Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Not Delaware - hurray!	Something about kids without a real bathing suit being unable to swim in a pool. You're kid then pooped their pants and it would have been in the water, had Alabama not been so uptight? __________________ She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! She loves you, yeah! how do you know? how do you know?

04-04-2016, 02:50 PM	#27
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	Does the answer involve Leakesville?

04-04-2016, 02:57 PM	#28
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	The law in question has absolutely nothing to do with sanitation or bathrooms or kids. But, because of the law, a bathroom happened to be present right when we needed it to.

04-04-2016, 03:10 PM	#29
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	Did you have confetti in your car? __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

04-04-2016, 03:26 PM	#30
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	No confetti

04-04-2016, 03:27 PM	#31
bhlloy Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2003	Some sort of inspection or checkpoint you got stuck at and your kid just happened to have an emergency right there and then?

04-04-2016, 03:36 PM	#32
digamma Torchbearer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Lake Harriet	Alabama requires private restrooms at all public swimming locales?

04-04-2016, 03:41 PM	#33
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	Nothing to do with swimming.

04-04-2016, 04:45 PM	#35
digamma Torchbearer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Lake Harriet	Alabama has a weird carseat rule or something. You realized you didn't comply and had to go to Wal Mart, where you took advantage of the facilities?

04-04-2016, 04:50 PM	#36
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	Ok. Here's a guess- Your wife wanted to check out the Bain's Gap waterfall which is near Anniston, Alabama. You walk around, but the park is still in its infancy and has no restroom facilities. So you head towards town and stop at Noble Street. Noble Street has an archaic rule against wearing jeans. So instead you quickly head up a side street and find a easy to access restaurant with a bathroom. -Just a guess here, but I'll be disappointed if it's not correct Last edited by stevew : 04-04-2016 at 05:43 PM.

04-04-2016, 05:16 PM	#37
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	Dola- If my answer is correct, and it being summer, you're likely outing some member of your party as a jorts wearer, FYI. Last edited by stevew : 04-04-2016 at 05:42 PM.

04-05-2016, 07:24 AM	#38
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	No jorts I'll provide a bit more framework. We were coming back from visiting Grandma and Grandpa. Because of the waterfall detour, we were driving along state highways as we left Alabama. As kids are wont to do, my oldest suddenly needed to go #2 "really really bad" At that time, we were not on the interstate with decently available exits, but were in the middle of nowhere with no facilities of any sort in sight (and no easy/obvious place to pull over and try and go into the bushes). Suddenly, an oasis of convenience stores/bathrooms appeared. Crisis was averted. These stores all happened to be just over the state line in Georgia. There were there as a direct result of an Alabama law that had nothing to do with gas stations or bathrooms.

04-05-2016, 07:45 AM	#39
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So I'm guessing it's some sort of zoning, franchising, or tax law in Alabama. I looked up their sales tax, that's probably not it. Even with the spoon feeding clues at this point, I still don't have it in focus. Sorry.

04-05-2016, 07:51 AM	#40
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	At the time, I actually used the word "uptight," and, in context, Mrs. A knew what I meant. In reality, a word like "puritanical" is probably closer to the mark. Also, part of the reason I knew that these stores were in Georgia is that they all had big signs advertising something available there that is not available in Alabama. (And, again, this has nothing to do with sex).

04-05-2016, 08:15 AM	#41
henry296 College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	Fireworks? __________________ "It's a great day for hockey" - "Badger" Bob Johnson

04-05-2016, 08:16 AM	#42
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Nice.

04-05-2016, 08:23 AM	#43
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	Not fireworks, but close enough. Lottery tickets. Alabama does not have a lottery. So, on this state highway in the middle of nowhere, several convenience stores popped up right across the state line selling Georgia lottery tickets. So my son got to make it to a bathroom, and a potential big mess was avoided.