So I went with BatDan last night to watch his son (whom I've known since he was an infant) get a rank advancement and some merit badges in his Boy Scout troop (he's almost an Eagle - go Davy!).
But before they did the ceremonial passing of the patches, one of the scout leaders got up to talk about some of the troop's recent activities. He was greeted by the entire troop as Mr. Rodriguez and he's apparently a local fire chief. He looked kind of like a cowboy and talked and walked similar as well and had a big thick black mustache.
He talked briefly about some stuff they did locally and then began to talk about a summer camp from which the boys had just returned.
He also mentioned a couple of times that some of the boys were "really filling out their man cards". I'd never heard the term, and when I looked it up, it's some kind of unofficial recognition of activities that make a man a man. I'm largely mentioning this so you keep it in mind for later.
He eventually got around to talking about one of the activities the boys did and referred to it as "climbing the scar pole". Granted, it could have been something different than scar pole, but this is what it sounded like he saying.
Anyway, he went on to say that all of the boys did well at climbing the scar pole and when they got to the top they were made to "kiss the head". "Y'know like the Blarney Stone?," he added.
"Wait, what?," I heard myself whisper involuntarily.
But he continued with, "Y'know it's great when you get to see a young boy get his man card punched."
BatDan and I had to hide our faces to keep from bursting out laughing.
None of the other adults seemed to have picked up on this, or at least they weren't reacting.
But honestly, that was as gay as
