Just another day ...

Today, like most days, I was driving from one customer to another ..... figuring out how to sell another load of feed when the cell phone rang.  Now cell phones in rural Kansas are barely a step above smoke signals on a windy day ... so if it DOES ring you stop as soon as possible or you loose the signal.

 

As it so happened, the nearest stop to get off the highway happened to be the driveway of an old country cemetery.  Well after the call was over, curiosity got the best of me so I stepped from the car and began to look through the headstones at dates and names.  Being somewhat of a history buff .. I enjoy visualizing what the "era" would have been like for the person that is eternally resting under the headstone.

 

There weren't a whole lot of headstones in this .... almost forgotten country graveyard ... but a few were large and sculptured ... some just more or less markers of the grave.  Some were affectingly marked as "Mother" or "Father" ... a few said "infant son/daughter of ...."  The headstones told little of the persons life, primarily only the date of birth and death .... that is except for "George Pruitt".

 

Now I never knew George Pruitt ... according to the date on his headstone, he died some 30+ years before I was even born.  But I wish I had known him, for on his tombstone was written ..

 

George Pruitt

1853 - 1919

As a neighbor ... commendable

As a friend ... trustworthy

As a father ... honorable

As a husband ... admirable

 

What more could any man wish to be said of his life.

Dennis

Joe the plummer .......

... Slim the cowboy ..... Sam the trucker ..... Sarah the secretary ..... Sheila the nurse ..... Steve the trash truck driver .... we're all in the same boat.  Trying to better ourselves.  Working hard to make a living ..... making ends meet, trying to make more than we did last year .... try to save a few bucks ....... put some back for a rainy day and maybe make enough so we can buy some of those things we have always dreamed about. 

 

MAYBE even start a business of our own .... for what?  So we can keep Pelosi in a private plane to fly around?  Help some Senator put his name on a government building?  Help some congressman build a freeway and buy a few votes?

 

This is a true story. 

 

Two of my customers are former "trash truck" drivers.  Both are now millionaires ..... but if you met either one, you wouldn't know it.   They worked hard ..... took risks and made the correct decisions that led them to be in the right place at the right times.  They sold their "fledgling" companies for millions and now own farms and cattle.  Both still wear overalls and talk about coon hunting, setting lines for fishing and eat "hot hamburgers" covered with French fries and white cream gravy. 

 

They got up early.  Drove used cars with bald tires and sweated every day it was hot ... blowed warm air into their hands on cold days and got soaking wet when it rained.  They earned every dollar .... and even paid every tax dollar required of them.

 

Now WHY am I entitled to some of their fortunes?  Why would I want more than their friendship?  They'd give you the shirt off their back if you were in need.  But if you try to "take it" ...... you'd best be ready for the tussle of your life ..... because they WORKED for what they have.

 

Mr. Obama .... I for one don't want you to "spread the wealth around" ....... just get out of the way and let those of us who DO BELIEVE in the AMERICAN DREAM have a chance at it.  My daddy taught me ..... if you want a bigger house, go get a job and buy it.  Pay what you owe and do the job you were hired to do. 

 

Mr. Obama .... what did your daddy teach you.

Dennis

Sure is quiet around here

Last weekend the Warden and I went to Arkansas to visit my dad.  His 83rd birthday was coming up and that gave good reason for quick trip down to visit him and eat some cake.  While there Dad mentioned he had something he had found that Shirley might like to have.  He then gave her an article from the 1991 Winfield Daily Courier Achievement Edition that my mother had saved.

 

The article was about the Warden's volunteer work at our local elementary school.  She was, at the time, the president of the parent / teacher organization.  She also volunteered one afternoon a week as an aide working with the students doing what ever the teachers needed.  There were several quotes from her about the activities of the school, the aide program and the PTO organization. 

 

It also quoted the principal's glowing words concerning my wife and the program of which she was a part.  He mentioned how the aide program, though unpaid, was invaluable to the students. There were also some pictures of her working with the students.

 

The Warden then handed me the article explaining further to Dad what the PTO had achieved during those former years.  She told how the old school had been replaced and now she worked in the libraries of the new schools.  "Wow," she said looking at me, "That was a trip down memory lane."

 

"Sure is." was my response, pointing to a picture.  "You were a lot thinner back then."

 

She hasn't spoken to me much this past week ... at least not with civility.

Dennis

Out of the blue

It's been so long since I wrote a blog ... I've about forgot how!  But I must confess, almost anything I would have written the last few days would have been a drag and a downer because of all the political shenanigans and rhetoric that has the airways blocked.  I for one will be glad when this election is over .... assuming we are still the United States of America .... and not the Socialists States of America. 

 

I do have to admit .... when I watched Sarah Palin's acceptance speech .... I did stand and cheer!  I for one say, take the lipstick off that hockey mom and let the Rottweiler in her tear some politcal @&& up in Washington DC!  I do have to admit though, I do worry about her "inexperience" .....  I mean it takes EXPERIENCE to screw things up this bad!  And with NO experience, she might actually FIX SOMETHING! 

 

There's only one thing I have against Sarah Palin .... one thing I shall always hold against her .. it happened in her interview with Katie Couric .... Sarah didn't haul off and belt that elitist biddy in the mouth.  But ... there's always a possibility she'll fix that someday.

Dennis