There was a time in America especially in areas like Podunk Cassia County Idaho or even Hazzard itself that greeting someone who just moved into an area was common place, or if you just moved in it was an insult if you didn’t walk up to a few neighbors and say howdy. Stuck out a hand, bought a beer and shot the talk or just sat and watched the cars rust.
If you found a neighbor who had something in common, be it music or movies or hell even hot rods you went and began to tag around and share that interest.
Heck just being friendly.
Not today.
If you sit on the porch folks think your eye balling them to do something evil, if you approach someone with an extended hand they greet you with suspicion. If you offer a young person like the gal I lived next door to in Goons Ferry a cover photo job, folks think your shooting porn, or have some odd evil purpose. Or if it’s a young kid, it’s a situation that extends all the way to people thinking bad of you.
Where I live, and not for much longer by the way, more on that in a future blog, entry here, there are two guys, one who does groovy lazer light shows, that I’m bringing on board as a video producer. On the other side, is a guy who has a super clean Dodge truck that anybody would be glad to drive. Their success in living here at the Powers of Burley? Shut the damn door, Lock it, and do not intermix with these mentally challenged, people that also live here. Here at the Powers, you keep to yourself , come home, sleep, eat , crap, go elsewhere.
Sadly our world even our nation has grown so suspicious and critical as well as simple paranoid that it’s a wonder we can even go to the grocery store and be pleasant with each other.
One walks into the store and just says howdy to a lady, and her guy thinks your making moves on his lady. Tipping your hat , opening a door, and just a simple hello, is not taken as it was hell even 10 years ago.
I get chastised , by my PSR for not going out for a walk more. Shoot , I try , but I go out in the truck somewhere, that few if anybody else is. Then take my walk. Sure the life of small town rural Idaho or America is not for everyone, but I can remember being more in the take a walk notion in Salt Lake City than I am here.
There’s a line from one of Allen Jackson’ songs that goes something to the effect, of doing a lot of front porch sitting, thinking, and just doing something as easy as reading your Bible. The difference between people who read that Bible and practice what’ in it, is the difference between Yankees and Confederates. We believe in what’s written down there we practice it. The verses that reads , if you see your neighbor or fellow man and he’s hungry, feed him, if he’s cold and naked, clothe him, if he needs a place to sleep give him your bed. While the latter might be a bit out there, If I have it and another needs it worse than I do, I help provide.
The young girl in Goons Ferry, that I lived next door to. She needed to make some extra bucks for school supplies. Sure I could have hired outside talent that was a pro model, and ultimately did, but I said sure she can work for us. Right away the evil thoughts ran rampant, and it was he’s a molester or something. Excuse me? She had a need, and I was just being a Confederate Christian trying to help. No difference in my opinion if it was hiring the girl or if her dad needed a job, or service that I could provide free. I would and do, that every day. I don’t know how many what I call welfare toews I do, but it’s a bunch. Yet I’m a bad guy. Yet some of those same people can’t even pony up a can of Skoal once in awhile when I’m running low? However a deed done from the heart is not to have a response or payback its just to extend the kindness our Lord gives to us. This is the difference in just reading the Bible, and practicing what’s in it.
That’s the Confederate way. It is old skool to be sure, and yes there are circumstances that require a bit of closer look, but have we grown so far from what our Lord taught that we can’t say , can I help ? In some way?
One of the things that Nurse GoodBody did, and ya’ll know the story, but her extension of that one kindness endeared her to me for life. So I try to pay it forward as well.
When this Union, finally reaches to the point of being able to embrace the old Confederate ways, then, I’ll stop being so mean.
Until L8R Ya’ll
Quote of the Day:
That's right. 'Tain't yours, and 'tain't mine.
--Mark Twain
(when friend said that a certain rich man's money was "tainted")
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