Accidental enlightenment: when something almost important occurs to you for no apparent reason. For example, I realized yesterday while doing the laundry that, unless you do the last load buck naked and stand in front of the dryer until it is all dried and ready to fold, you will NEVER have all of the laundry done all at once. It is impossible. Thank you. JS
In the parking lot of the Pet Mini-Mart yesterday, a young man approached me as I was getting into my car, asking for money, so he could get to some place in California. His eyes were bloodshot and his demeanor was so mellow, I thought he might go to sleep, leaning across the top of my Honda CRV. I got some money from my wallet and handed it to him. “You look really stoned,” I said.
He grinned. “Well, actually, I am,” he replied, “but it’s legal now.” Then he stared at me. “Do you smoke?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No,” I said, “but I used to work in rock ‘n roll radio. I know what stoned looks like.” He blushed. “All I’m saying,” I told him, “is that, if you want to be more successful at this, you might want to sober up some before you approach people to ask for money. If you look stoned and reek of marijuana, they’re less likely to believe you need money for gas, and they’re less likely to help you.”
He looked startled. “I smell like marijuana??” he asked.
“Well, it’s either that,” I told him, “or you’ve been barbecuing a Herculon couch under a bridge. You just happened to catch me on a good day when my old heart is feeling generous and shiny.” I started my car. “Take good care,son,” I said, “don’t let this be your whole life.”
He was giving me the peace sign as I drove off. JS
It is still boiling hot in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in case you are wondering. September in Texas & Oklahoma, however, is a hopeful month. It’s still scorching hot but, in September, there’s hope because we all know it will soon be October. Everything changes in October and life feels manageable again – a good feeling. Gonna go walk Kay & Stephen’s dog now, so I’m trying to psych myself up for this. If you don’t hear from me again, you’ll know I have melted into a puddle of Jody and all is lost. Try not to step in me. JS
On this day of remembrance, as I see these pictures of American flags and the words NEVER FORGET, I am filled with sadness over those we lost and pride in how our country came together to love and support each other the best that we could during such an awful time. I won’t ever forget; I hope none of us do.
However, I am reminded, too, of how the people of Iraq must have felt the same way on that March day in 2003 when hell rained down on them in the form of bombs dropped on them from our planes. 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia. NONE WERE FROM IRAQ! Don’t you imagine that the Iraqi people feel as unjustly attacked by us as we did by those hijackers? Don’t you imagine that they post images of their national flag and bombed-out cities admonishing their citizens: NEVER FORGET. I can’t imagine it would be any easier for them to forget than it ever will be for us.
War has only brought us unbearable heartache, crushing debt, and more determined enemies. People to whom the USA was only – mehhh – now hate us with a searing, soaring rage. Seems to me the only people who did really well from these endless wars were the big shots at Halliburton and companies like that.
I’m not posting this to stir up a ruckus or to get in a snit-fight with anybody. It’s just an observation on this day of remembering. Gary Zukov said we need to remind ourselves that, when we lose someone we love, no matter what our nationality, that it’s the SAME PAIN. Our pain is no bigger than any other country’s pain. I think we would do well to take that to heart, too, on this day of remembrance. JS
