YES, I AM STILL HERE peeking out my window on Main Street, and you are probably wondering why I am sitting here chuckling.
I will tell you. It’s because I am thinking about all of the hours I’m going to save next week by not watching any of the SEC re-runs of the Arkansas R———- last game. That re-run will be appear in its entirety no less than twice on the SEC network; in bits and pieces for several days on all three of the Little Rock television channels and on the half-dozen or so Social Media sites where people make a decent living propping up R——– fans after yet another disappointing — yet not totally unexpected — loss. No one ever calls Paul Finebaum or call-in radio shows anymore with a statement about the R——— because we don’t exist.
I can comment on this topic because, as both of you know, I am the #1 Fair Weather Arkansas R——– Football Fan.
Of course, I am disappointed that the coach missed his usual post-game interviews. I heard that the reason was that one of the offensive linemen was holding him in the locker room. Our linemen are pretty good at holding. Maybe the best in the conference.
Am I surprised? Look back at my prediction last week. Does it say BYU? Yes, it does.
I AM disappointed that again, in 2023, I fell for the propaganda put out by the Social Media R——– experts and the football experts from the tv stations and the print media and Wally Hall and Hooten’s about the quality of recruiting and the portal transfers.
Thank goodness we’re about to have some mild weather so I can go out and sit on the patio during R——– games.
I recommend that the school remove those R——— decals from the sides of the helmets.
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A PRE-DAWN VIEWING. Well, that statement is in error because there was no viewing. On my birthday, Friday, daughter Julie and I walked out to a dark place at about 4:30 a.m. hoping to catch a glimpse of the comet which was rumored (in print) to exist low in the northeast sky at that time.
The stars overhead were brilliant and our hopes were high. Alas, there seemed to be a haze low on the horizon and we never saw the comet.
But at 4:30 we did get a good look at the universe the Almighty created for our eyes. And we experienced the silence of our rural location north of town. We heard no cattle lowing, no coyotes howling, no switch engines working and honking endlessly in the town’s rail yards even though the feed mill is now miles and miles away from downtown.
I hope some of you were able to find that comet. While we were were out I saw a shooting star. Julie was looking down in search of a fire ant mound and she missed the meteor. She said: “It’s alright, I’ve seen one before.” She was alluding to her childhood when her mom and I took her out during several meteor showers. She never saw one — Happened to be looking away from the stars when meteors zipped past. She was just brokenhearted because she didn’t see any. It even reached the point where she thought her parents might be lying to her about shooting stars.
A few years later she finally saw one by accident, and that broke the jinx.
Oh, some smartypants just called and said I was the #1 Fair Weather Comet Fan,
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A COUPLE OF DEATHS to comment on.
My classmate Jim Chandler died Monday night in San Diego after a battle with cancer. He was valdictorian of the NHS class of 1961; was a National Merit Scholar winner; and was a retired Navy physician. Not to mention an all-around knowledgeable gent. He transferred to Nashville public schools when the two-room school at Bingen closed. Jim was musically inclined and actually wrote some music. He was much beloved by his classmates.
Second death. Kenny Fant whose funeral was Tuesday morning at the Freewill Baptist Church in Newhope. I first met Kenny at Arkansas Forestry Department events. And then I began to notice his name popping up often as officiant at funerals at small rural churches.
I realized it was a comment on his good character that so many people at so many churches of so many different denominations wanted Kenny to bury their loved ones. I’m sure he was a source of strength and solace at other times in people’s lives.
His obituary is in today’s newspaper.
Peace to their friends and families and thanks to the Almighty for putting such people among us.
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THINGS I LEARNED by opening email: Common sense is like deodorant. The people who need it the most never use it.
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WORD GAMES. The twins: To and Fro. Related to Back and Forth.
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HE SAID: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin, statesman
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SHE SAID: “We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.” Michelle Obama, First Lady
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
