In our many travels, at least the ones we used to make before moving to the Land of Entrapment (which I do dearly love) and trying to live on nothing, we passed through wide swaths of Middle America that seemed in many ways like paradise. Not only were there long stretches of rolling prairie and quiet dirt roads (graded!) where one could hear the meadowlarks, but a huge blue sky hung over it all, and there were houses to be bought for less than a fancy bicycle in hip towns like Austin or Santa Fe.
I woke up to a good half a foot of heavy wet snow with more falling, straight down, like the stuff was poured out carefully high above and shaken through a sieve.
The first thing was, I built a fire. Sometimes there are coals enough to set a couple of aspen sticks on. If so, I [...]
Oh, I got dem heebie-jeebies, all right. All day, today…
The spot on the back of my hand must be cancer. My knees are a-rattlin’ inside when I walk. There’s colder weather on the way, Lord in heaven. I went out to get more sunflower seeds and found there weren’t any. I just LOVE driving [...]
What does a man have to do to generate a little complacency around here? They don’t make a drug for that, no matter what you think. Everybody (?) else gets to sit around and watch football on teevee. How can they DO that with the clock ringing in their ears? Why can’t I get permission to die stupid, too?
If it doesn’t boogie, leave it standing in the road! The music helps. I read a survey that rated Lousiana the “happiest state” and thought that was nonsense, but that music… damned if it doesn’t bust through and grow your missing legs back. (Who cares about swatting bugs?)
Slow learners take more hits. And here I thought I was smart!
Perhaps a simple “no!” is all that’s needed:
No, I will not take that path.
No, I don’t believe that.
No, I will not demean myself a moment more.
And then move on. That’s the hard part, moving on without looking back over my shoulder. [...]
[I have to go there to let the tiger out. Keelhauling through the unconscious follows:]
Perfect teeth: that’s always the giveaway, perfect teeth. In older people especially, shiny white teeth equal money and complacency, freedom from want. The ability to pay without reservations, second thoughts, or worrying about the bills. I watched the PBS American Masters [...]
