03/29/2024
Thoughts While Shaving
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Thoughts While Shaving

As a youngster, I was responsible for keeping enough wood cut for the family to stay warm, I welcomed a few warmer days.  Actually, at one time we had a wood fired range (stove), so more wood was necessary and green wood was not good, but better than nothing.

I enjoy reminiscing about ‘days gone by’ and wonder how mom and dad could support a family of six, working for a dollar an hour, sometimes less.  We were no different than many others in that day.

My dad was a laborer.  He would farm (sharecropper) for a few years, work in the cotton mill for a few years and then, for a while, ‘made a living’ logging, cutting pulp wood and logs.  As stated earlier, minimum wage for a long time was a dollar an hour and if the weather was uncooperative, there was no income, and no sign up for unemployment.

When dad was farming, about this time of year, I began to think about plowing the field prior to planting.  Plowing with a two horse (mule) turn-plow, and every inch of land had to be plowed, and it was, and as the oldest of six, much of that duty was my responsibility….looking at the rear-end of two huge animals, dodging stumps, on foot.

Now, when I think of a bad job, like picking up limbs after a wind storm, or cutting grass in the summer time, the chore is easier when I think how it once was.

Remember when there was no lawn, and the bare yard was raked with a broom type bundle of bushes from the woods?  You could tell if someone had visited while the family was away by the tracks left in the yard, and you could tell who it was by the car tracks or the size of the shoe imprint.

Life was simple, but not bad.  A strong drug was an aspirin for any type pain or a bottle of castor oil or ex-lax, for irregularity.

I am among men, mostly richly blessed.

Cute one liners….

I was just in London – there was a 6-hour time difference.  I’m still confused.  When I go to dinner, I feel sexy.  When I go to bed, I feel hungry.

The Doctor called Mrs. Cohen saying, “Mrs. Cohen, your check came back.”  Mrs. Cohen answered, “So did my arthritis!”

A drunk was in front of a judge.  The judge says, “You’ve been brought here for drinking.”  The drunk says, “Okay, let’s get started.”

Hope your Saturday is good.

robert g hester

rgh4612@gmail.com

910-876-2322

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