Robert, your humanity is showing! Good for you and all of us to learn a lesson many have a tough time with. Just yesterday, while doing my "thing" recycling all the plastic bottles that were dumped in the trash at our High School football field, I casually noticed a lady walking the track next to me as I was going from can to can pulling bottles out to recycle them. As she passed me, I did the curtious thing and said , "Good Morning!", and got a "look" but no reply. Oh well, she was bundled up pretty good, and I let it go, continuing with my recycling work. I later noticed her from the homestands as she passed by, and while she kept her head straight ahead most of the time, when she neared me, her head turned sharply to the left! Three times I watched her do this! I do this recycling because it needs to be done and most won't take the time. I live across the street from the track and I just happened to notice that it wasn't being done! Over the course of this year, I have taken it upon myself to clean up this part of what people consider a waste of their time and recycle all over the place. I get exercise and figure I'm doing a service that needs doing; being retired I have the time and so what? Well, my collection of this material this year alone has amounted to over $1,500, and most of it gets spent on projects that wouldn't get off the ground without a little encouragement and my money to help that to happen! Other than that, I support political candidates who understand compromise is a neccessary part to accomplishing what needs to be done! So if Ms. "I can't bear to even look at someone who would stoop so low as to rumage around in garbage cans" had a clue, maybe there wouldn't be as much un-recycled "trash" that needs to be recovered in the first place! Not noticing she missed the fact that I live in a relatively solid house with a number of solar panels outside my door that reduces my electric bill to less than ten dollars a month and that cost me $23,000 to put up! If one wants to be concious of things like me doing what I can to save the resources of the planet, maybe the better thing would be to acknowledge that your outrage would be better focused on how to help, rather than ignore what you need to see and support! Thank you for the opportunity to air my grevience!
If only we lived in a society/World where it was a given that solar panels would go on every house without individuals having to shell out $20000. That should be the norm not the exception.
The judgy woman.....sigh.
You would have gotten a smile and a greeting from me that day, as you are getting one now.
WOW -- what a wonderful repost on a Sunday morning!
These types of posts give me some hope that America can survive and grow.
We will know more by the morning of November 6th (BTW -- this is not a political endorsement; we have 2 candidates with vastly different views of how America should be)!
I think I would have really liked your dad. Enjoyed the article. Hope your sinus infection clears up BUT would enjoy reading another rendition of one of your favorite earlier columns.
Great way to begin another relatively quiet day for a woman who used to be very active in many ways.I was raised by two parents who helped lots of people that others ignored. What we have in common at our respective ages is that our backgrounds enabled us to continue to look for ways to make others lives better. Hope you soon recover your strength.
Thank you so much for re-posting this. It reminds me of growing up in small town Iowa with parents who cared about family and neighbors. It also reminds me of friends who never said no to a request to use their pickup and the times when we all packed in the back of an uncle's pickup to ride down a gravel road. šš
My dad was a mechanic at a Buick dealership all of his life after WWII. He was a hard ass staunch Republican. Yet he would help many family members and people with no money all the time with their car issues. I can relate to a lot of what you wrote. Great piece!
This story touched my heart for many reasons. What a great gift you gave to that family without even knowing it. I think (hope) that happens more often than we know. Thanks for the gift of this story, Bob. Feel better....
Whoa. This article caught me completely off guard. I am moved to tears reading it. Thank you.š
Glad you liked it! It still warms my heart when I see that young man drive by in my Dad's truck.
Robert, your humanity is showing! Good for you and all of us to learn a lesson many have a tough time with. Just yesterday, while doing my "thing" recycling all the plastic bottles that were dumped in the trash at our High School football field, I casually noticed a lady walking the track next to me as I was going from can to can pulling bottles out to recycle them. As she passed me, I did the curtious thing and said , "Good Morning!", and got a "look" but no reply. Oh well, she was bundled up pretty good, and I let it go, continuing with my recycling work. I later noticed her from the homestands as she passed by, and while she kept her head straight ahead most of the time, when she neared me, her head turned sharply to the left! Three times I watched her do this! I do this recycling because it needs to be done and most won't take the time. I live across the street from the track and I just happened to notice that it wasn't being done! Over the course of this year, I have taken it upon myself to clean up this part of what people consider a waste of their time and recycle all over the place. I get exercise and figure I'm doing a service that needs doing; being retired I have the time and so what? Well, my collection of this material this year alone has amounted to over $1,500, and most of it gets spent on projects that wouldn't get off the ground without a little encouragement and my money to help that to happen! Other than that, I support political candidates who understand compromise is a neccessary part to accomplishing what needs to be done! So if Ms. "I can't bear to even look at someone who would stoop so low as to rumage around in garbage cans" had a clue, maybe there wouldn't be as much un-recycled "trash" that needs to be recovered in the first place! Not noticing she missed the fact that I live in a relatively solid house with a number of solar panels outside my door that reduces my electric bill to less than ten dollars a month and that cost me $23,000 to put up! If one wants to be concious of things like me doing what I can to save the resources of the planet, maybe the better thing would be to acknowledge that your outrage would be better focused on how to help, rather than ignore what you need to see and support! Thank you for the opportunity to air my grevience!
If only we lived in a society/World where it was a given that solar panels would go on every house without individuals having to shell out $20000. That should be the norm not the exception.
The judgy woman.....sigh.
You would have gotten a smile and a greeting from me that day, as you are getting one now.
well put, as always!
This is the America I know and love. What the hell happened?
WOW -- what a wonderful repost on a Sunday morning!
These types of posts give me some hope that America can survive and grow.
We will know more by the morning of November 6th (BTW -- this is not a political endorsement; we have 2 candidates with vastly different views of how America should be)!
Go vote!
I think I would have really liked your dad. Enjoyed the article. Hope your sinus infection clears up BUT would enjoy reading another rendition of one of your favorite earlier columns.
thanks Thomas!
Great way to begin another relatively quiet day for a woman who used to be very active in many ways.I was raised by two parents who helped lots of people that others ignored. What we have in common at our respective ages is that our backgrounds enabled us to continue to look for ways to make others lives better. Hope you soon recover your strength.
I teared up at the end of this. Thank you. I can't wait to retire and return to MO to be back among folks like you.
A gorgeous story of humanity at its best. It took me back home to the Midwest for a few precious momentsā¦thank you. I needed this moment. š¦
Good tears for these old dry eyes.
Loved it as much as the first time I read it, Bob. Hope your sinus infection is better.
Thank you so much for re-posting this. It reminds me of growing up in small town Iowa with parents who cared about family and neighbors. It also reminds me of friends who never said no to a request to use their pickup and the times when we all packed in the back of an uncle's pickup to ride down a gravel road. šš
Great writing Bob! I think once a guy owns a truck...he'll keep owning one! :)
Heart warming story.
My dad was a mechanic at a Buick dealership all of his life after WWII. He was a hard ass staunch Republican. Yet he would help many family members and people with no money all the time with their car issues. I can relate to a lot of what you wrote. Great piece!
What a beautiful story, robert! And you're right; pickups don't belong to us, they belong to humanity. I hope you feel better ASAP!
This story touched my heart for many reasons. What a great gift you gave to that family without even knowing it. I think (hope) that happens more often than we know. Thanks for the gift of this story, Bob. Feel better....