The South Will Rise Again?

Last time I went backpacking in rural Missouri, the American flag was everywhere.  Unfortunately I have come to view the flying of our national flag more an expression of nationalism than of patriotism.  And that scares me.

Last weekend I went backpacking in very rural Arkansas.  I say rural.  In order to get to the trail-head, I went down several small, paved, county roads, and finally turned on a dirt county road which I followed for miles before turning onto a forest service road.  I was officially in the boonies.

I had not noticed driving there Continue reading “The South Will Rise Again?”

Oops

I went backpacking this weekend in Arkansas, down close to the Buffalo National River. This is a wonderful and beautiful area.  If you ever get the chance to visit there, do so.

I am driving there to meet my son and one of my brothers who are trekking with me.  I get a little south of Harrison, Arkansas and I realize that I need gas.  At this point I am getting very close to being in very rural Arkansas.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I lived in Arkansas for fourteen years, and I found many things to love about it. However, some of its reputation is deserved.

I pull into a run-down looking convenience store.  Sitting in front of the store is this snaggletooth woman somewhere between 40 and 65 years of age.  She is smoking a Continue reading “Oops”

God’s Way of Saying It Is Okay

In these times when racism and bigotry seem to be rearing their horrendous heads with renewed vigor, I am reminded of a story that I tell from time.

My youngest brother is married to a charming Korean lady.  They have two very attractive children, obviously of mixed race, Korean and Caucasian (mainly British Isles and Scandinavia).

Many years ago my parents were visiting me when I lived in Jackson, Mississippi working for Saks of all companies.  We took a jaunt over to Vicksburg to see the very historic Continue reading “God’s Way of Saying It Is Okay”

Seinfeld Revisited

In the building where I work there is a gym on the ninth floor.  It is not a big gym and the locker rooms are tight.  You go down a hallway, and if you go through the door on the left it is the ladies’ locker room.  If you go through the door on the right it is the men’s locker room.

Twice now it has so happened that as I was changing a female has walked through the wrong door into the wrong locker room.  First time it happened it was a young lady who works at the same company I work at.  For a month afterwards, I could not look her in the face.

It happened again last week.  I was standing there in nothing but my shirt preparing to put on my running shorts.  A young woman walks in, and she suddenly gets a very perplexed Continue reading “Seinfeld Revisited”