It was a very warm day in Wyoming. I was on the road going to take care of some warranty work on a mobile home. The highway I was on was deserted. There was no one in sight and hadn’t been for the last 30 minutes. The only company I had was the radio and the sudden appearance of a Dust Devil. This miniature tornado had to be 30 feet tall and maybe 4 feet in circumference. It was unique because it had a whirling glittering appearance to it. It brought me back to the old Walt Disney TV show where Tinker bell threw a handful of pixi dust out of her hand to start and finish the show. There must have been mica in the dust for the sun to produce such a show. It was if all the stars in the galaxy were spinning in front of my eyes.
About ten minutes later while hypnotized by the road I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I turned and looked, and to my surprise I saw this magnificent Bald Eagle. He was flying right on the other side of the two lane road at eye level. Our eyes locked and it was the most spiritual thing that ever happened to me to EVER. The Eagles eyes saw right into me, into my soul, heart, and mind. All my secrets were exposed. All the bad and good I had done were known. The feeling of freedom I felt from having no secrets was so uplifting that it felt like I was flying too.
Then I was overwhelmed with the knowledge that it was ok. I felt forgiven. All the crap I had done throughout my life was lifted from me. Everything in the future I would slip up on was forgiven too. I really don’t know how long the Eagle was with me, perhaps a split second, perhaps a minute. I don’t know and don’t really care. Was the Eagle a messenger from a higher power? I think that it was an encouragement to continue on, and that there would be ups and downs in life. To stay close to the path and not lose faith. Love one another.
Bob
He is 93 years old and still has a gleam in his eyes. My wife and I took this WWII vet to a dinner theatre as a gesture for employing my wife for the sale of his house. We were going to see Oklahoma! We pulled up in front of his new residence and as he approached the car slightly bent over with a cane keeping him steady I thought of the great bald eagle. Our great American symbol. His eyes were sharp and full of knowledge. The slight crouch reminded me of the position right before take off. I couldn’t wait to talk to him. Wayne got in the car and off we went.
After our initial greeting my wife and Wayne began singing the first line to Oklahoma and maybe half of the next line. It was a treat for me to see that there was truly a friendship here, because up until now all I had heard was how nice he was. I had googled the Battle of Bastogne which Wayne was a part of. I wanted to be able to talk about it and ask some questions. Wayne had twelve tanks under his command and was part of the101st Airborne.
We arrived at the Candlelight and were seated. It’s a nice place and I was impressed immediately with it’s ambiance. The actors were your servers, which gave it a wonderful feeling of community. While waiting for lunch I got the chance to talk to Wayne about the Battle of Bastogne. I asked what role he and his tanks had in the battle. As I waited for the answer I saw him travel back to the battle through his eyes. He got there and then started to speak. He left 4 tanks over there and 4 more at another location. The 4 tanks he was with drove up to where the 101st was dug in at the tree line. They were completely surrounded by the enemy.
He spoke with the commander of one of his tanks and told him to move back so he could have a better line of sight. He walked away and came right back and the man had been cut in half by shrapnel. Then one of his men asked who he wanted in charge of that tank. He never answered because at that moment he was hit. Shrapnel came down right behind his left shoulder and bored a hole moving diagonally towards his right side. He asked his man how big is the hole? He rolled his shirt up and told him he could fit his fist in it. Well you better take me to the medics (he said).
Wayne also made it to the battle of the bulge and went on a rescue mission to save some of our men. He was praised and thanked by our nation and it’s president. The mission was a very big deal. My own dad was a WWII vet at Anzio Beachhead, I wish I knew more about his time there?
On the drive home from Oklahoma we sang some more! Actually remembered about two and a half lines J
God love this country and the men and women who protect it. Thank you Wayne and Dad. Love one another!
Bob
It was a beautiful July day in Staten Island N.Y. It was around 1962. We were in our big brown 53 Chevy going down Manor road heading towards 4 corners. My mom was driving and my two sisters were there too. We got to the corners and were stopped by the red traffic light. To our right on one corner was the Sunnyside Club where people went for a few drinks. On the other corner (diagonally) was the A&P grocery store, which would be a bank in the future where I would get Frank Giffords autograph as he helped it’s grand opening.
While waiting at the red light my Mother said lock your doors because the Hitchhiking Lady hung out here and would just get right in your car. I was surprised and a bit terrified at this news. I couldn’t fathom that a person, especially a woman would just get in your car uninvited. My mind began to swim as I imagined what she must of looked like. I thought she must have had a wild look in her eye much like the lady from the original 101 Dalmatians’ in1961. She also had a very long coat but this one was tattered unlike the luxurious coat from the movie. It had to be tattered!! Surely the woman had to be down on her luck and not in her right mind to brazenly get into strangers cars. Her hands were very lean and showed every bone and vein in them. The type of hand that would be stirring a cauldron, and with a wicked laughter that sent chills down your spine.
This was a very inventive way to get us to lock our doors, yet I wonder why it was that way and not just (ok kids lock your doors). Maybe she was real? This warning was repeated several times by my mom, and always at 4 corners. After a while the warnings stopped and the Hitchhiking Lady disappeared from my mind. I thank my sister in law who posted on facebook about Mr. rubber toe, a fictional character that her daughter in law uses to keep her two boys in line. It sparked my memory of Hitchhiking Lady and also gave me a vivid memory of my wonderful Mom. Love One Another!!
Bob
It was a mild morning in Louisiana. The sun had not come up yet. My brother in law- his friend- and I were going squirrel hunting. I was given a crash course on the shotgun the night before and I was ready? We entered the woods and his friend immediately took off in another direction. Gary brought me to a spot and told me to sit down and wait for sunlight and I would know what to do. He then left me to find a spot of his own. He left a New York City boy whose only hunting experience was lifting rocks and looking for salamanders across the street from the projects!!! I was a bit nervous but exhilarated.
So I sat and waited. Finally the sun was rising and the squirrels went scurrying around. This is what he meant when he said I would know what to do. Well I was so busy watching them play around that I missed every possible shot. What a city slicker! The next step was to walk about fifty yards, give or take and settle back in and wait for more squirrel scurrying. During my walk to a new spot I was just amazed at the things I was seeing. While walking through a dry creek bed I was in awe of the huge trees whose root systems hung out in plain sight. It was natures art at it’s finest.
I then came upon the BIGGEST spider web I have ever seen till this day. Then I saw the spider. It was a Behemoth. This creature must have been born at the dawn of time!! I was hypnotized by the King of all spiders. I immediately named him the “banana spider” because of his bright yellow body. All the while I’m hearing shotgun blasts, hmmm someone is shooting squirrels. My walk through a National Geographic magazine finally came to an end.
It was Gary. Did you get any brother in law he said? Nope said I. I think he realized at that time I needed help. Then we saw Merl. Sitting on that tree branch just asking us to get him, reminded me of Captain Ahab strapped to Moby Dick beckoning to his crew to come after him. I took a shot and hit him. He flew up in the air and did about five 360 flips in mid air. Extreme snow boarders eat your heart out. Merl landed in between two large branches with only his butt hanging out. I shot again.
Another hit! He moved and Gary said there he is get him. I looked up and couldn’t see him. You get him I said. Blam, Gary finished him off. He took Merl and got him mounted for me. Merl proudly resides in Virginia now with my Son who takes good care of him.
Thanks for the adventure Merl and Gary. Hey remember. Love one another!
Bob
My old cell phone company and I had problems! Things were just getting too expensive, so I called customer service. I told them we needed to do something with the account or I would have to go elsewhere. They came up with a deal that wasn’t good enough so I told him what I wanted and for how much. This poor guy had enough of me and said he would have a superior call me back, because he couldn’t authorize it.
No call back after two weeks! I got in touch and during our conversation, found out that six months prior most all of their plans were lowered $30 a month. I was shocked and asked why I didn’t know about it. “ Well sir we did a press release” -So I didn’t see this and I didn’t get the discount, hmmm! I fought a good fight and got 3 months worth credited to us. However this was really annoying and I knew it wasn’t over for me.
I felt as if they did the press release and crossed their fingers hoping that not too many customers saw it. Then as people complained about cost they would reveal the new price. Not to my surprise texts started coming on new things we could add to our account, and they seemed to all be around $30. I called up and told them I was done. After a week or so we started receiving their correspondence with a early termination fee.
I gave it another week and called. I requested they drop the fee and we both move on! I explained how they never called back with help on the cost of our account. I wasn’t getting very far until I started talking about the press release and the texts I started receiving to spend more money after my discount. I merely said, “why didn’t you text me about the discount if you really wanted me to have it”--The silence was deafening---------- She then said that $18 would be all I needed to pay and we were done. I took it as opposed to the $300.
I think it would have been beneficial to their company to be honest and truly revealing about their discount. Lets just be honest. Just give me the truth! Come on American companies. God Bless America. Remember Love One Another.
Bob
I finally broke down and got myself a new pair of jogging/cross trainers. (I don’t run anymore) I had four pair of old ones laying around, dating back pretty far. Trying to be as green as possible I thought to save all the laces because they’re in great shape. Possibly fill the sink with bleach and get them white again. I should be able to find some use for them, I thought. Then it dawned on me?
It’s probably been four and a half decades since I broke a pair of shoe laces. What does that mean? I’m not sure. Maybe laces are made much better these days, or perhaps shoes are not and wear out more quickly to increase profits. I heard today on the news that someone designed a light bulb that will last 30 years? Where do I get a box full of those babies? Probably need a loan to buy them J
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I’m not sure why I was moved to ramble on like this. I haven’t blogged for a while, so needed to put something out there maybe? I do know that quality shouldn’t cost the consumer in excess of what’s fair. I would like to see our country of inventors and entrepreneurs create and sell products of quality, but most of all sell these products at a fair price. Lets charge more for inferior items to move people towards what’s good for them. An example is food- good quality food (organics) are more expensive then the chemical laden junk (processed) we buy. Something is wrong here!!
America is a great nation, but our best is still ahead of us. God bless America!! If you read this I’m sorry for the rambling, just one of those things. Remember- Love one another.
Bob
I was a Catholic boy who grew up on Staten Island, New York. I went to Blessed Sacrament school just like my sisters before me did. The Sisters of Charity ran the show there with an iron fist. Catechism was a class among your other ones. This class was about God and all things related. It troubled me because I wondered if I was good enough to make it to heaven. A question that reenters my mind from time to time.
I didn’t spend a lot of time worrying about my salvation, yet it lingered in a neat little compartment in the back of my mind. The nuns were very strict especially in catechism, and if you got out of line you could get smacked in the face. One day we were in Sister Basils class (she was well known for slapping) and Donald Naples was talking to me. I told him to be quiet because I didn’t want her to see us talking. You guessed it! As soon as I told him to be quiet she looked my way!
It was on! She started making her way towards me. I thought of pleading my case but knew it didn’t matter, she needed to hit someone that day. Looking back it was really a sight. Sister Basil was about five feet two inches tall and very large and round. To see her coming down the aisle reminded me of a runaway locomotive being stoked with wood so that the final impact would be sure destruction. Being in her black habit (clothes) she also reminded me of a Big black comet whose short yet fiery tail had my name written on it.
Right before she got to me I decided to stand up and take it like a man, or maybe it was to lessen the blow because standing would get me farther away. Whatever the reason she got me. I can’t remember what happened after, but I’m pretty sure I had words with Donald after class.
Anyway, wondering about going to heaven or not bothered me. Then something happened which changed everything. In 1956 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Carousel was made into a movie starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones. In one scene he was robbing someone and slipped and fell on his knife and died. He then went to a place between heaven and hell. The guy in charge came in and that’s when I learned he was a star hanger.
A great weight was immediately lifted off my shoulders. Surely I was good enough to be a Star Hanger. I could roam the heavens at night and light them up with my stars. Oh salvation you are in my reach. I’m still hoping for at the least a star hanging job. (just in case). Remember folks love one another.
Bob
