If you don’t have one clear, consistent thought, and your task is to write a column, you just spout out several inconsistent ones. At least, that’s what I have done. Here goes:
l I am disappointed that Johnny Isakson has decided to stay in the United States Senate rather than “come home” and run for governor. He would have won and, I believe, would have made a great governor.
I know Johnny, well. He was Minority Leader in the Georgia House during some of the time I was Majority Leader. He’s a good man.
l I’m looking at the cover of Larry Brown’s book, Dirty Work. The worst work (the work I did that I despised the most) was picking cotton. A close second was delivering feed in the summers to chicken houses in south Houston County. We had to unload and stack the 100-pound sacks of feed in the chicken houses. What heat and what odor. Pretty hard work, too!
l Our Department of Transportation Commissioner is a woman. My preacher is a woman. The Chancellor of the Board of Regents is an African-American, as is the leading Democratic candidate for President. Senator Obama is slightly ahead of the woman candidate. I could go on and on. And some say “no progress - with racial and gender matters. Give me a break.
l It was dry, dry, dry, dry, dry, dry, dry, dry, dry, dry, dry in 1954. Eleven “drys” for 11 weeks in which there was no rain. When it finally rained in Perry, downtown merchants went outside their stores and stood in it.
I was there at 12 years old and remember it well. Let’s pray we don’t have another 1954, anytime soon - no, let’s pray we don’t ever have such a drought, again. Incidentally, as I recall it, we had two more very dry summers in 1955 and 1956.
l I went to a DOT meeting in Toccoa last week. I forgot to take a book, so when my friend and fellow board member, Rudy Bowen, and I went to an antique shop on Wednesday afternoon, I bought, for $1, John Irving’s, The World According to Garp. I had heard of the book, but didn’t know what it was about. I’m on about page 100 and still don’t know what it’s about. Wow! What a read.
l Janice and I went to a party last Saturday night. I visited with two long-time friends, Bill Jerles and Tom Thomson. Both separately talked Presidential politics to me. Tom is fairly liberal, and Bill is very conservative. Both are very smart and persuasive. I enjoyed hearing both of their views very much.
I hope that’s a sign of my tolerance and maturity - or perhaps it just shows my confusion with what’s going on.
l The Security Bank folks had a surprise party for its outgoing Houston County Board Chairman, Cullen Talton, at our barn last week. There was a great crowd, the food was delicious, and Cullen was really surprised. It was a great party. Cullen will continue to be active with the board in an emeritus status. Good - we need his wise counsel and steady hand. Houston County needs it, too. Sheriff Talton is a good guy.
l Donna Tabor wanted to know if I ever finished Ken Follet’s, The Pillars of the Earth. I had to tell her “no”. I’m on page 685 of the 973 page book and haven’t read any of the book in several weeks. Donna, it is my intention to finish Follet’s book, but, you know what road is paved with good intentions. Well, there it is. Eight random thoughts on a Sunday morning. I’ll try to be more organized next week and give you more than scattered thoughts.
