The Old Man on December 29th, 2007
A long time ago, we were staying with my uncle who lived way out in the country in Adel Ga. My uncle had planted some corn, and the black Birds were trying to eat it. Every now and then he would tell us boys to go out in the field and scare the birds away . But they just kept on coming back! So one day he told us “lets go to the corn patch” and he had his shot gun in hand. We asked what we were going to do. Were going to scare those black birds away? We looked at each other and laughed, and asked our Uncle “how are we going to do that?” he replied “just follow me”. There was this big tree close to the corn patch it was tall and as we walked out to the tree the birds flew off. Our uncle then said “you boys go back to the house.” we told him “they won’t come back if you stay!” that’s when he told us “Black birds can’t count! So they don’t know how many of us left”! He also said that he had to stand very still next to the trunk of the tree. So off we went. Standing close to the house the birds came back. He was right! He raised the shot gun and fired two times, he reloaded and shot two more times, he shot about six times! And yes he killed a few…. but guess what? The birds didn’t eat any of his corn for a while!
A lesson learned and as time goes by, and years pass I some times wonder have many times I have told this story?
Theirs a lot of things we don’t know when we are very young, but if some one asked you today “can birds count?” what would your reply be. I could only guess… or you could say “lets take a minute and I will tell you a story about black birds.”
You could ask the question if five people went out to a tree in the middle of a field and there were a lot of black birds in the tree and they all few a way. Would the black birds come back if four of you left?
The Old Man on December 24th, 2007
Christmas was always a great time for my family especially when it was time to go and get the family Christmas Tree. We would load up in the car and head to the country tree hunting! We always took an ax and a saw with us to cut the tree down. Of coarse Dad always knew where to go and get one. And he always had permission to go on some ones property. Today that is a little hard to do. But things were different back in my day. Back home, my mom would make us some hot chocolate with a marshmallow on top, and Dad would turn the radio on and tune it to a station with Christmas music playing. Then dad would get busy making a stand for the tree, its time to put the tree somewhere in the living room. Its amazing how many times you can move it around trying to find that “special place” for it. Now its time for the lights, bulbs, garland, ice icicles, and the angel we always put on the top. Some of the first things that went under the tree were nuts of all kinds, and then as time goes by you will see presents go under the tree . You know what that means, you have to take a peek to see if it is yours. On Christmas morning we were up early to see what Santa brought. Most of the time we would get a lot of clothes but that was good especially when you got a brand new pair of Levi jeans, some white tee shirts, and socks! One Christmas my brother and I got a Daisy BB gun, we were the happiest kids on the block! We could not wait to go outside and shoot it! Then as we started out the door Dad said “Hold it! I won’t to tell you something! I wont you to remember this, you are not to shoot any oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, or Birds”!
But no matter! With all the clothes and the Daisy BB gun the best thing about Christmas is BEING WITH YOUR FAMILY, Mom and Dad, and your brother and sisters, and having a beautiful beautiful day of sharing and enjoying the celebration of Christmas.
All most forgot about all those good vittles! You know what I am talking about cookies, pies, cakes, crackling cornbread, chicken and dressing. My mom always knew how to make it a very special time for the family to share!
If “You have a minute”, call the ones you love very much. The celebration of Jesus birthday is not complete without sharing at least the gift of a phone call to those special people in your life.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL FROM WENDELL, LOIS, AND DANIEL.
The Old Man on December 18th, 2007
One day my brother in-law and I were sitting around telling stories. The one I told him about was great but he said he had a better one. I laughed, and said “go for it if you think you can top my story!” he said I can, “then go for it Gene”. He said he was going to work yesterday morning and heard this noise in the cab of his truck. He didn’t know what it was but every once in a while he would here it again. It was a weird noise, kind of spooky you know what I mean? “Yeah” I replied, “go ahead with the story Gene”. He giggled, now I was really in to this story wondering what this weird noise was? Then I asked Gene “did you stop the truck and look to see what it was”? He said “No, I just kept on driving down the road”. 
“About five minutes later I almost had a heart attack, when that big black and white cat came out from under the seat, jumped up on the dash, ran across to my side up over the steering wheel, on to my shoulder, across my back, and then back to the other side of the truck”!. “By this time I was off the road and almost in the ditch!” “I looked over to see where the cat was going and all I could see was the hair on that cat was still standing straight up his mouth wide open and hissing at me!” “I was trying hard to get out of the truck”! “And that’s not all”! “If you could have seen my face! I WAS A COMEPLETE WRECK BY THIS TIME, BUT THANK GOODNESS THE CAT WENT OUT THE WINDOW”!
Moral of this story? Simple one really:
Gene had left the truck door open the night before, and the cat had kittens under the seat!
Always make sure that the doors are closed and windows are up!
