By: Jim Dittmann
Well here we are: Parting thoughts Volume 1 Issue 5
I was cutting the grass yesterday – it always gives me a little time to reflect and talk to myself – not out loud of course, but I suppose I could with the noise of the machine and earplugs in – maybe I’ll give it a try. Uncle Harold (Pinney) comes to mind – he asks, “Do you know how to say cut the grass in French?” No unc, I don’t know – how’s it go? “Mow zee lawn,” he laughs…
My dad died in January of 2008 – beginning of the last national election cycle. Dad followed politics pretty closely. He hated politicians and summarized their activities with a reoccurring pounding of his fist and the words – “Greed! Greed!” If he had lived further into 2008 – I think it would have killed him. Dad was born in 1928 – he grew up during the depression – called them the “Oatmeal Days” – warned of how the Greed was going to recreate the calamity – he saw it all coming…
Perhaps a bit of Dad has rubbed off – I fear some for our common interests. The term Commonwealth comes to mind – a proud concept defined as the general good or community. Seems to me the greed that Dad spoke of does threaten much of what we hold dear. I think I’m beginning to understand what he was talking about. We need to be careful – appreciate where we’ve come – recognize that giving back for the general good is right – while we still have time.
As Grandma Sophie would say – “So soon we get old but so late we get smart”….
Remember last month’s issue of the Viewfinder? I made a terrible mistake – the proud owner of the ‘67 Chevy II is JEFF Abel – not Joe. No amount of spellchecking or proofreading by others could ever catch that – I simply wrote Joe and never looked back – until I saw the look on his face! Jeff – I apologize!
Every time we see each other now, It’s – Hi Joe! – Jeff’s a good sport…
September may mark the end of summer but it is still my favorite month:
I was born in September – married – and our firstborn son arrived in September.
I met my best friend Mark in September – it was the first day of the 6th Grade, 1965. We’d buy freeze pops from Bremsers, 5 for a quarter – read comic books – experienced “brain freeze” for the first time. Stingray bicycles were the wheels of choice – they allowed us to terrorize neighborhoods as the “Scarface Gang.” We could visit all parts of the city – travel a great distance to the best apple tree in the world. We’d steal the sweetest green apples from Grandpa Braunschweig’s tree – he came to expect us on a warm September evening…
Mark has also gotten me in more trouble than anyone else on the planet – he brought the firecrackers to our 15-year high school class reunion – “psst – let’s toss these onto the dance floor” – guess who got caught?
“Happily we bask in this warm September sun, which illuminates all creatures…”
– Henry David Thoreau