The Front Door

Been reading about the eviction conundrum and one of the solutions for moving a family out of a building owned by someone else is to take the front door off.

It makes sense.

The front door is our firewall against the outside world. The front door is our entry to our personal space and our barrier against peril.

The front door is thicker and stronger than all the other doors. There are locks and chains and bolts to secure the house from this one door.

So it makes sense to remove the front door exposing your belongings and inner sanctum. It would allow any passerby has the opportunity to enter and remove a lamp or a painting or your television like a free yard sale. Without a front door you are naked to the world.

No only the psychological and emotional trauma of having all your ‘stuff’ dumped on the curb is the physical effort to move them onto another place, if there is another place.

I understand the property owner ordering freeloaders to leave the premises without the compassion of their story for it is not their job. I’ve seen neighbors move to defaulting on their mortgage. I’ve seen furniture piled in the gutter being soaked in the rain.

My first apartment was $100 a month with a roommate. Not too bad for a college kid. My second apartment was about the same but had to move somewhere with a wife (and cat). The first house was probably unaffordable at $25,000 but Fanny May got me to sign on the dotted line and somehow kept up the payments.

So everyone on my block and on the next street and in the neighborhood have their own situations with finances but if they extend their credit to add an addition or buy a new car.

Haven’t seen anyone dragged out of the house by the authorities and their belongings dumped, but it happens.

Also have not seen any houses without a front door.

My front door has two locks and a chain and a peep hole and is checked before going to bed every night, but my back door usually remains open.

Maybe the sign helps?

It is done Dad

This is a photo of a man whose life is almost over. All his hopes and dreams are behind him. I knew him all my life. He was my dad.

He was born in a same coastal North Carolina town just after the turn of the century. He never spoke of his mother and father or older brother. He never spoke of his past.

His father was in the food distribution trade and his mother was involved in the church but little else is know of his family life.

He grew up with the introduction of electricity, the telephone, the automobile, the television and indoor plumbing.

He seemed to tend toward music (whether a desire or home pressure) but not so much as a musician but as an organizer of bands. Never found a diploma in music but he learned how to compose, arrange and conduct.

He followed a career in music but never got that break and when the war started that dream ended.

Now married with a child on the way, he had to find a new form of employment. He fell back to his connections in the food distribution business and honed his other talent…smoozing.

Going from hotels to beach clubs to country clubs, he finally settled in Richmond. Trying to maintain what notability he had became the manager of a private gentleman’s club across from the Capitol.

He purchased a small house in a stable area of town with near by schools, public transportation and little association with the neighbors.  He maintained the image of America’s middle class in the 50’s.

He dedicated himself to the job working endless hours day and night. He alone paid the bills, kept food on the table, but relaxed by being left alone.

His boys grew up and left for college, though it took some time to shake the youngest one. He was then left alone in an empty house with his singer.

His previous fame was fading, as club members grew older and new ones didn’t recognize his nickname “Jelly”. Times were changing and he couldn’t keep up.

He was slowly eased out of his occupation into an unknown retirement. He had no hobbies, few friends and no idea what each day would bring. He stayed connected to the church though never seemed religious.

Two years later his health failed and he was placed in the ground next to his father (whether he’d prefer that or not?). His name was written in the history books and it was done.

I am now the same age as the man in that picture.

Interesting Concept

There seems to be an opioid crisis and someone is going to do something about it.

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others.

From what I know is pain = bad, Pain relief = good.

So doctors and scientist and pharmaceutical engineers mix their magic potions to make concoctions that will, once approved by the governmental agencies, reduce or eliminate pain.

The manufactures of these pills and potions will advertise that their product will make your life better, just like a new refrigerator or telephone.

If people get positive results they will continue to take the painkiller until it becomes a habit like alcohol or junk food.

More than 1,800 lawsuits have been filed so far against drug makers such as Johnson & Johnson, distributors like McKesson and street-corner pharmacies including CVS and Walmart. Plaintiffs claim the companies earned billions in profit by aggressively marketing and selling prescription opioids.

Meanwhile, pressure has been growing on drug companies in recent months to reach some kind of accord with communities.

In March, Purdue Pharma settled with the state of Oklahoma for roughly $270 million. Before its bankruptcy, Insys Therapeutics agreed to pay the federal government more than $225 million in penalties tied to opioid marketing. Five of that company’s executives were convicted of federal racketeering charges.

Johnson & Johnson is currently on trial in Oklahoma state court.

If three-quarters of communities sign off on deals that are struck, it would be finalized and money would be paid out, ending the company’s liability. A separate emergency fund, roughly 15% of any settlements would be set aside for towns or cities particularly hard-hit by the opioid crisis. And 10% of all drug industry payouts would go to pay the hundreds of private trial attorneys involved in the litigation.

In 1999, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) sued several major tobacco companies for fraudulent and unlawful conduct and reimbursement of tobacco-related medical expenses.  The district court judge dismissed the DOJ’s claim for reimbursement, but allowed the DOJ to bring its claim under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).  The DOJ then sued on the ground that the tobacco companies had engaged in a decades-long conspiracy to mislead the public about the risks of smoking, mislead the public about the danger of secondhand smoke; misrepresent the addictiveness of nicotine, manipulate the nicotine delivery of cigarettes, deceptively market cigarettes characterized as “light” or “low tar,” while knowing that those cigarettes were at least as hazardous as full flavored cigarettes, target the youth market; and not produce safer cigarettes. 

On August 17, 2006 Judge Kessler issued a opinion holding the tobacco companies liable for violating RICO by fraudulently covering up the health risks associated with smoking and for marketing their products to children.  “As set forth in these Final Proposed Findings of Fact, substantial evidence establishes that Defendants have engaged in and executed – and continue to engage in and execute – a massive 50-year scheme to defraud the public, including consumers of cigarettes, in violation of RICO.”

So let me understand this.

Way back when the Indians showed us colonizers who to grow and smoke tobacco, farmers and manufacturers grew produced and advertised the use of smoking tobacco for decades. The purpose of sucking in a smoking plant is unclear, but people liked it.

Suddenly healthy investigators said it was a bad habit and the manufactures needed to pay for their bad deeds. Place a label on the package, raise the price of a pack but still sell it in every grocery store. Inhibit people from smoking in enclosed public places but the ritual continues.

Should have been marijuana?

So now the manufacturers and promoters and advertisers of pain relief are being accused of promoting an opioid crisis.

They must pay the price for the demand for human behavior?

OK, I get the point of trying to blame someone for the increasing deaths of people who just can’t stop trying to feel better.

Expand that idea to…. Oh say, the automotive industry. People buy automobiles, crash and die everyday. Some may have been speeding or talking on their phones or intoxicated on excessive legal alcohol or mechanical malfunction but they all die.

Are the automobile manufactures at fault? They provided the machine that killed a father or mother or family or stranger.

What about those airplane crashes? Wrong software? Not enough training? Still the plane crashes and people die. Where is the compensation?

Everyday there is a shooting in America. Shoot the entire world is shooting each other. Where do these guns come from?

Gun control is always a hot topic but nothing will be done because it is too profitable. The second amendment also gets in the way of common sense and lobbyists have too much influence.

If the same concept were to be applied to weapons, it would go to Remington, Colt, Smith and Wesson, Sturm, Ruger & Co., SIG Sauer, Heckler and Koch, Mossberg, Beretta…

It is all a catch-22. I want my pain relief but when I’m addicted….? I want my fast car but when I’m caught speeding….? I want my gun but when…?

Good luck with your lawsuits. The lawyers will make a ton of money and a waste of time.

Voices

Today is Dan Howell’s birthday. He’s 28. Do I know him? Is this important? Kodak Black is 22. Caden Conrique is 18. Nathan Triska is 20. Jake Webber is 21. Breanna Yde is 16. Sadie Robertson is 22. Wesley Tucker is 22. Claire Holt is 31. Who are these people? Celebrities on television or movie stars or pop performers or some sort of savant I’d not heard of? Maybe the next turn of the wheel they will all be replaced by a new list I won’t know? I should change the light bulb out front. Maybe tomorrow. Why do we have gender graduation robes? They are just choir robes with funky flat hats with tassels on it for no meaning what so ever. Blue cars seem to becoming popular around here. Need to spray the back corner to keep that squirrel that is so interested in it to stay away. What to do about those rats? Kids are now old enough to fight in their father’s war. Why don’t they draft girls? What was that sound? Should I make that call? Wesley told me about a movie he watched and I didn’t care. I need to get one of those cards. Those dogs just bark for my treats. Someone got shot today. Some wrecked their car today. My little Pony has a gay couple. If diversity is so important why aren’t there more trans or gay or Muslims or Immigrants or disabled or maybe some screaming drag queens in the Congress? Why not teach gunnery in school? They taught me how to shoot a gun. Did I kill anything? How many flags should fly on a flagpole? Would you go into a confessional with a stranger? Why is the bed squeaking? Let’s have a hearing, form a committee, make a report then have a hearing, form a committee, make a report then… did I miss anything on television? There are cameras everywhere but when will we see the guns in the grocery store? You are being spied on. If diversity is so important how many brothers did you invite to your last party? How many invited you? Seems we still have segregation at the Kentucky Derby? Where are all the immigrants sleeping? Who is feeding them? How many port-a-potties are necessary for all those folks? Where does the trash go? Who picks up the trash? If you were young and had freedom and fun, why do you have to grow up? We went to the moon for what? Plant a flag? Still don’t like asparagus but have grown to like okra. Need to wash tomorrow for I’m running out of underpants. Could all this wasted plastic be made into building blocks? Maybe roadways those are failing or roofs? Or plastic cars? There was no ice-cream truck this year. Why trim the grass on a graveyard? If people want to dye their hair, why can’t they get the part in the middle? Why does the president salute when not in uniform? You need someone else to figure what that thing on your back is. Who the heck is Dan Howell?

Delivered

For a while back, things were delivered. The newspaper was on your doorstep every morning. Milk came in glass recyclable glass bottles. Even the doctor would deliver house calls.

Then I guess it got too expensive so grocery stores and hospitals required you to come to them.

Need a quart of milk when it is raining? Pull out the umbrella, climb in the car, drive to the nearest convenient store, pull out the umbrella and hope they have not run out of milk or the adventure will continue.

Not feeling so good in the middle of the night?  If you don’t want to call an ambulance for expensive transport, put a warm robe over your pajamas, find your keys in the dark and drive out to the local emergency room. Take plenty of tissues for you will be in the waiting room for some time.

Now we seem to be too lazy to even go shopping.

Why spend all that time driving from one auto dealership to another and searching through newspaper classified for the ‘best deal’ when you can sit at home comparing models, prices, features and will a click of the mouse your new car will be delivered to your driveway. Sign on the dotted line and you have a brand new shiny car without the hassle of haggling. They will even drag your old car away.

School buses will transport your children to school and deliver them back to you at the end of the day. Your dry cleaning is neatly pressed in a plastic bag and delivered to your door. Appliances and furniture are delivered.

For your convenience fast foods have drive thru windows so you don’t have to get out of your car on your commute.

Are you too lazy to walk the aisles pushing a wire cart looking for the perfect pasta under the fluorescent lighting, soft music and bountiful selections and price points? If that is too much trouble or you just don’t feel like cooking, pizza is delivered 24/7. Now grocery stores will take your selection on-line, send employees to pick-and-pack each requested item for you to drive by and place in your trunk. Isn’t that easy.

Just like the clothing you do not go to fashion stores to touch and try on and discuss with your friends; just click on your selection and it will be at your doorstop in minutes. Doesn’t fit? No problem there. Re-package and call for a return truck to take it away, and then make another selection. Warehouses are full of all sorts of stuff in every size and color and if they are out-of-stock you get a discount on your next selection.

Don’t have enough time to drag your sorry tuckus out of bed, just check your phone for free delivery.

UnFair

Pimples  Brunette Short Fat ADHD Colored Flat Tire Fired Alimony Pregnant Incarcerated Diarrhea Gender Religion Poor Confused Disabled Abused Trash Death Hungry War Illiterate Bully Single Mother Orphan Drafted Love Sports Insurance Guarantees Taxes Politicians Bosses Floods Hurricanes  

 the list goes on and on…

LIFE is

Encounters

Every time we have gatherings or happenings or festivals or barroom brawls, we have encounters.

Whether it be a church social or a luxury cruise or a doctor visit or some office-required occasion, we have encounters.

The other day at the Tummy Temple I had several encounters.

There was Pat (from her name tag). She has been there for some time and we’ve struck up some brief conversations in passing. Pat is a short woman with blonde hair and wearing a blue jacket who is directing other blue shirts on task at hand. She also seems to be the management’s customer service person that hands balloons to children and helping the elderly process the confusion of purchasing sustenance. I recognize her and she recognize me as a frequent flyer and we kid with each other for a moment both leaving with a laugh.

On my travels I always look for a pleasant smile. There are too many faces seemingly disturbed by whatever I cannot control or understand, so a smile welcomes the day to sunshine.

Any gathering, whether work related or socially required, there are interactions between people. Some are strangers. Some are forgotten friends. Some sort of substance abuse seems necessary to break down the defensive social barriers.

Think about getting onto a transportation device. Do you talk to the person sitting next to you for hours? Do you put on earphones and ignore the person sitting inches away?

A social occasion with old friends for a celebration of an anniversary, grandkids birthday, holiday gathering or family reunion means you have to have encounters with society.

Individual small talk usually starts with how we are fairing. Thus the descriptions of our physical pains and woes become the immediate topic.

Unless there is some new and adventurous occasion that has happened, the conversation quickly drifts to children or purchases to divert the listener from the visual observation and evaluation of the other participant.

Going to a restaurant is nothing but encounters. The maitre d’ may find your appearance acceptable and sliding a few dead presidents will get you a table away from the crash traffic that are restaurants. Your service may be primed or if you decide to be belligerent, your food will arrive cold, your water will not be refilled and your check will become late. No matter the tip, the experience was a disaster.

Walk into a party or a business establishes looking for a romantic connection as an encounter. No matter the number of text or tweets, an encounter requires a face-to-face appearance.

Had an encounter with a girl stacking the shelves at the Tummy Temple. She caught my eye as a different sort, seemingly in control but different that the other blue shirts. Not quiet Goth, but dressed dark. She said she was a ‘vendor’ not a contractor but I don’t know the difference of the meaning. She spoke of not being happy in her task but was there day after day. She once noticed me and gave me a smile.

That is all I ask.

Some encounters can change your life. Some encounters may get you a job. Some encounters may get you in trouble. Some encounters may get you laid.

As I was leaving, a dark gentleman came staggering toward the door as I was exiting. Wearing a white tee shirt and baggy jeans and a black backpack he shuffled toward the passageway as I weaved around him. “Give me a beer”, he slurred as I avoided his attention. “NO!” I responded and went about my duties, but he didn’t want it to stop. He mumbled something that I ignored but then walked over to me. I said something about ‘Go inside they have lots of beer in there’. (Remember 9:00AM) He said something about ‘just forget I ever said anything’ and held his fist up. I finished putting on my glove and gave him a fist bump that knocked him backward. I pointed to a sign on the light pole and said, “Do you see that? It says no loitering. You want the guy with the type on the side of his car to come by and take you home?” My new best friend just stared into space unaware of cognition. I rode off and said ‘Have a nice day’ and he replied ‘You too’ and the encounter was over.

This encounter could have gone many different ways and I don’t know what ever happened to the fella, but that is how those brief moments in life goes.