The Darkness

 

 By Fred Owens

The Darkness

This small town in Colorado believes in the darkness of night. They say, "Let's turn all the lights down low so we can see the stars at night, even the Milky Way."

And we say, "Let us all welcome the night in our own way and not fear it, as these gentle folk have done."

Cubs in First Place. America is a beautiful place -- the Cubs are in first place with 75 wins and the best record in baseball. I grew up in the North Shore suburbs of Chicago, being born in Cubs territory. When I was a kid the Cubs always came in last place, year after year. Last place! I remember asking my Dad, "Do we ever get to win?"   And he said some day my son, some day.

Contact Information.  I keep names in my cell phone. One friend has advanced Alzheimers and wouldn't know a flea from a giraffe. I can't call him  -- what would be the point?  Another friend -- Barbara Cram -- has been dead since November, 2009, so I can't call her either. Maybe I could leave a message.

A third friend doesn't have a phone. He resides in an institution for the criminally insane and has been held there for thirty years  -- thirty years!  I cannot argue with the judgment against him -- that he did a very bad thing in 1986 and they should not let him be free unless he can display some adult responsibility. But still -- thirty years is a long time and he is my friend. He will always be my friend.

Some people who read this newsletter will know who I am talking about.

Election Forecast. Trump is going down for the count  -- so saith the New York Times, so it must be true. Or it might be true. However.....

If a Trump loss becomes inevitable, the voters will face the reality of Mrs. Clinton and her very talented husband moving back into the White House. Yes, we want Trump to lose, but we don't want Mrs. Clinton to win...... We can expect swing voters to do a lot of swinging back and forth on this.

Also, the media is highly invested in the Trump narrative. He is an interesting fellow, to put it mildly. He's one of those guys -- if you're looking for a story -- where you don't have to make things up. With Trump, he talks and all the writers have to do is write it down and compose appropriate headlines. An Outrage! Followed by another Outrage!  The media does not want the race to be over until November, so look for him to bounce back in the polls.

And think about it from Mrs. Clinton's point of view. Being ahead in August means nothing, winning in November means everything. You don't want to peak early.

Trump as Medieval King. I have an impeccable academic source -- a professor of Medieval Studies at the University of Santa Barbara in California. She agrees with my assessment  -- that Trump would make a fine medieval monarch -- illiterate, violent, hot-tempered, and inclined to pageantry. Trump would fit right in those distant times. Except he was born in the 20th century and we do not need a king, we need a President, sober and serious.

I Give Up.  I never could get anybody to see it my way, so after many years of trying I have given up on the project. It was my idea that we all ought to share in the chores -- the house work, the farm work, the yard work, the hospital work. There was to be no privilege, no exception. We should all take turns and pitch in. So that's what I did  -- five years at the hospital, three years on the farm, ten years in the yard, five years in the kitchen  -- all the time expecting to be joined by eager converts to this new persuasion  -- the belief that Americans ought to pick their own fruit.... the belief that there is no work beneath our dignity.

Mrs. Clinton wants to raise the minimum wage for those who do the chores, and I agree with that proposal. But wouldn't it dignify this necessary labor if she did a few chores herself? "Tote that barge, lift that bale."  Yes! But I give up. It will never happen.

Farewell for now,

Fred

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Fred Owens
cell: 360-739-0214

My gardening blog is  Fred Owens

My writing blog is Frog Hospital