Strange things have been happening on my computer. If you’re able to read this, it probably means that the “gremlin” has gone away. By the way, if you remember what a gremlin is you’re old enough to have been alive during WWII. Right? What happened is that two extra — or spare — columns I wrote on Sunday, Aug. 15, were written and then disappeared from my computer. Even Bob, the computer guru who saves me from the holes I dig myself into, could only say I’d have to write them all over again. Easier said than done.
I remember that one of the first ones I wrote expressed how I was fed up with those Lewis County residents, many who feel they are sheltered because they live in a rural setting, seem to have been almost unanimous in their disregard of vaccine shots and who now make up the largest number of those who are being hospitalized. Those hospital workers tending to them are worn out and were looking for some “breather space” when they were called back into action. Then, there’s the question of who’s going to pick up the tab for all of the overtime salaries which are now tied into the return to full or “more than full” active duty? My hindsight reaction is that it was just not the “neighborly” thing, nor the act of a responsible citizen, to turn down the offer of free virus protection. Do I hear any disagreement?
As long as I’m griping, let me turn to my favorite “hackle-riser,” engaging a vehicle’s turn signal after the turn is already in progress. I recently saw three vehicles in a row perform that stupid action in the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Johnson Road, an intersection that has the most left turn activity in town. And another thing gripes me about that is when westbound traffic activates a left turn signal, the light stays flashing long after the last vehicle has gone around the corner. That may be because during high school days the need for such timing is evident for, maybe, 25 minutes out of a 24-hour day?
On another topic, did you watch much of the Olympics on TV this year? It was hard to avoid it if Channel Five is one’s favorite TV nest. I’ll tell you one thing, it brought out my acceptance of the aging process when I found myself wishing there wasn’t so much emphasis on covering women’s beach volleyball. If they had coverage of, say, a long distance run through the countryside, it would have been just as exciting these days to this nonagenarian. But my time spent in that area over 70 years ago leads me to guess that there just is no countryside available anywhere near Tokyo.
To change the subject, Sam, my feline buddy, and I reached a milestone in our relationship recently. It was early this month when we passed the one year mark of being together. My, how he’s grown since then. He’s not as interested in everything around him as he was back when his age could have been counted in weeks and he seems to have found another home for parts of almost every day. I have yet to find out just where that is. He does come back “home” for meal times, though, and his taste is more expensive food, along with the intake amount of it have both increased in relationship to his size. But then he seems to know just when an hour spent curled up in my lap will be all the medicine I need to make it through another day. What more is needed?
One parting thought that I discovered tucked away in my file cabinet: “People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them.” - Eric Hoffer, American author and philosopher.
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Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven321@comcast.net.
