Few Folks Reckon

The presidential election is forty-some days out and I've decided to 'Vote for E.V. Bennett!' Okay, I can't vote for E.V. because he died in 1958; he was my maternal grandfather. I would vote for him because E.V. could 'reckon.' We've only had two previous Presidents who could 'reckon;' honest Abe and slick Willie.

 E.V. Bennett reckoned back-in-the early 1900's, that he could have a better life leaving the Kentucky coalmines and moving to industrial Illinois; he reckoned correctly. He made good money as a free-lance carpenter/house builder in East St. Louis, Illinois and in time purchased a gasoline station. E.V. was a fiddle player and he and his cronies would often gather at the gasoline station to sit around kibitzing while pickin' and playin' tunes. Frequently, customers had to wait at the pump until the tune was finished. Sometimes the customer would suddenly leave and E.V. would say, "I reckon that fella either didn't care for our fiddlin' or he was in a hurry."

As a fourteen year old, I worked at my Aunt's grocery store, which was next-door to E.V.'s home. E.V. owned the store property; he built the store as an attachment to an existing house. The store did not have toilet facilities, which necessitated his daughter to use E.V.'s bathroom. One Saturday, I got a surprise increase in pay from my normally 'tight-fisted' stingy Aunt. When she gave me the money she said, "Don't be telling your grandpa, in the future, what I pay you." When I asked Grandpa E.V. about her statement, "He said,"You tell me every Saturday what she pays and then I'll decide if she can use my toilet the next week." You see, E.V. could reckon and reckoning is a prerequisite to horse-trading with swindlers.

 President, E. V. Bennett would reckon that bringing both war troops and 'occupying' troops home and stop giving aid to countries we could retire the National debt and use the saved money on infra-structure jobs, which would put people to work. E. V. would also reckon that a hefty tax break to corporations would be a good idea ONLY if the corporations made ALL products in the United States; talk about a stimulus plan...I reckon!

Another upside to electing E.V. Bennett as President would be his 'First Lady,' Mammy Bennett. That saintly woman preached tolerance and love for all people and their beliefs. She often spoke of while always demonstrating charity, love, taking care of the poor and service to others. She could quote the Biblical scriptures verbatim! Personally, I reckon too many folks today, talk-the-talk but DO NOT walk-the-walk and they are surly a tad bit weak reckoning!