The morning routine finds toy poodle, 'Yodie" leading me downstairs for his potty run. Of course, I slip on shoes and go outside with him as a precaution for fear of any nighttime critters hanging around the backyard. I am just thankful the pup goes to bed at nine each night and sleeps until 6 AM; wish his master could do the same. I grab a cup of coffee and read the newspaper before doing my stretching prior to heading out for a forty-five minute walk.
I am back home at about 7:45 AM and do some more stretching...I must do stretching both sides of the walk! I then take a breakfast consisting of: cereal w/ blueberries, toast, juice and coffee upstairs to my wife. We visit while eating breakfast and catch bits of the 'Today Show.' Natalie Morales is the only person, I know, who makes 'bad news' look good.
One morning I came into the bedroom and my wife was watching one of those TV sales programs. She was writing down some numbers and she told me we needed to purchase a 'power washer.' Dismissing that comment, I got to thinking, back in the day before television, those sales hawkers went door to door selling their wares. I recall getting a kick out of the manner in which my maternal grandparents, grandpa, E.V. and Mammy would handle those door-to-door hustlers. Old E.V. would spot'em in the driveway and holler out, "You best mosey on down the road fella, I got chores to do and no time to visit with the 'likes' of you!" Mammy, on the other hand would invite the sales gent inside. She would tell him to, "Sit a spell but stay out of 'that' rocking chair." It was best nobody sat in E.V.'s rocker because sure as hell he'd throw a hissy-fit if he felt other's body-heat on his rocker cushion.
As the salesman was opening his satchel of wares, Mammy began, "How is your soul with the Lord?" At that moment, I always sat down in an obscure corner to watch and listen to the woman work at 'winning one for Jesus.' Let me tell you, that old Bible-toting- tent revival lady could make a fella feel the fires of hell once she got to testifying and talking sanctification. Mammy Bennett took every opportunity to witness. I don't remember Mammy ever buying any thing from the door-to-door solicitor but she always walked him to his automobile and invited him to church 'next Sunday.'
I just wished that I could have been around when a couple of those Jehovah Witness fellas knocked at Mammy's door...holy scriptures, that woulda been one hellava scriptures-interpretation tug-a-war! My Mammy was GOOD with her Godly-messages; when I was a teenager leaving the house for a night out or a date; if Mammy was nearby she would always say, "Young man, remember that Jesus is coming a 'second time.' Should He return tonight, don't you be doing something He'd frown upon!" ...Shake that warning thought from your brain.
Gotta get moving; must stretch and hit the pavement. When I take breakfast upstairs to my wife today, I should tell my her that she can't use that power washer on the toy poodle.
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