The Good Samaritan

Donny was going to work one morning when a white work truck stopped in front of Valley Point School to turn in. There is lots of construction work going on because Valley Point is building a new school building. 

Donny was sitting, waiting on the man to turn in, when a car suddenly hit him from behind. The impact was so unexpected that he took his foot off the brake and it rolled into the truck in front of him. Now both bumpers are dented and the tailgate looks bad. Fortunately, the guy's truck wasn't damaged because of his trailer hitch but the car that hit Donny was totaled.

The insurance company finally approved the repairs for Donny's truck. Donny asked me to meet him at the house around four o'clock so we could take the truck to the mechanic, Mr. Carroll, to get it fixed. 

I had been at the Whitfield County courthouse this morning. Later I picked up my friend, Joann, and we went to the Cracker Barrel for a bowl of soup. She paid the bill and I paid the tip. That's how I know I had my wallet then. 

Later we went to Walgreen's and while we were in line I got out to look for my pocketbook I had stuffed behind my seat. I needed my dark sunglasses because the sun was finally shining too brightly.

I rushed home to meet Donny and we took his truck to Mr. Carroll's and started to go home but I remembered that Mamma said Donny could drive my daddy's truck while his was being fixed so we went on to Mamma's house to get the truck.

As luck would have it, it wouldn't start, so we called my son and got him to come help push the truck away from the carport so we could get close enough to boost the battery off.

I went to the Walmart Neighborhood Market after that. 

I tried to find my wallet and tore my pocketbook apart and looked all around inside the truck but couldn't find it. Naturally, I got mad and started panicking and calling Joann to ask if she could remember where I had it last. She mentioned that I'd gotten out of the truck. 

She drove around Walgreen's and I called them to see if anybody had turned it in. Joann even called the Cracker Barrel for me. Nobody knew anything.

After about an hour I finally came home and looked for it even though I'd already got Donny to look for it.

The phone rang and I answered it. Somebody said they were Officer Rittenhouse from the Dalton Police Department and wanted to talk to Pamela or Donny Strickland. I was excited and said "I'm Pamela Strickland. Did you find my billfold?"

She told me a nice 85 year old lady turned my wallet in to the police. I asked her where she found it and the lady said it was at the Walgreen's. The officer said I could come pick up my wallet at the police station.

I couldn't believe my good fortune. I offered Officer Rittenhouse a reward for the lady who turned my wallet in and she called the lady to tell her that I wanted to give her something but she said she was just glad she was able to help. Her name was Mrs. Manis. She has renewed my faith in people again. 

                                                

There aren't enough stories about good people who do good deeds and I believe people like Mrs. Manis are few and far between. They deserve a special thanks and honor. Not everybody would be that honest.

Thank you, Mrs. Manis. 
Donny said I'm lucky. 
No, I'm blessed.

AS ALWAYS
PIO

Bang, Bang

The Concealed Carry Fantasy
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/26/opinion/the-concealed-carry-fantasy.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0 

The epidemic of gun deaths has increased drastically in the past seven years thanks to fear mongering about gun regulation and confiscations. This has been going on partly because white racists love to stir the pot and say, "They're not taking my guns!" And they're thinking, "Hell, I'll buy more guns and stockpile them in case the government comes for my guns!" Dumbasses. 

People are reporting more accidental gun deaths and injuries from concealed carriers since the craze has spread across the country. Imagine that. Gun nuts scream every time there is an incident and double down on their irrational stance against stricter gun control. What's wrong with stricter gun control? Most shooters get their hands on a gun legally. The laws are too weak. The background checks are sporadic and incomplete and too many people get their hands on guns who should never have had them.

People who are afraid of more regulation enable dangerous people to get their hands on guns, oftentimes legally. They are unwitting patsies for the gun industry. They're reacting exactly the way gun manufactures want them to and buying more guns. Hallelujah! Praise Jesus and pass the ammunition. Now we'll all be drenched in innocent blood, our own.

Americans have become such wimps since 9-1-1. The Bush administration stoked fears and revenge in our hearts. He used that fear and misdirection to lead this country into a senseless war that wreaked havoc around the world. We will probably never disengage ourselves from the Middle East. 

We won't until we're willing to think outside the box and start investing in renewable energy in our own country, and I'm not talking about coal or oil. No more fracking! Water, wind, and solar are abundant and free in America. We should utilize them all. Plus, hemp would make a cheap and renewable fuel source. There are so many more options. We must break our dependence on oil if we ever want a cleaner planet. The war was all about oil.

During Bush's presidency, The White House put out "terror alerts" and emphasized the feeling of walking on eggshells in our own country during the Iraqi invasion. The alerts were sometimes linked to intelligence information that might, or might not, be reliable. 

After coming off the roller coaster ride of the Bush administration, we haven't been subjected to daily updates and forced to live under a cloud of fear about terrorist attacks but we have been inundated with fear tactics coming from the same circles about a certain, black President, who shall remain nameless for the moment. 

Gun violence is increasing in this country and nobody can possibly feel safe when you hear about mass shootings constantly and when we hear about unarmed men being gunned down in the streets by cops. Violence and guns, or fear of guns, go hand in hand.

The whole game is rigged. Do you want to know who is behind the rigging? I'll give you a clue. Think military-industial-complex. Are you getting it? The gun manufactures are the ones who are profiting from American gun mania and they're also the ones who are financing our politicians who support them. IT'S A PROFIT THING!

The government is not going to come for your guns. That is a lie. 

They're playing you, people. Wake up!

11 Essential Facts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/10/01/shooting-in-oregon-11-essential-facts-about-guns-and-mass-shootings-in-america/ 

The real tragedy is allowing gun lobbyists and gun manufacturers to destroy our country with propaganda and lies to deceive us into buying into their fantasy. They're making a fortune and they don't care who dies. Do you?

AS ALWAYS

PIO

PBS 10-25-15 Monday 6:29 PM EDT