good people
The Alberton Papers Vol. VII, #V
By Dick Darne 10-5-08
We are just back Friday from a 3 day bike trip, from 9 mile falls out past Spokane to Higgins Point, this side of C’oeur D’Alene. While resting at the end, I reflected on the events "on the trail" and some of the kindness and assistance offered us, ranging from a simple "good morning!" to a gentleman in a car who stopped while we were fixing a flat to offer his tire pump, who actually knew where Alberton was. I guess one could say that good people are not only the salt of the earth but are where you find them. I was born in the southland, 68 years ago and raised as a product of the mores of the time and place, which is to say a Right Wing Whacko, Bigoted, Prejudiced Redneck, even at one time professing to be a "Hard-hat for Nixon", yet I was learning more than I realized. At the beginning of the Sixties, I went to work for the Gas Co. In Wash, D.C., where I found myself working in places I had only read about; "the Ghetto", or as we called it, "the Jungle". "Stay away from there, those people are animals, they’ll eat you alive!" I was told. Although it took a few years to assimilate it, I learned a few things about Good People. It doesn’t matter if they are rich or poor, but I had many, many more experiences with poor Good People than among the affluent. The poor would almost always: 1)Offer me something to eat, if it wasn’t mealtime they would offer to make it for me. 2)If no food was offered, then the "brown paper bag that holds the bottle" was proffered for the pause that refreshes. 3) Offer me a seat, to "rest a spell". Never in the Ghetto was I told : "The Servant’s and Tradesman’s entrance is in the rear." I think that anyone who went there to help was treated well, point being, we are blessed to have here in Alberton, more than our share of Good People.
I am sad to say that we have lost one of Alberton’s finest Good People today, one of our Town Fathers and Musician Extraordinaire, George Roat. George was among the first and finest persons I met 29 years ago and he was always ready to lend a helping hand. He did his share and much more to help keep the town running, served as Fire Chief quite a few years, built a few bridges, picked and sang a lot of tunes. I can’t say that he never sang his song but I can close my eyes and see it clearly........ Hank, Rudy, Clancy Tim and George are tuning up now.
Good People are where you find them, I wish we could keep them in Alberton forever. At least the memories will remain. dd
By Dick Darne 10-5-08
We are just back Friday from a 3 day bike trip, from 9 mile falls out past Spokane to Higgins Point, this side of C’oeur D’Alene. While resting at the end, I reflected on the events "on the trail" and some of the kindness and assistance offered us, ranging from a simple "good morning!" to a gentleman in a car who stopped while we were fixing a flat to offer his tire pump, who actually knew where Alberton was. I guess one could say that good people are not only the salt of the earth but are where you find them. I was born in the southland, 68 years ago and raised as a product of the mores of the time and place, which is to say a Right Wing Whacko, Bigoted, Prejudiced Redneck, even at one time professing to be a "Hard-hat for Nixon", yet I was learning more than I realized. At the beginning of the Sixties, I went to work for the Gas Co. In Wash, D.C., where I found myself working in places I had only read about; "the Ghetto", or as we called it, "the Jungle". "Stay away from there, those people are animals, they’ll eat you alive!" I was told. Although it took a few years to assimilate it, I learned a few things about Good People. It doesn’t matter if they are rich or poor, but I had many, many more experiences with poor Good People than among the affluent. The poor would almost always: 1)Offer me something to eat, if it wasn’t mealtime they would offer to make it for me. 2)If no food was offered, then the "brown paper bag that holds the bottle" was proffered for the pause that refreshes. 3) Offer me a seat, to "rest a spell". Never in the Ghetto was I told : "The Servant’s and Tradesman’s entrance is in the rear." I think that anyone who went there to help was treated well, point being, we are blessed to have here in Alberton, more than our share of Good People.
I am sad to say that we have lost one of Alberton’s finest Good People today, one of our Town Fathers and Musician Extraordinaire, George Roat. George was among the first and finest persons I met 29 years ago and he was always ready to lend a helping hand. He did his share and much more to help keep the town running, served as Fire Chief quite a few years, built a few bridges, picked and sang a lot of tunes. I can’t say that he never sang his song but I can close my eyes and see it clearly........ Hank, Rudy, Clancy Tim and George are tuning up now.
Good People are where you find them, I wish we could keep them in Alberton forever. At least the memories will remain. dd
posted by aldermandarne | 10:59 PM
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