Labor Day

Here, in Ripley, it was clear, humid, and 90 degrees. A perfect day for a Labor Day parade. Which I missed. Didn't get the paper so I didn't know what time it would start and when I pulled out to go to my favorite employer, it was over. The parade starts in Rice Park, with the judges' booth in the square. Homecoming. I covered the origins of this tradition last year. Check your posts. The time when the Black community is on display. And on display they were. Just use your imagination.

But even a day of rest and celebration couldn't keep the folks out of Wally World. Mass chaos. And a terrible smell. The "goat" had the whole store reeking. Nobody left the store, however. They were intent on catching anything that smelled like a sale. Now, Wally has locations all over the world. Why spend your vacation in there shopping? We're thankful, though. It helps the store's bottom line. But could you do us a favor? Put the things back where you found them. Neatly. Thank you. Your cooperation is appreciated. I guess that tells you that I spent my time in soft lines (apparel) putting out freight, folding, picking up, and folding again.

Even the heavens have a problem with McCain and his veep choice--one hurricane after another. Gustav is petering out, thankfully, with little loss of life. Not taking any deaths lightly but 7 people compared to the massive loss during Katrina...the area was blessed. Hanna and Ike are doing their thing but Ike is on track to come right up the Eastern Seaboard, so they say. Right through DC. Be careful.

Now to the veep nominee, the hockey mom, standard bearer of high morals, yada yada. Her 17 -year-old daughter is pregnant? But that's alright because she will marry the father of the child. Look. Every family has a problem. Pregnancy is not the end of the world as we know it. Not wanted but not the end of the world. It just seems to be at odds with the strong family values, use of abstinence as a means of birth control, etc., that Palin advocates. Guess the daughter's hormones weren't listening as is the case with most people, old and young, who find themselves in the family way. I don't know about the marriage thing. There are full-grown adults who can't make a marriage work--so I question the wisdom of making them marry ( you know they are being forced--she wouldn't be 5 months along, if they weren't). Oh, that's right. It's a family matter so the subject is taboo.

Hmm...only met her once, McCain? Did you know she was under state investigation for possible misuse of power? Carrying a lot of baggage. Might want to retreat, Palin, before it gets uglier.

Well, Lawd a mercy! Does the name, Dubose Heyward, mean anything to you? Me neither. He is the author of Porgy and Bess. Good grief! Not Rogers and Hammerstein? No, silly. You're confused. It was George Gershwin who co-wrote the lyrics to the play, an adaptation of the book, with Heyward. Hmmm...Dr. Campbell left him off the list of required reading in Black Literature. (Don't forget to click on the link.)

Saving the best for last. "After careful consideration of your resume, we must regretfully inform you...." You know the rest. You know how badly I wanted that position. Oh, well.

Be blessed.