By Jim Hicks, guest columnnist
One of our favorite Bench Sitters said it right this week.
When a friend asked him about being excited to see 2020 over and the start of the New Year, he quickly replied . . . “at my age any new year is a great accomplishment. Pandemic or not, it’s a gift to be here.”
While we try to remember to stop dating things with “2020”, there have been a few other random thoughts from the members of the “older and wiser” coffee group.
–We can’t help but wonder if John Elway has been kicking himself for not drafting Josh Allen after he watched him play as a Wyoming Cowboy in the Potato Bowl in Boise a few years back. That was a multi-million dollar mistake.
–They tell us it’s hard to sell a 2021 daily planner. Most of those from last year are still empty.
— To keep a good attitude, we have always tried to avoid negative people. Now the policy is to avoid those who are “positive.”
— It’s ironic we used to get so mad when the kids snuck out of the house, and now they are telling us to stay home all the time.
— Covid has done what a lot of women have long wanted to accomplish. You know, cancel sports, shut down the bars and keep men at home.
— The “good news/bad news” part of the vaccines is “there are plenty of doses, but hard to get one”.
Last week one of Sven’s favorite readers shared a poem we’d like to share. We should know who the author is, but can’t find that out for certain.
Jake, the rancher, went one day to fix a distant fence.
The wind was cold and gusty and the clouds rolled gray and dense.
As he pounded the last staples in and gathered tools to go,
The temperature had fallen, the wind and snow began to blow.
When he finally reached his pickup, he felt a heavy heart.
From the sound of that ignition he knew it wouldn’t start.
So, Jake did what most of us would do if we had been there.
He humbly bowed his balding head and sent aloft a prayer.
As he turned the key for the last time, he softly cursed his luck.
They found him three days later, frozen stiff in that old truck.
Now Jake had been around in life and done his share of roaming.
But when he saw Heaven, he was shocked — It looked just like Wyoming!
Of all the saints in Heaven, his favorite was St. Peter.
Nobody was keeping’ score — In Heaven, time is free.
‘I’ve always heard,’ Jake said to Pete, ‘that God will answer prayer,
But one time I asked for help, well, he just plain wasn’t there.’
Peter listened very patiently and when Jake was done,
There were smiles of recognition, and he said, ‘So, you’re the one!!’
That day your truck, it wouldn’t start, and you sent your prayer a flying,
You gave us all a real bad time, with hundreds of us trying.’
A thousand angels rushed to check the status of your file,
But you know Jake we hadn’t heard from you in quite a long while.’
‘And though all prayers are answered, and God ain’t got no quota,
He didn’t recognize your voice, and started a truck in Minnesota’
Be good and well write again next week.
