Life at the Compound follows a rhythm, a pattern, and it all starts with a measured stroll to the Pick 'n Steal (PNS) via the Meth Shack. The shack's fallen on hard times, sadly, as you can see from the photo. Gone are the halcyon days of shirtless tweakers in filthy pajama bottoms decorating the porch. They're gone, along with much of the porch itself. Who knows, maybe the crew of Mexicans who've been, ahem, fixing the place up will achieve their goal.
We can but hope. In the meanwhile, a lone picker shuffled in the Shack's pecan grove, searching for nature's bounty. Good luck to him, may your harvest be plentiful. Ag exemption in mind I moved on to the Steal where, lo and behold, gas is only 3.59 a gallon. Get it while you can, kids.
One PNS coffee refill later and a pack of Marlboro Lights I was back at the patrol base and saying Morning Prayer. 1928 BCP version, thank you very much and you can get it online here. Then, no sooner was the Divine Office finished than a barrage of emails from lawyers and realtors came flooding in.
Upshot? Go to a notary, affidavit in hand. But the notary's shut because... who knows, it just is. Drive over to Land & Title, "How you doing!" what a cheery receptionist, "Good! How about you?" "I'm good, what can we do for ya?" Well, they couldn't notarize a document but they sure wanted to and were helpful as they could be. I thanked God for putting me in a Texan country town and headed over to Don Tutor's Bail Bonds.
"Hi, I recognize you from Bible Study at El Con! (an unreconstructed TexMex restaurant) What can we do for you?" So helpful, just notarize this document, please, and she did, free of charge. "What part of England you from?" I replied "London" and learned she wanted to go to Manchester, where she has an email friend. "Watch out," I admonished, "They call it Gunchester," and then felt bad, "Don't worry, you'll be alright." Good for her, so excited to visit England.
UK readers of this important mind blog, if there are any, take note: Many, many Americans hold the Sceptered Isle in very high regard, they really do. So don't scorn your brothers and sisters across the Atlantic, it's an unpleasant, snobbish and beastly trait. Just saying.
Bonds aside, go back to the Compound to regroup, eat a slice of bread because fasting and get blitzed by lawyers and realtors over the information superhighway. Think Russian Shock Army moving on the Karkov Front. We withstood the offensive, nice work team, and then Canada called, "Can you send some... :(" I resisted the urge to ignore this threat in the hope it'd somehow go away and instead replied, "Hold fire, I'm trying to sell a ranch. Offers coming in, good offers."
And so they were, result. Realtor O Group over, head to Walmart and this town's send money to the world desk (please, Canada, work this out online). The young woman who handled the transaction was friendly as you like but aghast at gas prices, "Just seen 4 bucks a gallon, 81 million people voted for that, what's gonna happen when it's $5 a gallon or 8?" I thought about that and looked her in the eye, which was hard because of all the piercings, "Maybe smart people have ammo, right?" She gave a dyed blonde grin and agreed, yet another friendly country person.
Then back to the Compound for Vespers. Question, is it just me or is the tenor of daily life becoming increasingly off-hook?
Stand Steady,
LSP
A London memory, circa 1965 Victoria Station. Disembarking from the train into a very crowded platform, I heard this strange hum. Then I realized everyone was saying, "Sorry"as the maneuvered around each other. Other than being called a barbarian for wanting my coffee black I was treated well by everyone in Great Britain.
ReplyDeleteWow, WSF, Victoria Station in '65! I knew it in the '80s, pre internet but still...
ReplyDeleteLSP
ReplyDeleteI'm an old dude. When I stayed in London it was at a British Army Hotel - cheap!
Watched the Changing of the Guard. Wow, those men could march. Made the US Army look like amateurs.
Barracks at the Salisbury Plains while introducing Claymore mines. Don't know why we had to train the British. Front to the enemy, unfold the stickum legs, unroll the wire, find shelter and squeeze the detonator. Not the most pleasant place I've been.
It's not just you. It is just surreal seeing so many people going about their day seemingly oblivious, living so much of their lives in the alternate reality of their Iphones. Perhaps the prices at the gas pump will help to turn the tide.
ReplyDeleteMemories indeed. Perhaps I mentioned when we were at J's my R&R jaunt with my buddy to London in '76. I have a photo of me standing next to the 15-inch naval guns at the entrance to the Imperial War Museum.
We were part of a tour group traveling by bus from West Germany. We crossed the channel by car ferry. The return crossing was a night during a storm. I retired a few decks down to some bunks available for those who wanted to sack out. I listened to the engine rpm's rise and fall as the props came out of the water when the ferry crested the swells. Reminded me again why I joined the army.
Mrs. was a travel agent for, well, longer than I dare admit, back in the halcyon days when they got trips for next to nothing, and sometimes actual nothing. She took full advantage of the opportunity and went dang near everywhere although Asia and Africa, not so much. South America and Europe, very muchly though, and thoroughly.
ReplyDeleteShe says London was her favorite city of all of it.
3.59 ? Hey, get me some would ya?
ReplyDeleteGas prices.. Dang that Trump ! :)
Spent 1990 in England. Midlands, North Hapmton, New Duston area, about 2 miles from Princess Di's parents place which we toured for 50 p one day.
Anyway, I found the country where we were to be like a fairytale place, castles, manors, country roads, large ponds with swan and such, everyone with beautiful English Gardens and the people were in majority just Brilliant.
On the other side, everything was torturously expensive (but I was on expenses). The exchange rate was 2 bucks to the pound, and we were paying 9 pounds for a medium size pizza, so 18 bucks. Noticing prices and wages - the products were twice as expensive as in the US and the wages were only half as much even with the exchange rate factored out. Life was/is tough for the average British citizen.
The Poll Tax was a big thing when we were there. People testifying on TV that they had an extra 10 pounds a month and now the gov was taking that too. Imagine a budget so tight you actually knew you had 10 extra a month.
Never been to ye olde country or to Germany. A retired LTC in graduate school lit'rature class said while Germany felt like home, but with everybody speaking German, England seemed like a foreign land where the natives spoke English. My daughter did a couple of stopovers at Mildenhall, one mission navigating a broken airplane from a desert location to the USA and extending the stopover a day to replace a different broken part. She liked England, except for the money. "That's only ... That isn't a dollar sign, is it."
ReplyDeleteMissy Shaw be real funny, she dont see the Crrookedness in the Crackhead Hunter, or the Derangement in the IDIOT Joey BiDung but she shaw be nuts over some one who did wonderful things fer this here Country, Mr. Trump… Its like she gots an Obsession fer the guy, and she sure do be missin a lot of bad thy dat the Bidung family be do.
ReplyDeleteA very productive day LSP. Been a country dweller for most of my life and greatly appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteWSF, you're right, they sure can drill! I like that.
ReplyDeleteHaven't been to Salisbury Plain in ages but like the idea of a cheap hotel near Victoria station. I wonder if you can still do that. Speaking of which, found very reasonable/economy rooms at a place just of Trafalgar Sq. in 2017. Surprising, and great location.
I love those guns, RHT! We used to visit the IWM pretty much every year in school and part of that meant posing with the guns, fun. I don't think I've been there since the '90s and remember the Lancaster bomber walk through display seeming strangely small compared to the memory of youth. Still impressive though.
ReplyDeleteWild, I love London, I really do. Ferociously expensive though.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely pricey, Kid. Mind you, when I was last there a few years back, food was CHEAPER than here, except beef, which has changed now. Wine and beer were also cheaper, especially wine. Huh, I was surprised.
ReplyDeleteOf course gas/petrol was insane and smoking prohibitive. A bit like New York or something.
I'd like to go back but... haven't had the devil vax. Hmmmmm.
Parts of it are very beautiful, Sgt., and the people have a good spirit, mostly. I miss the pubs, tbh!
ReplyDeleteClem, don't know nuthin, jus a po picka.
ReplyDeleteIt was kind of a day, DOS... good with it though and yes, I like the country. Must get out and shoot/fish soon.
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