I think about this piece from time to time, too. I wonder what became of Ted. I'm not jealous, though. Well, maybe I am a little bit, but at the same time I spent almost ten years in Japan and now live in the UP, so... Speaking of Upper Michigan, I'd like to think that Ted somehow ended up here, and maybe I've seen him around town. Maybe he works at a local brewery with one of my colleagues. Maybe we're neighbors now. Or we will be once we finally purchase that house we've been cautiously saving up for.
Having left the neighborhood now myself, I feel like we will eventually meet again. Just a matter of time. When the boy and I were at Slab City two weeks ago, I half expected to see him there.
I remember this post when it first came out. I have to say, there are more and more days now when I want to check out. I'm a scant few years away from 60 and working to retirement seems harder now than it did a decade ago. If it wasn't for the wife, I could see selling the house and putting the few items I want to keep (tools, extra motorcycles, etc.) in storage. Then upgrade my current weekend style camping trailer to something more suitable and spending life going from one national park to the next. I'd eventually get tired and then park the camper on a small plot of land next to the bay and that would be that. Dreams.
They help you whilst you're doing the necessary, nose to the grind wheel so once you retire, the kids are gone and the dog dies, you have the ability to make choices like this .
If the U.S.A. goes to shit, I know I can cut all ties and live in a trailer (again) if I have to and make it work .
I like and will be using "Country Kitchen" henceforth Jack =8-) .
"The BMW disappeared, replaced by a half-decade-old F-150 crewcab. But what I really noticed was that Ted was smiling during our increasingly less-brief and less-guarded discussions." And, there you go , why I abandoned my upper middle class as early as I could, I didn't ken why during a miserable childhood I was expected to 'grow up' and accept a lifetime of misery .
In 1934 or so Will Rogers (the great American humorist) said "most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be" . sobering words to an unhappy child in 1964 .
"Wedge Woman" ~ DING ! . another I'll be using from now on, thank you Jack .
In the end, there are those who enjoy an open life and those who cherish their inherent nesting abilities .
I doubt anyone here would want to live in my nest but having lived on the road and slept under bridges I realized I like Concrete roads / side walks, the fireplug across from my house and my daily rhythm, doesn't matter who else thinks what .
Your ability to see and put to paper the little things that make life are why you're such a good wordsmith Jack, this was written 8/2018 and only has 3 comments, I wonder if maybe this touches too many men closer to the bone than they like .
I think about this piece from time to time, too. I wonder what became of Ted. I'm not jealous, though. Well, maybe I am a little bit, but at the same time I spent almost ten years in Japan and now live in the UP, so... Speaking of Upper Michigan, I'd like to think that Ted somehow ended up here, and maybe I've seen him around town. Maybe he works at a local brewery with one of my colleagues. Maybe we're neighbors now. Or we will be once we finally purchase that house we've been cautiously saving up for.
Having left the neighborhood now myself, I feel like we will eventually meet again. Just a matter of time. When the boy and I were at Slab City two weeks ago, I half expected to see him there.
I remember this post when it first came out. I have to say, there are more and more days now when I want to check out. I'm a scant few years away from 60 and working to retirement seems harder now than it did a decade ago. If it wasn't for the wife, I could see selling the house and putting the few items I want to keep (tools, extra motorcycles, etc.) in storage. Then upgrade my current weekend style camping trailer to something more suitable and spending life going from one national park to the next. I'd eventually get tired and then park the camper on a small plot of land next to the bay and that would be that. Dreams.
Dreams are good Don ;
They help you whilst you're doing the necessary, nose to the grind wheel so once you retire, the kids are gone and the dog dies, you have the ability to make choices like this .
If the U.S.A. goes to shit, I know I can cut all ties and live in a trailer (again) if I have to and make it work .
-Nate
I like and will be using "Country Kitchen" henceforth Jack =8-) .
"The BMW disappeared, replaced by a half-decade-old F-150 crewcab. But what I really noticed was that Ted was smiling during our increasingly less-brief and less-guarded discussions." And, there you go , why I abandoned my upper middle class as early as I could, I didn't ken why during a miserable childhood I was expected to 'grow up' and accept a lifetime of misery .
In 1934 or so Will Rogers (the great American humorist) said "most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be" . sobering words to an unhappy child in 1964 .
"Wedge Woman" ~ DING ! . another I'll be using from now on, thank you Jack .
In the end, there are those who enjoy an open life and those who cherish their inherent nesting abilities .
I doubt anyone here would want to live in my nest but having lived on the road and slept under bridges I realized I like Concrete roads / side walks, the fireplug across from my house and my daily rhythm, doesn't matter who else thinks what .
Your ability to see and put to paper the little things that make life are why you're such a good wordsmith Jack, this was written 8/2018 and only has 3 comments, I wonder if maybe this touches too many men closer to the bone than they like .
-Nate