Stray Thoughts

By

William D. Dannenmaier

I always go to the grocery store with Sheila to make certain she doesn’t forget important things, such as Pepperidge Farm cookies and spice drops. Normally, I then go and sit and drink the free coffee until we are ready to go. This morning, at the last minute and while she was in line I remembered that I was low on pretzels. I rushed, picked up a bag and took it to her, commenting to her that she had forgotten another important item. The woman in front, who had even more groceries than Sheila, had turned around to watch and listen. Then she looked at She and said, “That’s why I never let my husband go grocery shopping with me.”

The free coffee is in the midst of the fruit section. I’m always amused by the signs reading “organic apples” or “organic oranges.” I’ve never seen for sale, never eaten and never wish to eat any INORGANIC fruit.

This morning at the Cardiac Club, Sheila was in a deep discussion about home accidents with two men sitting and waiting for their blood pressures to be taken. Sheila topped what they were saying with a comment that she had read that most accidents occurred in the bathroom. I couldn’t let that stand so I said, “I’ve always thought most accidents occurred in the bedroom.” That ended that topic.

My ELDER brother, Joe, a consummate critic (or perhaps I should say a thoughtful reviewer of my essays as he has been known to be violent to his loving younger brother) pointed out that to increase the number of medical doctors would result in a significant increase in trial lawyers, a need for more judges and higher insurance. This once he is right. Since medical schools show no interest in increasing their numbers in consideration of our greatly increased population, this is no problem. (I’ve now forgotten the important point I was about to make. Age 78 does have its drawbacks, or, in deference to Joe, its virtues.)

I was a bit shocked when my liberal son, Bill, seemed to agree with my latest blog that increasing the number of physicians might reduce the cost of going to the doctor, although he still liked the idea of the government, the Navy, training physician assistants. His experience in the small countries of Switzerland and Austria has led him to applaud the idea of socialized medicine. He ignores, of course, the disasters, for patients and doctors, of socialized medicine in Canada, England, Holland and Sweden.

Obama’s wife continues to condemn the United States for the poor treatment she received as a Black. It is really tough to go to expensive schools (I wonder who paid for her schooling) and have only a 250,000 dollar salary. Reminds me of how Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor, commiserated with the unemployed during the depression saying she was having to reduce the number of servants she hired.

Thinking of our three (and a half) dominant Presidential candidates – Hillary (Bill), McCain and Obama – it occurred to me that if they were college football players who had completed their eligibility, none of the three would have been drafted by the pros. However, some team might have hired McCain as a water boy.

Grandson August is almost a sixth son, having spent many vacations and summers here while growing up. Now, scheduled for Iraq (he is in the Marines), he wanted to visit before leaving and Eric paid his air fare from Galveston, Eric and Maria driving down from Indianapolis to join the farewell. Eric and Maria arrived Thursday night and, with Andrew, picked Augie up at the airport Friday. In preparation, Sheila began cooking Thursday. She baked an Apple Strudel, twelve baked apples encased in pastry, a Cherry Custard pie, two Apple Pies, two Cherry Pies and a Black Forest Cake complete with real whipped cream. Friday morning she cooked two dozen muffins, half cranberry orange and half banana nut so that Eric and Maria would have some breakfast. During her spare time she added two apple pies and six cakes for the Historical Society’s shindig. It is now early Sunday morning and Eric and Maria have left, taking August to the airport on their way home. One cherry pie remains. Oh yes, Eric, fearing a scarcity of desserts and other nutritious foods, brought an ice cream pie with chocolate, caramel and pecans and two quarts of whipping cream to add to the two quarts I had purchased earlier. Saturday I barbecued several pounds of country style ribs for Saturday evening. Most of the ribs and all of the cornbread Sheila cooked to go with them are gone. For some reason, all of the salad, baked potatoes, most of the string beans, turnip greens and one quart of whipping cream remain. 

I confessed to Sheila the other day that 78 is older than 68 and I can no longer do as much as I did ten years ago. I added that it was probably a good thing, as if I were to repeat the last ten years it would mean another series of heart attacks and I don’t believe the BaptistHospital, Dr. Austin or the nurses could take another session with me. (They tended to be slow learners, but they do learn.)