–D.C. Adkisson (Mal de Ojo)

 

Come on in, Pard.  My mercy, I haven’t seen yuh since last year.  How have yuh been keepin’ yurself?  Out of coffee, huh?  So yuh figure yuh would come see me.  Well, it’s on the stove and plenty of it, hot, black as the night and strong.  Just the kind to get yuh started in the new year.

       Things haven’t changed much.  Folks are still runnin’ to and fro lookin’ for answers that ain’t to be found exceptin’ they turn to the Lord.  Fools!  Vaccine then more vaccine, then vaccine but wear a mask.  I saw a picture of a band with slits in their masks so they could toot their horn.  Now that is just plumb silly.  Plus where do they think the air that flows out of the horn comes from?  Hmm, perhaps there is a special filter that cleans out the virus and it’s all stuck in the horn.  

       See why I made the coffee extra strong this mornin’.  Oh, an’ this year is an election year.  Don’t yuh know we’re goin’ to hear a spew of lies.  Like I said, politicians and the like ain’t the answer–folks need the Lord.  But will they turn to Him?  They sure haven’t durin’ this here pestilence of a virus.  In fact, more and more have used it as an excuse to stay home.  Fools!  Ain’t no other word for them.

       Better drink up, next thing they’ll do is make yuh show yur vaccine card to buy coffee.  Drink it while yuh have it.  Oh, and one more thing before we part this mornin’.  I heard tell that this is goin’ to be the year of the great resignation.  Yep, from what I heard, folks are goin’ to be resigning from their jobs all over the country.  Plumb foolishness.  What happened to the Work Ethic?  We’re looking at a great hand out, those leftists are goin’ to want you and me to be payin’ for those who quit to get somethin’ to eat.  Yep, there may be desperate times ahead.  Of course, some may be forced to quit because of a vaccine mandate, but the others, why they’re just plain lazy, and the Lord sure don’t like laziness in folks.

     By the way, good to see yuh again.  The turnin’ of the year into 2022 didn’t seem to hurt yuh none.  Glad yur all in one piece.  Yuh must have checked yur cinch without me remindin’ yuh.  The coffee was good this mornin’, and the company was swell.  Yuh be havin’ a good week, ride wary and watch for obstacles that may come yur way.  The ol’ devil ain’t goin’ to stop workin’ to get yuh.

       Vaya con Dios.

 

Whoooeeee, Pard!  It’s hard to believe!  Reckon this is the last Saturday we’ll be together until next year.  My, my, my, for next Saturday is Christmas–yeehaw!  Then the followin’ week will be New Years.  Still hard to believe that another year has gone by.  Makes me wonder what I did with my time.

       I know one for sure–the Lord has been good and faithful to me.  With all the craziness in this world He has kept me, and my family.  Glad to be assured that whatever is goin’ on that the Lord is right there with me.  The ol’ devil would like nothin’ better than for us to lose our focus.  Why that is like drinkin’ diluted coffee.  Yuh know we’re not supposed to compromise, we should be drinkin’ the strong, pure, undiluted brew, nothin’ artificial, nothin’ weak, no see through coffee.  The same is true of our focus on the Lord.  Why for sure at times it would be better if we were wearing hoss blinders.

       How’s that taste?  Goes down smooth an’ soothes the gizzard don’t it?  Well, that’s the way I’m prayin’ for yuh, Pard.  I’m prayin’ that next year yu’ll have smooth ridin’, that yuh don’t fall off in some cactus patch.  Prayin’ that the bile doesn’t come up in yur stomach, nor that yur gizzard will get riled up.  Stay in the Word, Pard–kept yur gun oiled and ready, don’t be lookin’ to the right or the left but only on what the Lord has for yuh.

       Yuh be careful until we meet back here again.  I won’t be remindin’ yuh to check yur cinch, so yu’ll have do be rememberin’ it yur ownself.  Now, I know that’s a powerful lot, but don’t be goin’ out into this ol’ world unprepared.  Check yur gear an’ that includes yur cinch.  So until next year…have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

        Vaya con Dios.

                    –James Oliver Curwood  (The Valley of Silent Men a Story of the Three River Country)

 

“Jingle bells are ringing… ’cause Christmas time’s a-comin’… and yuh better watch out an’ not pout.”  Why, Pard that’s singin’.  It’s called a medley, and that’s what happens when I go t’ singin’.  I just let ‘er rip, and the words just come from out there somewheres.  What are yuh sayin’, that’s not a medley?  Well, what is it then?  A mess!  Pard yuh just don’t appreciate the way my mind hears music.

       Does that mean yuh don’t wanna partake of my coffee?  It’s on the stove, just needs to be poured.  I’m not sure if bacon is intimate and makes for good companionship.  Why bacon just don’t stay around long enough to become a companion unless yur a-talkin’ about what it does to my figure..  Coffee, it’s sure ‘nough  companion, and brings grand thoughts of home.  Grandma always had a pot on the stove, she didn’t drink it herself, can you imagine, but just in case company might come by she was ready with a cup for them.

       Home!  Ain’t that quite a word!  There’s lots of houses, and buildin’s, but homes have to be made.  I don’t mean of bricks and mortar, but with blood, sweat, tears, and prayers.  Home is where the heart is.  Hmmm, what a thought.  I wonder how much we think of heaven as our home.  Don’t seem that many out there think of it much.  And along with the other troubles in buildin’ a home, some are sayin’ that we shouldn’t necessarily be meetin’ in our homes on Christmas or we need to wear one of those blamed masks.  Pard, if’n I should wear a mask how would yuh see my grin, or I yur bootiful face?

       Yuh better drink yur coffee as I’m about to commence my singin’ again.  One thing for sure there is a list bein’ made.  Part of it might be if’n yur naughty or nice, but there’s sure one book that’s all important–the Lamb’s Book of Life.  Yuh want to make sure yur name’s written in it.

       Ride safely home, Pard.  If’n yuh need to get shoppin’ done don’t let it wait ’til the last minute.  Why then yuh might get to hustlin’ and bustlin’ around and forget to check yur cinch.

        Vaya con Dios.

                    –Louis L’Amour  (The Man From the Broken Hills)

 

       Ain’t man a wonder?  Now, if’n yuh can’t tell from the tone of my writing, that’s been said facetiously, Pard.  He is created a little lower than the angels, but sometimes I wonder if it ain’t the fallen angels He was referring to.   Why that poor, neglected, man who killed six people and ran over another forty says that he is being demonized.  The poor man, with a rap sheet that is a mile long.  Then we have sweet, pitiful Alec, whimpering and sniffling up sympathy sayin’ he didn’t pull the trigger.  Guns that shoot by themselves, why Pard the next thing they’ll be tellin’ us cars can drive by themselves.  What’s that?  They have some, they’re workin’ on it.  Well, they’ll do somethin’ like make coffee that is instant, no need of boilin’ or perkin’.  Huh?  They have that too?  Well, that just shows to go yuh, that they’re always messin’ with something.

       Pard, think back over yur long life and those many times yuh held a gun.  Ever have one go off without pullin’ the trigger?  I’ve heard of folks shootin’ themselves while cleanin’ a gun, but that don’t make no sense neither.  Bottom line, yuh have a gun in yur hand, it makes yuh responsible.  No matter what else, yur holdin’ it.

       Sorry, Pard, this week has had some doin’s that just rankled me.  Just gonna let them simmer on the back burner of my mind.  Speakin’ of back burners, how ’bout another cup of coffee?  Ahh, smell that aroma, sure helps me from shakin’ my head at all the senseless things that are goin’ on.  It’ll get worser and worser as the Lord tarries.  We all need to be prayin’, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” and also prayin’ for those around us, ‘specially family and friends.

       Say Pard, ol’ Pancho told me that he saw some folk from one of those barred countries comin’ across the border down ’round Laredo.  Oh, but that’s another story.  Finish that last swaller and I’ll let yuh be on yur way.  I’m gonna watch yuh for a minute t’ see if’n yuh check yur cinch.  Why yuh might just say it just happened, not yur fault, when they pick yuh off the ground.

        Vaya con Dios.