So, I promised I would continue on, and I will try. Thank you for all of the bloggers who added all of their typical descriptions of what a “redneck” is, either from a joking point of view, or a literal descriptive history of how the term came about.
First, I will tell you this. My neighbors, after 41 years of living here, have never denied they are “rednecks”, without descriptive history, or from a joking point of view. They are, and have been country people, who have taught me a lot about life and living, i.e. rednecks, which they told me they were all of those decades ago of loving, learning, and living!
In all honesty, I will never be a “redneck” for sure, but, after all of these years, I might be, and not be, in a Jeff Foxworthy sort of way, or in the historical sense of describing a “redneck”. Despite being a liberal, all of the education, way of life, understanding the sense of being someone who can literally live off the land, defend oneself, and loving the USA, I might be a “redneck”, but never in a literal sense, but I am one who has benefited from individuals who provided this for me in a way you might not understand.
So, I wish that I could describe what will likely be one of my last conversations with the husband of one of my best friends. As I suggest, she died a few years ago of lung cancer. I actually sat on her death bed, and it was a terrible time. She was 32 years old when I met her, (I was only 20), and in my mind, she never aged.
Her husband is 76 years old, and this was my conservationist. I have known him, and spoken with him, and actually relied upon, as he has me, for all of these years, although in totally different ways. As, I suggest, we have never been the “same” politically, but we never hated each other; and that remains true!
Because of the last year, I have not “visited” much; but we never lost or lose contact. After his wife, my friend, passed, I helped him get things in order for when that time might arrive for him. This has been my role, for decades, helping them keep things in order, in a legal sense. I am not a lawyer, but I am a certified paralegal, and through my work, I have helped them in more ways than most would understand. I do this, and through the gracious understanding and oversight of my employer, it was always and remains free.
So, let me discuss what might be the last in person visit for a long while.
He made me a pot of coffee, as I knew he would! As always, it was strong, smelled wonderfully. He threw on a pot of black-eyed peas, diced up a hock, and invited me for dinner. Dinner with this family has always been good “eatin”.
We both were fully vaccinated, and I made sure of this before I visited in person. I did not wear a mask, without asking him, and when I arrived, I asked if this was okay. He said sure, he only wore one when he needed to, otherwise wouldn’t wear one at all, which I knew would be his response!
We caught up, as people will do, about things such as family, friends, people we both know, etc. This is normal, yes?
After that, you know what he did? He began discussing politics, and I am laughing even as I describe it. He has obviously been watching a lot more political news, and more specifically from his own “point of view”, and my first reaction was just that, oh boy! Here we go again :) You know, of course, I have been watching a lot of political news, from my own “point of view”, even though I have always attempting watching the other side, and continue doing so.
I think most of you know, but if not, there are always just some people in your life that you love, even if you don’t agree them about politics, and this is where I was when I visited, and even where I am now. That is where I was then, again, during my discussion with him. I hugged him, as he hugged me back. Nothing “special” about that, as we are long time friends, who are just friends.
As I typed that, I realize that I cannot continue tonight, I am simply exhausted. Working long days and a lot of overtime makes me that way; but if you wish, I will continue on when I get enough sleep and a bit more time!
In that thought, as I stop for now, please stop and take a moment about contemplating those who don’t think like you, but share something more personal, caring. It really happens, and politics don’t matter! You might even find some agreement.
