Tex Gets Back to Writing
“So, Grandpa, what’d you do during the Covid 19 Lockdown?”
“Not much, kids, mostly stayed home, hunkered down. About the only place I went was to the HEB, and the library – until it closed up during Covid.
“What did you kids do?” “About the same, G.Pa,” said Grand Daughter. “There was no school for a long time. Mama would not even let us go in the front yard.
“I missed my friends.” “Yeah, I missed my friends, too,” allowed Grandson. “Never thought I’d say it, but I was glad when school started up again.”
Smiling, I said, “Sound like you’re growing up,” which brought frowns from both.
“Gee, G. Pa.” G. Boy said, “if that’s true, you can keep it.”
“Same for me,” from G. Girl.
Continuing, and with a smile; she said, “G. Pa, Mama said you just had a birthday. How old are you now; about a million?”
‘Not quite,” was my reply, “although sometimes I feel like it. I was 83; on the sixth of July.”
“Eighty three!” cried out G. Boy. “Man, that’s old! How long do you think you can go on? Do you think you can make a hundred?”
“Sure, Kids. I can make a hundred easy. In fact, my real goal is to be alive in 2100. I’ll be one hundred and sixty years old.”
Which brought smirks and giggles from both.
“Go ahead and laugh,” I said, “Now, I may be nothing more than a brain in a glass jar, or a box full of wires and transistors, but I’ll be there, with all my memories. And, isn’t that what makes us what we are: our memories?”
“I guess so,” both mumbled. “O.K., then. Have you heard anything about the upcoming search for Artificial Intelligence?
“It’s supposed to be the next Big Thing.”
Both looked confused.
“Well, maybe you can look it up on Youtube.” I ventured, “Since La Grange no longer has a daily newspaper delivered from the big city, it’s hard to keep up with what’s going on in the World. Nowadays Youtube is where I get most of my news.
“You probably noticed there is no TV in my house anymore?”
“Yeah, both if us did; and wondered why.”
‘It’s because I got into a great big fight, almost a war, with the cable company. They kept overcharging me and I finally got tired if it and told them to come and take it out.
“And, I was glad I did. The news had become so biased; it was almost all propaganda.And the shows were not much better.
“In fact, because I spent so much time in various hospitals; I was looking forward to being able to catch up on some favorites.
“I was very disappointed. The shows were cheaply done and not funny at all.
“Anyway; that’s the story on TV in my house.”
“Gosh, G.Pa,” said G. Girl, ”I don’t think I could live without TV.”
“Well, Honey Bunch, “I replied gently as possible, “If your life is so strained and trite that you’d not want it with out TV; that speaks volumes about your poor little life,. Maybe you need a hobby or a cause.”
“Cause? What kind of cause?” “Oh, I don’t know,” I replied, “I don’t know what your interests are. Maybe you could volunteer at your local animal rescue place, or find a way to help old folks.”
“I know what her interests are,” smirked G. Boy.
“Make up and boys. She spends hours in front of the bathroom mirror. And you ought to see her room; the walls are covered with pictures of boys.”
“Shut up,” she replied, harshly. “You stay in the bathroom a lot, too.”
“Well, then,” I said, trying diplomacy. “There you go, Baby Girl, looks like its Show Biz for you. Either as a makeup artist, a photographer or a performer.”
“G. Pa,” asked G. Boy, “are you still interested in politics? The last time we talked, was when the Loud Lady and the Orange Man were both trying to be President. I know the Orange Man won, and then lost. We were just little kids then. I’d like to learn more about it. Can you teach me?”
“I’m sure I could,” I replied. “But you’d be much better off by learning from several sources. When you get back home, look up and find where the local Democrats and Republicans meet. Go to their meetings, listen and learn.
“Also find some fringe groups, like the Libertarians and Green Party. Go to their meetings, too.”
Well, Kids, that’s about all for this week, I’m running out of room.
Next time I’ll try to tell you what’s all that’s wrong with me and my plans to fix it.
For now, as always, Love from La Grange, Tex Parker
Parker is a longtime La Grange resident.