In my younger days, which sure in heck was not last year, I wondered about a lot of stuff.  It was not that I day dreamed a lot. I did a lot of stuff out loud, just wondering. Many were the times, I got into trouble. That day in kindergarten when I was watching my cousin eating his lunch. Every time he chewed, his temple made strange movements. I sat there and watched and wondered why. The next moment I heard the teacher say “Kenneth stop staring at him”.   She wouldn’t let me explain why I was watching him. But then, she and I never got along very well. I think it was because I swore at her that first day of school.  I had called her every name a little four year old could think of. Maybe it was because I never really attempted to color within those silly lines. All I got for a reply was “that is what you are supposed to do”.   A reply of “but why” never really seemed to work for me.

  But this wondering “what if” always seemed to get me into trouble. “Just because I told you so” did not work very well with me. I always wanted to know “why”.  I didn’t think it was being rebellious, I just wanted to know why.  I suppose here I must admit, being rebellious is one of my traits. It isn’t like I have to sit and plan situations, I just wait and they arrive.

  It is sort of like Mother Nature and Karma are testing me. Here you have a situation, the test is to be a nice guy or try to even the score just a little. I must say there are times being the nice guy looses out on that challenge.

  The stories are many and I guess that sort of makes me almost human. If it wasn’t for that tiny little voice inside my head that keeps saying “don’t do it”,  “I’m telling ya, don’t do it”,  I surely would have been in trouble more often.  Now, you take that time I presented something to the selectmen. I placed a folder full of information on the table in front of them. The chairman threatened to throw me out if I should ever place a folder down on the table like that again. I so wanted to pick that folder back up and actually slam it down to test him. The question was, “how does someone get thrown out of a selectmen’s meeting for placing a folder on the table? ”  That voice inside my head spoke really loud on that one.

  I just smiled and realized he was just trying to even the score. As chairman of the sewer commission I had helped others make a decision that went against what that gentleman thought. I guess that is being a bit rebellious.

  I have to keep reminding myself of a bit of information I learned when I was a very religious person. Boy, I have to say, there are some not so nice stories there, I tell ya. But anyway, The lesson goes, it is better to be soft and wise than like someone beating on a big drum for attention. The soft and wise is a better road to follow.  Like the old fox, ya catch more rats by being patient and quiet.

  I wish to stop a moment here and thank you fine folks. Many have commented they giggle and laugh at some of my stories. There are times though digging up a bit of humor is quite a task. Life does indeed present us with many challenges. How we handle those challenges prove just who we are.  The trick is to wait, just wait, things do indeed turn back again.  Ken White COB mountainman