STAY CALM AND KEEP SHOOTING. Article in Tuesday’s formerly statewide newspaper says that a Little Rock social worker, who has a doctorate degree and specializes in anger management, went to the home of her former pastor and filled him full of lead. Then she shot pastor’s wife as she was tending to her wounded husband.
“You broke my heart!” the social worker woman allegedly shouted at the pastor as she opened fire.
The pastor later died in a hospital.
No reason given why the shooting took place, but our imaginations are fertile, aren’t they? This tale could show up in a tv soap opera ….. if it hasn’t already.
But I’ll say this, having lots of readily-available guns out there sure makes me feel safer. This woman was reloading when cops arrived.
The social worker is one gun owner who would have probably passed a background check. So much for THAT as a way to slow down guns in the hands of dangerous persons.
The article didn’t say where this shooter got her PhD.
She’s out on bail (they don’t hold alleged killers in jail overnight in Memphis, apparently) otherwise she might show up here to give our mayor a choice in the selection of a J-Turn Enforcement Officer.
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ANIMAL CRACKERS. Heavy recent rains have managed to make the fire ants active again. Fresh brown mounds everywhere.
I’ve got bluebirds. Saw Blue Dad sitting atop my patio fence while Not-Quite-so-Blue Mom hopped inside the bluebird mansion to see if it was adequate. The box has been moved to a shadier location, and I’m hopeful its tragic record can be reversed.
If these are the same parents I had last year, they lost two batches of chicks because they jumped out of the box too early and promptly found the swimming pool. The box was mounted on the side of my house and had a full sun western exposure. It got mighty hot during the afternoon and that may be why the chicks abandoned ship before they could fly away.
Last year there were many oriole sightings in our neighborhood, and unfortunately, none of those sightings were by me. Hoping for a change this year.
There are sure a lot of those whistling birds hanging around the parking lots at McDonald’s and Southern Belle Inn and Western Sizzlin’.
Our John Balch reminds me that the birds’ real name is Boat-tailed Grackle. They moved up here from the Gulf Coast in search of spilled Frenchfries. One of them flew alarmingly close to the heads of our Pam McAnelly and her granddaughter, Kenan as they walked into a restaurant recently.
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THE GOOD EARTH. My thanks and gratitude to the men and women who planted dogwoods and redbuds all over our town. And Carolina jasmine, wisteria and forsythia. I understand that many of the trees and vines were placed by the Almighty, but many were obviously planted purposefully.
The dogwoods especially have been glorious.
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CROSSWORD FAME. Several weeks have elapsed since I found an irritating error in the ‘Texarkana Gazette’ daily crossword puzzle. Both of my readers will recall how I whined at length about CLINT EASTWODD.
I am just about ready to explode because that newspaper and the distributor of the crossword puzzle haven’t recognized or thanked me for discovering the error. I was hoping for a modest cash reward, or at least get my picture in the Gazette society section.
I am addicted to many things, and high on the list is the crossword puzzle. I work the Gazette’ puzzle every weekday morning. On Sundays I give my brain a rest. Also, the Sunday crossword puzzle is too hard.
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ANY DAY NOW I am expecting a visit from the Razorbacks’ new basketball coach. He’s probably been warned about the #1 Fair Weather Razorback Fan.
So, I don’t expect him to take my coaching advice anytime soon.
But here it is anyway: Teach ‘em NOT to throw the ball away; or take stoopid shots. Teach ‘em to play some defense; and to actually make freethrows when they count (I remind you of the Virginia player who sunk all three freethrows with virtually no time remaining and his team losing to Auburn by two points).
Also, the football coach hasn’t called yet for my advice even though he’s been here a year. For him I’d suggest having a Little Rock social worker demonstrate to the defensive backs what would happen if they let an opponent get wide open for a 90-yard touchdown pass.
The women’s sports seem to be doing quite well without my help.
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WORD GAMES. Newlyweds Adam and Eve. This was an arranged marriage.
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HE SAID: “Put two ships in the open sea, without wind or tide, and, at last, they will come together. Throw two planets into space, and they will fall one on the other. Place two enemies in the midst of a crowd, and they will inevitably meet; it is a fatality, a question of time; that is all.” Jules Verne, science fiction writer
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SHE SAID: “My parents, and librarians along the way, taught me about the space between words; about the margins, where so many juicy moments of life and spirit and friendship could be found. In a library, you could find miracles and truth and you might find something that would make you laugh so hard that you get shushed, in the friendliest way.” Anne Lamott, novelist and teacher
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
