Life Goes On — By John Reed

Life Goes On
As I wrote here previously, the grand Washington merry-go-round has limited effect here, other than providing a profit for the printer’s ink sellers and whoever can figure out how to make money from sending batches of electrons from one computer screen to another. A few slices from local life last week:
Driving only a few miles on any county road before running up behind a cotton combine or peanut wagon. Seems like it was a very good year. Massive white fluffy bricks and rolls dot the landscape, payback for months of work, expense, and worrying about the weather.
Standing in line at the pecan-chomper at Jerry’s place. People toting in a bucket or two, alternating with massive 50-pound bags from the pros. This after waving at folks picking up nuts on the roadside. I guess it‘s public property, first come first serve. I wish the road department would plant okra!
Shucking oysters at the golf course picnic pavilion with members of the Kiwanis Club and other community members. Learning Hizzoner has yet another skill…I’ll be calling him the “oyster whisperer” for a while after his expert efforts Saturday night!
Watching with grim bemusement the mixed messages and use of face masks. Stores with signs requiring them, whose own employees aren’t wearing them. Discussions of closing school again, even as the CDC director advises that it’s actually safer for the kids to be in school than being at home. And nobody being too worried about social distancing at football games, funerals, or any other public gathering.
We’re not that different from many other places. Talking heads will gush about the divisions that separate our country: color, income, culture. While each is notable in its own way, I think the greatest split is location. Rural vs urban seems to be greater than any of the above, including political affiliation.
Until the pollsters and politicians understand the “country folks” mindset, we’ll continue to get people from both parties unaware and uncaring of our needs.