Ya'll, here is a comment from a reader of the Back Porch who's seen the most recent Front Porch post. I'm puttin' her comment front and center since it is a testament to what the REAL backbone of America is--folks like Malinda and her Fella. Read it an think deep about why it is that self-reliance is the handmaid of freedom.
I'se sure curious what ya'll think of Malinda's point of view. Leave me a note or two on it if ya will.
Malinda777 said...Gee Aunty Belle!
I am speechless, except that never happens to me :(...so this one will be long!
I'll try to write like you (IN HONOR OF YOU) to show what you mean to me and this MIGHT BE YOUR BEST POST EVER...and I usually favor the back porch!
My spellin will be off, cause I can't do it like the original Aunty Belle that if she doesn't already own a PHD she should. I don't know WHO you ACTUALLY ARE...but givin' my history from my years in your country...I'd sure like to know...cause I'd like to buy you a damn nice dinner and shake your hand! Here goes...
Sees...I lived in Missipi for a while, my Daddy used to live in Loosiana... I didn't have nothin then, but I had more than some days. I's hard nosed and kept it to the grind stone and climbed up a rung or two each quarter of each year I lived there. Knew a few impotent folk or two while's I was there. Don't talk to 'em now...but I knew 'em then. I tried hard to be a better folk, and rise up to all good.
I came to Missipi as a manager workin for the man...lookin for a bigger opportunity. I got it...and then some. Met me some celebrities, wore a few sparkly dresses and went to some impotent parties...but I left after 4 years, not for bad reasons necessary, but for reasons of my own.
I came back to this here Nevada and did good. I's stayed single 'cause all the lookin' men weren't no different than Ned. But I met a man not so much different than Uncle...and I married him. Few years later...We's opened up ourselves a "pork rind plant", excepten' we fixes engines, transmissions, and the such...we own garages. We's just dirty ole' folks.
Started with only 4 folks willin to git dirty and greasy. Now...lawdy...there's two garages, one for pickups and one for big rigs and trailers... Don't know how the Lord blessed us with 22 folks willin to git dirty and make only between $14 & $28 dollars per hour...
See...we's appreciate the folks willing to git dirty and make pork rinds...hmmnnn...fix trucks. Don't nobody at my place make that min-num wage. They's got benifits too...som insur'nce and some 402K, and some AFLAC (don't you love the DUCK)...got gas cards too sum of 'em...don't have to worry about fillin up they's vehicles to travel a few blocks to work...
And ya knows...I get it...they's NOT HAPPy that I have a house on tha hill...I's the man keepin 'em down. But when they all cryin po mouth and sadness...and me and "my uncle" go home and have us a nice PBJ sandwich fo supper and have us a little spark in bed...
They's all still at the bar payin $4 bucks a beer to bitch about me an payin $6 bucks for smokes to get 'em through the night!
Why's they not at home with they missus or uncle havin some Ramen noodles or burger helper? Hell...you's can buy a 1/2 gallon of Seagram's 7 for $19 and buy 2 get 3 free 12 packs of that 7-Up at Safeway anyday! Drinks at my home bar are 'bout $.50 cents a piece as I see 'em...or sorta...
And then...when one of they's spouses gets fired...and gets on the un-mployment... get's offered a job right before the man's gonna take the house...says this damn shit to me...
"I had an offer...it was only $10.50 per hour...I didn't take it...un'mployment pays more"!
So...THANKS BELLE...YOU NEVER HIT IT MORE ON THE HEAD THAN THIS POST...I'M GONNA LINK IT...PASS IT...PRAISE IT...AND THANK GOD there are people like you that can write like no one else :)
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Sweet Thangs,
Aunty is headed fer the mountains fer a few days tomorry. I'se hopin' to mend my spirit some by lookin' at the beauty, the change of season from green to firey gold-- 
so I can git back to the fight. Mebbe I can git connection if so, I'se gonna check in an see what sort a flurry is goin' on when I can. Mercy but I'se sick at heart over all this.
Ya'll hold the fort!
