Post by Jolly on Nov 22, 2021 14:47:04 GMT
We roasted a pig for the church last Saturday. As things, when country men are gathered around a fire for hours, the talk turned to who was raising what, and if a man could make a nickel doing this or that. One of the guys had been picking up some extra money helping one of his neighbors cut firewood. I made the statement that his neighbors could certainly use a few extra dollars and we all laughed.
I know his neighbors well. Went to school with both the man and his wife. The wife has been friends with my wife for over fifty years. The reason we laughed, is that they've got enough money to burn a wet mule on a windy day.
Both the man and his wife were the only child in their family. Both families were like some country people, what we call land poor. They ran cows, both families. As the parents died, the couple inherited the land, which was probably 300 acres. They continued to run cows, while both worked full-time jobs - her at the school, while he worked in the local prison.
Today, all the cows have been sold and probably around two hundred acres of the original land. The couple both have decent pensions and they live much as they always have...Tight as a tick. They still have their yard chickens. He still raises a few hogs and sells roast pigs. He'll commercial fish and sell the fish. He'll cut firewood for sale and he has a wood shop where he'll do craftwork, signs or custom work for folks. They raise a huge garden and have a nice little orchard beside the house. They drive old vehicles and you'd never know they had money, if you met them on the street.
But their kids...Two boys. One works and does pretty good. The other can't keep a dollar in his pocket. It's wine, women and drugs.
It's just a shame to see good people bust their butts all their lives, and then see some of the heirs squander years of work.
What happens to your place after you're gone?
I know his neighbors well. Went to school with both the man and his wife. The wife has been friends with my wife for over fifty years. The reason we laughed, is that they've got enough money to burn a wet mule on a windy day.
Both the man and his wife were the only child in their family. Both families were like some country people, what we call land poor. They ran cows, both families. As the parents died, the couple inherited the land, which was probably 300 acres. They continued to run cows, while both worked full-time jobs - her at the school, while he worked in the local prison.
Today, all the cows have been sold and probably around two hundred acres of the original land. The couple both have decent pensions and they live much as they always have...Tight as a tick. They still have their yard chickens. He still raises a few hogs and sells roast pigs. He'll commercial fish and sell the fish. He'll cut firewood for sale and he has a wood shop where he'll do craftwork, signs or custom work for folks. They raise a huge garden and have a nice little orchard beside the house. They drive old vehicles and you'd never know they had money, if you met them on the street.
But their kids...Two boys. One works and does pretty good. The other can't keep a dollar in his pocket. It's wine, women and drugs.
It's just a shame to see good people bust their butts all their lives, and then see some of the heirs squander years of work.
What happens to your place after you're gone?
