"The haves are increasing arithmetically. The have-nots are
increasing geometrically." The Quotations of Slim Fairview.
"The real problem with the gap
between the haves and the have-nots is not the number of dollars between them
but the number of people.” Slim
Fairview.
True Story.
Scout Camp. Summer: Circa 1964.
Our Troop was at scout camp.
Long story short: we brought a watermelon
with us. During the week, one of the
Dads, brought up a watermelon. Now we
have two.
Saturday came and we played softball against a neighboring
troop. The bet was a watermelon. We bet on of our two watermelons agains their
only one. It was a sucker bet. We had heavy hitters in our troop. Needless to say, we won.
When it came time to pay up, the other team’s melon was nowhere to
be found. One of their honest and
respectable scouts told their scoutmaster who’d hid the watermelon. The perpetrator, having been identified was
being questioned by the scoutmaster. He was being given the opportunity to
fess-up. He was slow to do so.
Then (Back in the day when words carried some weight, when words
meant something) the scoutmaster, towering over the offender, and hovering over
him, said, “You get that watermelon or your name is Mudd. Do you hear me? Your name is Mudd.”
The formula for True Confession Magazines: Sin. Suffer. Repent. I could actually feel that scouts shame. He went to get the watermelon. Now we have three.
At this point I must point out that I truly do not remember if our
scoutmaster and or the assistant scoutmaster were there. I should also disclose that I do not like
watermelon. I always associated them
with the anarchy of youth: spitting seeds, flinging rinds, and they are messy
and sticky and they drip everywhere.
I must also disclose that I put up a mental block. I cannot recall whether we did or did not
invite the other troop to the victory party.
I believe that we did not. And
this leads up to my point.
Inviting losers to join the victory party is dicey at best. Even
for skilled diplomats. And we were only
adolescents. True, we did “the cheer”. “Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate…” But that is a hollow gesture at best. Also, it should be noted that not inviting
them is bad grace. And with that, I
could remember feeling my own shame.
Now, the whole point of this article:
Take out scout troop and put in emerging nations. Take out watermelon and put in natural
resources.
Are we ashamed yet?
Warmest regards,
Slim Fairview
Copyright © 2013 Slim Fairview
All rights reserved.
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