The first time I saw Dick Gregory, in person, was my freshman year in college. He was the guest speaker invited to entertain the students and faculty at Murray State University, a small college in western Kentucky.
He was amazing. I watched him perform, probably on the Ed Sullivan Show, a few times. I knew he was a great entertainer. What I didn't know was that he was the first black comedian to appear on television. However, there was so much more to the man than his ability to make people of any color laugh. With his first steps on the stage he owned the crowd. I don't think he received a standing ovation as he strolled on stage. Everyone applauded with gusto and anticipation. We were ready to be entertained. What we received was a lesson in humility and humanity and a good dose of humor. He made us stop and think while we laughed.
Our high school had been integrated in 1964, without a lot of problems. There were a few weeks of bomb threats and then it seemed integration fell into place. All students went to school. The rest of the United States was not a fortunate. And I may have seen only what I wanted to see. However, that is my memory of our schools integration.
Dick Gregory told us of a different integration than we had experienced. We all watched the news and knew the trouble in the land. I did not see it up close and personal. He did. He lived it.
He spoke of life as a second class citizen in his own country. He mocked bigotry and racism.
He also spoke on Vietnam. He talked about how fortunate we were to be in college when so many young men who could not afford college were fighting a war with no way to win. I was sitting in the midst of several young men and I have to admit, that statement made a few of them squirm in their seats. I also squirmed in my seat. I knew he was telling the truth. I also knew Tommy had enlisted in the Marine Corps. Vietnam was always on my mind.
Dick Gregory told one story that stuck in my mind. He was married and had several children. He named his newest born daughter "Miss". He said when people talked to her she would be referred to as 'Miss Gregory' without the usual slurs. He said he knew he could not stop it all but at least most of the time his daughter would be called, "Miss Gregory". That statement brought tears to my eyes. I always knew I wanted children and I wanted them respected as human beings.
He told more funny stories and all too soon the show was over. He thanked us all for coming and he received a standing ovation from everyone in the audience. We stood and clapped until our hands hurt. Then it was over. Everyone went their own way back to dorms or houses. I can almost guarantee Dick Gregory walked home with each and every student in their minds. I know he walked home in my head.
Dick Gregory died August 19, 2017. He was 84 years old. I have an old album of his I think I will try and find today. The record player is long gone but I would like to hold the record. There was one thing I did not know about him. He was a conspiracy theorist. I smiled when I read this statement. I have been a conspiracy theorist since President Kennedy was killed. Most people think this is such a crazy way to think. However, I will forever believe that the government we see and the one that is running our country and the world are two separate entities. We are just along for the ride and to keep these people funded. Conspiracy theorists is as easy for me to believe in as knowing there is a God. I have no doubt about either.
I have looked forward to the 2017 eclipse of the sun for about a week. When I woke up it was around 8:30 a.m. I put the coffee on first. Then I started to check the Weather Channel to see if our day was as warm and bright as had been forecasted. For some reason, I decided to check my emails first. I was not alert enough to stop a jerk from using my confiscated debit card number. He got me for almost $50. I called the bank immediately, when I realized what was going on, and made the transaction void. I had to make a fast trip to town to get everything straightened out. I was also watching the time. I wanted to be home when the eclipse happened. I made it just as the beginning of the eclipse was visible from my home.
I was anxious to see what would happen. The temperature on the way to Fulton was sultry and pushing the high 80's. It's not a very good day for naturally curly hair. When I returned home the eclipse was moving into our area. Tommy and I put on our solar glasses and started watching the eclipse.
While wearing the glasses, the sun appeared to be a vivid shade of orange with a slice, of what could easily have been a piece of pie, eaten by the moon. A few minutes later we came back outside and by now two pieces of the pie was gone. I decided to stay out. The sun was changing fast and I didn't want to miss anything. Soon it was half a piece of pie missing, followed by another chunk of the sun. One slice of orange pie left and everything else was black.
Things started to change as the last piece of the pie was eaten. The skies turned to dusk. My dusk to dawn light came on. The solar lights in my flower beds lit up. The temperature dropped about ten degrees.
This was taken when the sun was blocked and in a matter of minutes everything slowly returned to normal. The sun is shining and hot again.It was just was another Monday after all. . . with a little bit of magic thrown in. My kind of day.
Someone dropped Sabella, our German Shepherd, at our home about ten years ago when she was about five months old. We had a yellow lab named Sandy and we were perfectly content with the way things were.
However, after Sabella slowly made her way down our driveway Sandy instantly became a mother. She loved Sabella. I did not realize how lonesome Sandy must have been for a companion. Tommy and I worked nights and slept days so most of the time Sandy was alone. We kept her in the house until it was time for us to leave.
Sandy and Sabella became inseparable. They ran and chased each other. Ate out of the same bowl, most of the time, which surprised me. Tommy and I grew to love Sabella especially after we saw all the happiness she gave Sandy. The only problem we had was both dogs shed. . . a lot. It was a loosing battle. We tore up several vacuum cleaners in the process of trying to keep a clean house. Brushing the dogs was an everyday chore and it still wasn't good enough. We used dry shampoo and doggie perfume. We burned candles and kept two vacuums plugged in and ready.
Today was a beautiful day and I decided to give Sabella a tub bath in a galvanized tub Barbara gave me last year. I let the water warm for two days in the sun. Gathered all my dirty towels that I was about to wash, the doggie shampoo and a hassock for me to set on.I still have trouble getting up and down in low areas.
I called Sabella to me and then grabbed her collar and began to brush her coat. She is used to that so it didn't bother her. She is a smart dog and she knew this was not going to be an ordinary cleaning. Next I put the shampoo on and then the warm water. Sabella looked at me like I had just defiled her in some way. All the time I was bragging on how good she was doing. I scrubbed her all over. After that I rinsed her and did the same thing all over again. It is a good thing I had all our dirty towels outside in a basket because I needed every one. Finally I let her go. She was about as dry as I could get without a hair dryer and I know better than to try that. She hates my hair dryer. She was still on the damp side. I let go of her collar, gave her some smooches and told how proud I was of her.
Sabella looked me in the eye and proceeded to run straight for a dirt pile! She flipped on her back and rolled around like a little pig. She stopped for a minute to make sure I was watching and then she smiled at me. !***!! I took off my filthy clothes, gathered up all my dirty towels putting everything in the much needed washing machine. I am clean; as for Sabella--well she smells better than she did. In fact we both do. This is just the first of many more baths now that I have an idea of how it will go. That is if I ever catch her again.
