George with the Green Bottom Shoes

It was the 1964/65 school year in Raleigh County, West Virginia.  I was attending Cranberry Consolidated School in Cranberry, W.Va.  I was in the sixth grade and it was my first and only year at Cranberry School.

The school had a semi-organized basketball team that, as I remember, was pretty good.  There was one player that I distinctly remember. His name was George, a big, tall white fellow who wore green bottomed ‘tennis shoes’, as we called them back then. George was in the 8^th grade and I thought he was a giant. (The fact that George was white has nothing to do with the telling of this true story. It’s mentioned here only for descriptive purposes.)  I had never seen green bottoms on tennis shoes before and I thought they were the very coolest things ever.  I later found out that these ‘tennis’ or basketball shoes were name brand shoes named after a famous basketball player from the 50’s, Bob Cousy, who played for the Boston Celtics. (I never heard of the Converse All Stars Chuck Taylor brand until I moved to Detroit the following year.) George was a good basketball player and led the team to some victories.

The Cranberry team had an informal cheer leading squad who made up some cool chants and cheers for the team.  I remember one chant:

George! George! He’s our man

If he can’t do it Tommy can
Tommy! Tommy! He’s our man
If he can’t do it Billy can...

And so on…

I sometimes wonder whatever happened to Big George and his basketball aspirations.  For that matter, I wonder whatever became of some others from the Cranberry School, e.g. Larry Anglin from Skelton, Becky who lived somewhere in Cranberry, Robert from Cranberry and of course that beautiful blond girl with the special eyes whose last name was Green from Skelton; these and more.

These folks are now locked in my memories and return to my conscious mind like the cheerleading chant from long ago.

The thing about the chant though makes me think of the way people chase after political leaders in order to get a better life or to secure some political goal. During election times, which is now continuous as opposed to nearing the time of the election; various folks throw their hats into the ring, as it were, in order to compete for the popular vote of the people.  From the mouths and campaigns of each person running for some office we hear, “Vote for me and I’ll make your life better”.  This is cry sent toward those who vote the popular vote.  Those same campaign voice cry out, “What kind of deal can we make with each other to ensure I get your support and donations for my campaign?”

In short, the deals are struck in the back rooms and hidden places that may or may not be in the best interest of the masses of the people.  All this while the people still chant:

Barack Obama he’s our man

If he can’t do it, Rick Perry can
Perry, Perry he’s our man
If he can’t do it, Mitt Romney can

And so on….

And round and round we go.

A sadness falls over me as I’ve heard, time after time, how a person who expresses popular ideas in order to get elected and then fails to accomplish what he or she promised and the people are no better off or worse.  The really saddest part is that of the people who put their trust in these failed promises year after year after year.

It’s not the green bottom shoes that make a difference….

The Cranberry part of this story … to be continued…..

Look Sharp, Be Sharp, Feel Sharp - file yourself to a point

When I was being taught by Mrs. Robinson at Sprague elementary school , my parents would buy these wonderful, bright yellow #2 pencils to use at school. In school they had these crank type pencil sharpeners that were screw mounted to a table or bench or something. I always wanted to get the finest points on my pencil possible so my writing would look its best. I didn't easily get the trick of applying just the right amount of pressure inward on the pencil until it had a sharp enough point. I struggled with this and many times ended up with a very sharp 2 inch nub instead of a sharp enough 7 inch usable writing instrument.

In many ways I haven't changed.. Sometimes, in my efforts to 'make a point', I try to put 'too fine a point' on the matter being discussed. I want to be thorough. I still want my writings /sayings to be sharp and to the point. I still fail to realize that, sometimes, sharp enough is enough. If others don't get the point then I have to learn to let it go and not continue to 'push that pencil into the sharpener'.

A prayer -
Dear God Jehovah,
Please continue to help me to grow and become a better teacher of your word. Please continue to help me to become more like the your Son, Jesus Christ who known as 'The Great Teacher'.....