I drove over to Charlie’s Truck Stop this past week to fill up with gas and to see how the recent election had played out with the regulars who sit and talk about world events at the pot belly stove at Charlie’s. Jake was out the moment I drove up to the gas pumps and the first thing he asked was if the election went to suit me. I hadn’t come over to give my opinions so I just said I would have had more fun if the Democrat had won cos I thought it would have been easier to gather material to write about from Kerry. I was not always in agreement with Bush over the years, but I didn’t believe he was outright wrong often enough to provide material for a weekly column. Now I have to wait another four years to have a chance to get someone I really dislike in the White House. Jake laughed. He said he didn’t always like Bush, but he just couldn’t warm up to Kerry. All Kerry ever was came to be he was just the not-Bush. He honestly wished the Democrats could have come up with a candidate with more to offer than just not being George Bush. Then Jake might have voted for the Democrat.
What is most worrying to Jake is this administration’s willingness to invade a country just because they dislike the guy running the place. Sure Jake can see the side of the argument that goes we do not want to wait until Saddam Hussein explodes a bomb or rams an airliner into New York City or Washington before the military goes after him, but it is terribly tempting to carry that argument too far. You start looking for excuses to invade a country and pretty soon you are mounting invasions because the tyrant of the moment says something noncomplimentary about Washington or because he refuses to accept State Department house guests in his royal residence or because he refuses to let Wal-Mart build a new super center across the street from his summer cottage. Claiming Saddam had terrible weapons he was just waiting to use against the United States sounded like valid justification at the time, but there appears to be plenty of available information that such weapons simply did not exist.
Jake had some hopes that, if George W. Bush lost the White House because of the botched military adventures in Iraq, the next administration might not be so eager to mount any new invasions. Still, even with his disagreements with President Bush, Jake did not think Kerry was a better choice. I paid for the gas and wandered over to where Mister Johnson was carving on that old piece of pine. Long as Mister Johnson has been carving slivers off that old piece of pine, it never seems to get any smaller. I’d almost be willing to bet that piece of pine renews itself every night after Mister Johnson goes to bed.
As I walked up, I heard Mister Johnson say, “I been wrong before and I was willing to admit I was wrong just as I’m willing to admit I made a mistake this time.” I asked what Mister Johnson was having to admit to a mistake about and Bob Havershold said Mister Johnson was owning up to claiming Osama bin Laden was dead all those months ago. To tell the truth, I had forgotten Mister Johnson insisting bin Laden was dead because he had not put out any fresh videos in quite some time. Mister Johnson said he never claimed second sight. He was just making a judgement based upon the evidence, or lack of evidence, at hand. Bob asked what did Mister Johnson believe bin Laden had been doing while he was taking a sabbatical from producing his home movies. Mister Johnson said it was right dangerous for him to be making any speculations after him being so obviously wrong about bin Laden’s early demise, but Mister Johnson still thinks bin Laden was hurt severely in some manner and has been recovering on the quiet for some time. The man needs to project the image of invincibility to his followers, and that is likely why he is back on public display by way of his home movies after so long an absence. Now the faithful can look to the tape and see it appears of recent production and confirm that their godlike leader cannot be harmed. He is a saint on Earth sent to lead the faithful into the promised land of peace and plenty, of perpetual virgins and free of the grinding presence of the Great Satan also known as the United States.
I spoke to Mister Johnson and asked how he felt about the election returns. Mister Johnson said he had no complaints. At the same time, he has much to be grateful for. Mister Johnson said he was exceedingly grateful the candidates decided to allow the outcome of the election to be determined by the voters and not by the courts. Once to have a Presidential election decided in the courts is a footnote to history. To have the courts called upon to decide two elections in succession becomes a tradition, a tradition Mister Johnson is just as happy not to have seen come to pass. Mister Johnson said he had never thought too highly of Mister Kerry during the campaign. He always thought of Kerry as an honest and sincere man by his own lights, but Mister Johnson just never saw him as a man of a temperament to sit in the White House. However John Kerry rose mightily in Mister Johnson’s estimation when he said in his concession announcement that the election should be decided by the voters and not by the courts. By that statement, Mister Johnson ranks Mister John Kerry as a man of considerable character.
I was about ready to pick up some vegetables and ground meat for the making of some hot soup when Bob asked me about my new dog. He wanted to know if he was still around or if someone had come up to claim him. I assured Bob the dog is still there and appears to have taken over the place for his own. Early in the week someone came up passing out cards, possibly a politician looking for votes, and Mutt charged up to the car barking and growling. The man was afraid to get out. I stayed inside the house looking out through the window and, presently, the politician backed his car out of the drive and went his way. Yes, sir! I believe this is going to be one fine dog. I paid Jake for my groceries and went out to my car. I cranked up the car and drove home where Mutt came bounding up just so happy to see me.
END
