The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a
Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"
I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought
home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden
and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad’s fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin: and, if today’s children had this kind of drug problem. America would be a better place.
God bless the parents who drugged us.
_________________
Dear Rina,
I look forward to your paper every two weeks. It is great to have this alternative in the area. From your paper I have found several leads to have as guest speakers at VIPP. Judith Brown Clarke was wonderful (she talked about her experience in the 1984 Olympics), has lead to new friendships and relationships between VIPP and her department.
You really made Ren Xiping’s stay at MSU by publishing his poems. I have one from a Korean VIPP Fellow that I would like to submit – I need to dig it out along with a picture that goes with it.
Thanks for all you do!
Cheers,
William Eubanks